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Random Factor
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Plot Summary of Random Factor
"The year is 2333 and war has been raging for the last 300 years. The inhabitants of earth live in safety on earth in large domed cities run entirely by computer. The same computer runs the war and makes sure that the war remains in designated war zones and predicts outcomes including loss of life and loss of ships. Citizens of earth get daily updates over their television butnow the computer has decided to add a random factor...war moves into shipping land and suddenly the war seems very very real to the inhabitants of earth. A young human called Dirk and two space combatants called Ylon and Blast have hacked into the computer and together they must find out what has gone wrong with their nice tidy little war and how to put things right."
Neil Morey, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Random Factor
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%




Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Repressive society story Yes
Repressive because: - kills without good reason
Robots, Computers, VR Yes
Robot, PC, VR Plotlets: - fighting bad computer AI
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - computer programmer
Age: - a teen
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Computer
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status: - dictator
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - throughout most of the book.
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Genius (really!)

Setting
Terrain - Space, need spacesuit - Domed/Underground City
Earth setting: - medium future 22-24th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only) - a moderate amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - significantly more descript than dialog
Most similar books to Random Factor
Transcension by Damien Broderick
The Rise of Endymion by Dan Simmons
Gulliverzone by Stephen Baxter
Prometheus Road by Bruce Balfour
T2 The Future War by S.M. Stirling


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Jessica Palmer Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Neil Morey  

SCHOLARS:


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