“City of Truth” by James K. Morrow

Half of a great book—specifically, its first half. That’s when Morrow isn’t afraid of having fun with its juicy premise of an advanced society in which telling lies are a thing of the past. Being witness to the excessive steps to weed out deceitful behavior, as well as seeing how natural conversation can be warped when unbridled honesty is the law of the land, makes for great comedy. Then the plot starts, and the humor takes a backseat to a dull, “emotionally-wrenching” look at this strawman culture. A slight story of ruined potential that crawls to the finish line.

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