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Mindfogger
A Seventies adventure story--science, fantasy and pure entertainment, set in the long-haired hippie subculture of that decade. Back then, Niles Spindrift was a new kind of hero: a gentle electronics wizard. At twelve he was in college, at twenty-two he was about to perfect his "mindfogger," a device all too capable of controlling the human brain.
Niles is on the run, from the police and FBI and a sinister man named Carpenter. They want him for drugs and draft evasion, but mostly for his invention, which would be useful indeed for the U.S. government.
What he wants is time—time to arrive somewhere, time to build and test his machine. He finds it, and then he is found. Niles and his girlfriend Lila go on the run in northern California. But when they finally turn to face their pursuers, they discover that they have crossed a final frontier…
Niles is on the run, from the police and FBI and a sinister man named Carpenter. They want him for drugs and draft evasion, but mostly for his invention, which would be useful indeed for the U.S. government.
What he wants is time—time to arrive somewhere, time to build and test his machine. He finds it, and then he is found. Niles and his girlfriend Lila go on the run in northern California. But when they finally turn to face their pursuers, they discover that they have crossed a final frontier…
171 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 20, 2022
3 people are currently reading
558 people want to read
About the author
Michael Rogers
10 books16 followersMichael Rogers is an author, technology pioneer, and futurist. His career has ranged from writing novels and earning patents to jobs as vice-president of research & development for the Washington Post Company and futurist-in- residence for the New York Times.
Michael studied physics and creative writing at Stanford. Knopf purchased his first novel, Mindfogger, when he was 21. He subsequently published two more books with Knopf—a collection of short fiction and a nonfiction book on genetic engineering—as well as novels for Simon & Schuster and Bantam Books.
While working as a staff writer at Rolling Stone, he co-founded Outside magazine. Michael also wrote “The Practical Futurist” for Newsweek and MSNBC. Fifteen years ago, he started his consultancy, Practical Futurist. Since then, he has worked with companies ranging from FedEx, Boeing, and GE to Microsoft, Pfizer, and American Express.
Michael has also been a guest on radio and television, including Good Morning America, the Today Show, PBS, CNN, and the History Channel. A California native, he divides his time between Brooklyn and Sicily.
Michael studied physics and creative writing at Stanford. Knopf purchased his first novel, Mindfogger, when he was 21. He subsequently published two more books with Knopf—a collection of short fiction and a nonfiction book on genetic engineering—as well as novels for Simon & Schuster and Bantam Books.
While working as a staff writer at Rolling Stone, he co-founded Outside magazine. Michael also wrote “The Practical Futurist” for Newsweek and MSNBC. Fifteen years ago, he started his consultancy, Practical Futurist. Since then, he has worked with companies ranging from FedEx, Boeing, and GE to Microsoft, Pfizer, and American Express.
Michael has also been a guest on radio and television, including Good Morning America, the Today Show, PBS, CNN, and the History Channel. A California native, he divides his time between Brooklyn and Sicily.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 14, 2023
Don't read this. Instead, get out your Fleetwood Mac music and listen to that. You'll thank me afterwards.
This book was written in the 70s and it shows. I'm surprised I hadn't read this when I was at University, or maybe I did and just forgot it. All that free love with beach hippies etc. I could just picture the characters with flared jeans, long hair and Mustang convertibles.
Anyway, a young genius named Niles, invents a machine that can cause mass mind-fogging (I must have been permanently affected by it). Of course, the lab that he worked for wanted to turn it into a weapon. No, no, no, no said Niles. He pisses off to SF, then Malibu, then somewhere else to complete it all by himself. Then when he has completed it, he wants to destroy it, because it works better than expected! HUH!!!
In typical 70s fashion, there are draft dodgers, anti-government sentiment, anti-war feelings, and a general vibe of "Fuck it! Let's go smoke university cigarettes and eat Uncle Wally's special brownies".
Frankly, the whole story had me a bit confused. And the ending had a twist but it was just dumb. Still...I managed to get to the end, so an extra star for that.
This book was written in the 70s and it shows. I'm surprised I hadn't read this when I was at University, or maybe I did and just forgot it. All that free love with beach hippies etc. I could just picture the characters with flared jeans, long hair and Mustang convertibles.
Anyway, a young genius named Niles, invents a machine that can cause mass mind-fogging (I must have been permanently affected by it). Of course, the lab that he worked for wanted to turn it into a weapon. No, no, no, no said Niles. He pisses off to SF, then Malibu, then somewhere else to complete it all by himself. Then when he has completed it, he wants to destroy it, because it works better than expected! HUH!!!
In typical 70s fashion, there are draft dodgers, anti-government sentiment, anti-war feelings, and a general vibe of "Fuck it! Let's go smoke university cigarettes and eat Uncle Wally's special brownies".
Frankly, the whole story had me a bit confused. And the ending had a twist but it was just dumb. Still...I managed to get to the end, so an extra star for that.
May 6, 2011
While very much a product of its time (the Seventies—otherwise known as the "What Were We Thinking?!? Decade") and its place (coastal California), Michael Rogers' funny, quirky novel Mindfogger is a particular guilty pleasure of mine. I first encountered this book during what must have been a sweet spot in my own formative years, during the 1970s themselves, and its amiable, sexy loner-against-the-Man vibe really appealed to me at the time. I've returned to Mindfogger several times since then, and while I have to admit it's gotten less and less relevant as its setting recedes into the past, I've found it still a quick and enjoyable read.
Niles Spindrift (and from that name alone it's possible to tell a lot about this novel, isn't it?) is a brilliant tinkerer, who's come up with a device—the Mindfogger of the title—that does exactly what it says on the tin. It fogs minds, subtly and indiscriminately—a "neat conceit" that gets played out pretty well. After he gets it built, Niles and his girlfriend Lila (whose lime-green bikini featured prominently in numerous adolescent visualizations, by the way) test this device on their landlord (Lila's sister Delores) and then, with intensely amusing results, at Niles' current job in a factory making batteries for the military.
There's not much more to the book than that, other than a chase scene at the end after the Feds discover something of what Niles has been putting over on them. This is simply a very fun, very light read—in the present tense, which is unusual but keeps the suspense level high.
Mindfogger was, if I recall correctly, optioned for a film that was never made. I think this book would really make an exciting movie—it's quite short, so not a lot would need to be cut out; there are actually several chase scenes (Niles spends most of the book on the run); and the special-effects budget would be minimal. The hardest part, I think, would be putting across the effects of the Mindfogger, which are mostly mental, without overplaying them.
I'd still like to see that version—I've said before (and will again) that Hollywood should make more movies from lesser-known works, ones that could possibly even be improved by cinematic treatment, rather than the more common practice of debasing classics during their transition to screen. Mindfogger seems to me a prime candidate... and until then, if and when, I can always reread it.
Niles Spindrift (and from that name alone it's possible to tell a lot about this novel, isn't it?) is a brilliant tinkerer, who's come up with a device—the Mindfogger of the title—that does exactly what it says on the tin. It fogs minds, subtly and indiscriminately—a "neat conceit" that gets played out pretty well. After he gets it built, Niles and his girlfriend Lila (whose lime-green bikini featured prominently in numerous adolescent visualizations, by the way) test this device on their landlord (Lila's sister Delores) and then, with intensely amusing results, at Niles' current job in a factory making batteries for the military.
There's not much more to the book than that, other than a chase scene at the end after the Feds discover something of what Niles has been putting over on them. This is simply a very fun, very light read—in the present tense, which is unusual but keeps the suspense level high.
Mindfogger was, if I recall correctly, optioned for a film that was never made. I think this book would really make an exciting movie—it's quite short, so not a lot would need to be cut out; there are actually several chase scenes (Niles spends most of the book on the run); and the special-effects budget would be minimal. The hardest part, I think, would be putting across the effects of the Mindfogger, which are mostly mental, without overplaying them.
I'd still like to see that version—I've said before (and will again) that Hollywood should make more movies from lesser-known works, ones that could possibly even be improved by cinematic treatment, rather than the more common practice of debasing classics during their transition to screen. Mindfogger seems to me a prime candidate... and until then, if and when, I can always reread it.
August 8, 2022
AI or the Human Brain
Mind fogger starts, in what I thought was the middle of the story. A bit confusing when you start reading but, it does pick up and come together as you read.
The ultimate question ( because of AI being everywhere) is, can AI teach us to use our brain, like a computer. You will have to read and figure it out on your own!
Mind fogger starts, in what I thought was the middle of the story. A bit confusing when you start reading but, it does pick up and come together as you read.
The ultimate question ( because of AI being everywhere) is, can AI teach us to use our brain, like a computer. You will have to read and figure it out on your own!
July 14, 2022
It was the 70's man
Very interesting piece that clearly shows it's 70's roots. Steeped in the anti-war movement and counter culture. Well written and enjoyable.
Very interesting piece that clearly shows it's 70's roots. Steeped in the anti-war movement and counter culture. Well written and enjoyable.
August 15, 2012
Eerily modern, subversive sci-fi.
July 26, 2015
I read this probably 40 years ago and I remember really liking it. It was fun. I can't tell you much beyond that.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews