OVERLOAD Paperback – March 1, 1986

Arthur Hailey is a master of the art of spinning a good yarn and this novel is up to his reputation. Most enjoyable that is higly recommended.

This is typical of Hailey's previous books. Terrific story, keeps you on the edge of your seat, &, very well researched as to the industry featured, Airport, Wheels, Money Changers, the reader feels like they read a complete report on the workings of an industry, and got a really well written book on top of that!I only dropped to 4 stars because of the almost Junior High school sex descriptions. They were not needed and leave you feeling slightly dirty and unhappy reading them. Less talented authors put in sex descriptions to cover for a lack of talent. Mr Hailey is not one of them and should not act like his is.Other than that, again excellent! Just what the reader would expect!

When a California Electric Company applies for permits to start a coal based operation they are met with protestors, bombs, political restrictions. Environmental groups are paying protestors. When it comes down to extensive rolling blackouts life changes for everyone.

This is the weakest of all of his novels. As someone who worked in the power industry for many years, and also having worked for a public utility commission, I am familiar with how things work in that industry. And, in reading this book I found it has two big problems. First, it is badly dated. Although the other novels are all somewhat dated, they are not dependent on the time period of the novel. Sure, some predictions were amusing, but for the most part, the events in the books, are not totally out of date. In Overload, the whole premise of the book is out of date. Things have changed so much that it simply was annoying. Second, the book is one long cliche. The characters are predictable, and wooden. The set up is like a bad tv deceptive show. And the results, in the end, were not all that surprising.The climax of the book comes too soon, leaving an end that is an anticlimax. When one of the characters is dying and cannot reach an operator, he ends the chapter with the operator coming on the phone just after the character dies. That is a "roll eyes" moment, of which there are many in this book.I found his other novels readable and interesting. This one, not so much. Finally, he kept driving me crazy talking about all of those "thousands of kilowatts". People in the industry talk in terms of megawatts. I was surprised that he did not follow this convention.

This is so like a mirror of today. If we are smart, we will look seriously at this piece of fiction. Brilliantly written. To reminds me of the forward thinking in Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged.

Not a bad read if you like the author. Not his finest or most exciting but pretty good. As always, learn about the industry in which the story unfolds.

I first read this book many years ago. In light of the current energy situation in this country today, the premise is still quite valid, even though the technological references are quite dated. Hailey weaves a complex story centered around a rather believable, well-developed character who is at once powerful and troubled. While a few of the plot points are a little far-fetched, I managed to thoroughly enjoy this even on the second read, and even with my better than average knowledge of the electric power industry and power plants in general. I highly recommend it.

This novel reflects issues that are fundamentally accurate today as they were when this book was published. The descriptions of the complex issues that electrical utility must deal are very informative.

I must have read this back in the Arthur Hailey "glory years". However, it was interesting to re-read it.Technical details, such as they are, appear accurate.The hero is a class A bastard who eventually comes around. Good contrasts between good guys who are really bad guys.The editing of this edition is sub-standard. Many examples of "well" when they really mean "we'll". Also some really strange hyphenated names for no obvious reason.

It is a gripping novel. Although it is a fiction, lot of information on power plant operation is also available.

This book although it is part of a series still makes excellent reading And will hold the readers enthralled as it has me and I urge anyone who is thinking of following the author to do so

When reading Arthur Hailey one cant help notice that he must do some serious research about the each book he writes. I like that when I read his books I almost feel as if I am getting some inside knowledge. Overload is not a let down, its a well written and heart pumping novel from the master. For anyone who wants to have a go at writing fiction, I suggest you study Hailey his book structures and scenes, this is how to write.

Engrossing and given when written points out several issues that have since come to life