This book is both grim and bleak. It's cleverly and powerfully written but not in the least subtle. It looks at the British political and societal scene as of right now and pretty much damns everybody: the political class for reactionary abuse of power, repression of its citizens and persecution of minorities. Immigrants for not culturally integrating. The religious for abdicating reason. The scientific community for abandoning ethics. Human nature is found to be fundamentally pretty disgusting.

The true awfulness of the book is how much truth is expressed in it. Comparisons with 1984 are bound to be made, but there is really a fundamental difference - 1984 is a warning. HARM is a reflection of reality, only slightly magnified.