The Essential Philip K. Dick (novels, best, characters, movies)

[Cida]

Molly Young did this great run-down of Dick's science fiction, with suggestions of specific titles, according to your taste.



The Essential Philip K. Dick
A nuclear-strength imagination powered his stupendous output. Here’s where to start.
Perhaps you’ve nurtured a suspicion that you have the makings of a Dick fan. The writer’s influence is everywhere, though mainstream acknowledgment of his talents arrived belatedly. (His obituary in this newspaper is under 200 words and lists his age of death incorrectly. He was 53, not 54.)
The best of his work is fueled by nuclear-strength imagination, grand metaphysical and theological explorations, and prescience in matters of technology, marketing, consumerism, media and ecological catastrophe. Dick picked up on sinister cultural undercurrents the way a cat senses a can of tuna being opened six rooms away.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/26/b...ck-novels.html

[Mark S.]

Never could get into his stories. He had GREAT ideas and was a real visionary of the genre. But let's be honest. His prose was terrible, his pacing turgid, and his characters completely unlikeable.

[DiffuseGlow]

Originally Posted by Cida

Molly Young did this great run-down of Dick's science fiction, with suggestions of specific titles, according to your taste.



The Essential Philip K. Dick
A nuclear-strength imagination powered his stupendous output. Here’s where to start.
Perhaps you’ve nurtured a suspicion that you have the makings of a Dick fan. The writer’s influence is everywhere, though mainstream acknowledgment of his talents arrived belatedly. (His obituary in this newspaper is under 200 words and lists his age of death incorrectly. He was 53, not 54.)
The best of his work is fueled by nuclear-strength imagination, grand metaphysical and theological explorations, and prescience in matters of technology, marketing, consumerism, media and ecological catastrophe. Dick picked up on sinister cultural undercurrents the way a cat senses a can of tuna being opened six rooms away.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/26/b...ck-novels.html

I was able to read a little before the register prompt flew up, but I've read many of these sorts of articles before. Either way, it's great that PKD remains relevant and held in high regard as a visionary and writer of some of the more unusual SFF fiction out there.

Everyone should read, at the very least:

The Man in the High Castle

A Scanner Darkly

The Penultimate Truth

The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch

Time Out of Joint


(I never recommend Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? to the uninitiated.)


Here's another good article, one that's not behind a paywall.

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/...sed-the-future

[Babe_Ruth]

Anybody watch the Philip K Dick (anthology) series on Amazon?
It had some good episodes..

[Cida]

Originally Posted by DiffuseGlow

I was able to read a little before the register prompt flew up, but I've read many of these sorts of articles before. Either way, it's great that PKD remains relevant and held in high regard as a visionary and writer of some of the more unusual SFF fiction out there.

Everyone should read, at the very least:

The Man in the High Castle
A Scanner Darkly
The Penultimate Truth
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
Time Out of Joint

(I never recommend Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? to the uninitiated.)

Here's another good article, one that's not behind a paywall.

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/...sed-the-future

Your library should probably have free access to the NYT.

The only book I'd read, long ago, was Man In the High Castle. I didn't like it, but I'm wondering if I should give it another try.

[DiffuseGlow]

Originally Posted by Cida

Your library should probably have free access to the NYT.

The only book I'd read, long ago, was Man In the High Castle. I didn't like it, but I'm wondering if I should give it another try.

I seldom visit the library. I have more than enough books right here at home.

Try The Penultimate Truth, instead. Or maybe Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said.

[Cida]

Originally Posted by DiffuseGlow

I seldom visit the library. I have more than enough books right here at home.

Try The Penultimate Truth, instead. Or maybe Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said.

Okay, but these days there is often a lot more at libraries than books - periodicals, movies, discussion groups, tech classes, etc.

[DiffuseGlow]

Originally Posted by Cida

Okay, but these days there is often a lot more at libraries than books - periodicals, movies, discussion groups, tech classes, etc.

Oh, definitely. I wasn't putting down libraries. We need 'em! I work too much to frequent them now, and I prefer to own, not borrow.

[vaughanwilliams]

I was on PKD kick a few years ago and I ended up reading most of his novels and short stories. I enjoyed most of the novels but to me, his short stories are just much better.