Top 3 Novels? - Philip K. Dick Discussion

[–] TheAdlerian (2092) 5 years ago

Do Androids was one of the most depressing novels I have ever read in my life.

I don't know if he actually wrote anything "good" or did he just have good ideas.

Androids inspired Blade Runner, which is almost nothing like the book at all. But the core concept is from the book and it's great. The rest of the material was suicide inducing dreariness to the extreme.

There was also a movie called Screamers, I think, which had a similar idea to Blade Runner. I'm not sure if the book was good though.

I think he's a concept guy, not so much a novelist.

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[–] Moonglum9 (11309) 5 years ago

I've only read some of his short stories, but they were generally pretty good. Screamers came from a short story (I can't recall the name right now, but it wasn't Screamers). I haven't seen the movie, so I can't say how true it is to the original story.

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[–] TheAdlerian (2092) 5 years ago

I can't recall the short story name, but I know it wasn't screamers.

It was about military death machines on this planet. They started evolving to be better at killing people. Eventually, they evolved into terminator type androids. Then, they evolved to have personalities to fool people, then....they stopped being death machines and were people because their personalities got so advanced. Love resulted!

With a cute actress, lol.

It was a similar idea to Blade Runner, who cares if it's real or not, if it loves you, that's awesome!

I like that theme.

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[–] Moonglum9 (11309) 5 years ago

It's been a long time since I read the story, but I don't recall the robot love angle, but maybe I just have forgotten. I mainly remember some people traveling around (on the Moon?) trying to avoid getting killed by them critters.

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[–] TheAdlerian (2092) 5 years ago

The movie seemed like it took that idea and added Blade Runner themes.

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[–] Moonglum9 (11309) 5 years ago

I think the story might have had some human looking androids as well, but I only recall them being killing machines, not developing the emotional love part. I'll have to read it again.

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[–] TheAdlerian (2092) 5 years ago

The movie is okay if you find it.

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[–] Forky (1739) 5 years ago

I believe it was called "Second Variety"

I won't explain the title though because SPOILERS!

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[–] TheAdlerian (2092) 5 years ago

I will investigate.

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[–] Forky (1739) 5 years ago

DO IT!

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

"I think he's a concept guy, not so much a novelist."

I agree. I read "Androids etc", but I forgot it almost as I turned the last page.

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[–] Owlwise (1535) 5 years ago

I have a real affection for Ubik, because it's the first PKD novel I ever read. And Galactic Pot-Healer is wonderfully bizarre, while at the same time being quite moving. But I wouldn't disagree with your 3 choices, either.

For me, even the most so-so PDK novel has its great moments.

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[–] TheAdlerian (2092) 5 years ago

Ubik sounds wacky. I just read the wiki.

Read Androids if you are ever in the mood. I suggest a cheerful mood where everything is going great! It's depressing.

I read it right after the movie came out, which is a LONG time ago and can remember the book well because it was so impressively sad. JESUS! But, it was well done.

At that time there was still fear of a nuclear war, which is the setting, post war, for the novel. Good thoughts were not had.

The androids he had to kill weren't nice either, they were cruel psychopaths due to I guess limited programming.

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[–] BuckSwope (3511) 5 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Owlwise (1535) 5 years ago

Androids is deeply moving, isn't it? For all the wildness & Surreal wonder of PKD's vision, what strikes me the most is the humanity & compassion in it. There's a love & empathy for what people can be at their best, but also a clear-eyed awareness & recognition of what they can so sadly & easily be at their worst.

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[–] TheAdlerian (2092) 5 years ago

Yes, I guess!

I can remember much of the book and I probably read it in 1983.

That is hard to believe!

I remember everything being disappointing for the character in the book. Everything sucked and was fake.

The Rachael character seemed to love him, then it turns out she was made to do that. He would find and animal and it would be fake. You plug into an emotion box to feel something. Everyone worried about being sterile, etc.

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[–] captainbucky (15252) 5 years ago

You nailed it

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

like a lots and lots of people, i have a bit of time on my hand these days, and i've taken the opportunity to revisit two of my favourite pkd novels in the past few days - the three stigmata of palmer eldritch & ubik.

i have the library of america editions of his most popular novels, and i think i'll work through them over the coming weeks. it's been years since i've read any of them, & my memory of most has faded to the point where i only have vague recollections of them.

but the ones i remember liking the most were:

ubik
martian time slip
radio free albemuth

i know radio free isn't quite so loved by many, but it was the first pkd i read, and i really loved it and continue to have a very soft spot for it. it's not included in the library of america reprints, but if i can find my old copy i'll give that a re-read as well.

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

this is my old post. i would take rfa off my list now i'm pretty sure.

i'd probably put three stigmata or a scanner darkly in the #3 slot now.

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[–] Padeen (6459) 3 years ago

If you like Phillip K. Dick, check out Kim Stanley Robinson's "The Three Californias Trilogy." A lot of his writing was influenced by by his work.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Californias_Trilogy

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

i just put a hold on the wild shore at our library. i should have a copy early next week. thanks for the heads-up!

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[–] ducksoup (3933) 3 years ago

where do you rank confessions of a crap artist?

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

that's one i haven't read. as i mentioned above, most of the pkd i've read came from the library of america editions i bought about 10 years ago, and that book wasn't included with them.

we don't have that one in our library, and it looks like it may not be in print, at least not in canada. amazon seems to only have used paperbacks for sale starting at $30 ea. they have a hardcover going for a perfectly reasonable $2553.99!

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[–] ducksoup (3933) 3 years ago

Is it signed or something?

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

not that i can see. the description simply says '1st edition hardcover' so i assume it's just vanishingly rare.

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[–] ducksoup (3933) 3 years ago

I noticed audible.com has it, if you don't mind audiobooks.

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

i don't generally do audiobooks (though i listen to tons of podcasts, which is not a world apart from that), but i might in this case. thanks for the heads-up.

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

i picked up the wild shore from the library today - but i see it's 373 pages. i know this is gonna make me sound lame, but i truly doubt i'll read it. i'll give it a try and see if i get sucked into it, but when it comes to fiction, it's very rare that i'll go for anything that long. i really like concise, pacey books. this is a bit out of my comfort zone. but i'll give it an honest try, anyway.

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[–] Padeen (6459) 3 years ago

Really? 373 pages seems pretty average, but yeah, if you don't like it, at least you didn't pay money for it.

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

i guess that's not a crazy length for most people, but i have a really low tolerance for books that drone on. 180-220pgs is the sweet spot for me.

i kinda crave brevity in everything i watch or read. but we'll see. i'm going to crack it open tomorrow and see what comes. maybe i'll really dig it.

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[–] Ace_Spade (9574) 3 years ago

Then read PKD's book Ubik, if you haven't already. It's short and it will blow your mind.

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

if you scan up a bit, you'll see i listed it as my favourite pkd novel! i love it.

in fact, i think i'm going to go on a dick marathon fairly soon and revisit ubik & a few others. valis, a scanner darkly, who knows what else.

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[–] Ace_Spade (9574) 3 years ago

I skimmed, but I missed that comment.

I keep meaning to read more PKD. I've only read a bit of his work, but it's wonderful. Valis is next on my list.

Oh, and I had a laugh at, "...go on a dick marathon..." and that makes me, what?, twelve? But it was a solid laugh, anyway.

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

i laughed a bit when i was typing it too, haha...

valis is very dense, but it's a good one.

if you haven't read them, i would also recommend:

the three stigmata of palmer eldritch
time out of joint
flow my tears, the policeman said
now wait for last year
the divine invasion

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[–] Ace_Spade (9574) 3 years ago

A bit of an immature laugh is unavoidable while discussing Dick.

Thanks for the recommendations! I'll put them on the list!

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

i'm about 90 pages in and i'm really enjoying it so far. it chugs along very nicely & i've found it really easy to get into, at least to this point.

thanks for the recommendation.

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[–] Padeen (6459) 3 years ago

Glad you like it. I enjoy post apocalyptic fiction like this, not sure why considering it is such a dark subject lol. Book II is a bit more dystopian in nature.

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

there is something incredibly appealing about books & movies like that, isn't there?

i think it's a very typical sort of male fantasy (i'm assuming you're a guy, excuse me if that's not the case) to imagine yourself as a sort of intrepid hero making your way in a world that's gone to hell.

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[–] Padeen (6459) 3 years ago

Yeah, I think its the survival against all odds aspect that draws me in. I read a lot of this in the non-fiction department as well.

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[–] rateater (10075) 4 years ago

divine invasion
a scanner darkly
our friends from frolix 6

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[–] trevorh321 (5495) 4 years ago

Ubik
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

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[–] FootOfDavros (8245) 3 years ago

Ubik
The Man In The High Castle
Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said

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[–] DeckardB26354 (1200) 3 years ago

Moviebuff1, the three you picked, spot on.

I'm Deckard B26354, I'm filed and monitored.

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