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Phillip K Dick
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Book
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Publisher | Gollancz | ||
ISBN | 978-057508034 | ||
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Reviewer
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Gareth
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Synopsis
Drawn from the five volumes of his complete short stories (also published by Gollancz) this volume represents the very cream of Philip K. Dick's output. It serves both as a celebration of his work, in the 25th year since his death, and as the ideal introduction to his unique take on the world for new readers. As our culture becomes ever more fluid, as fact is fictionalised, as documentary gives way to reality-TV, as our identities are digitised, as globalism runs wild, as drugs become ever more ubiquitous the world is finally catching up with even the most bizarre of Philip K. Dick's imaginings. 25 years after his death we are living in Philip K. Dick's world, this new authoratitive collection of his best short fiction shows us why.
Review
Total Recall, Screamers, Blade Runner and Minority Report - all these are films that have been taken from stories written by Philip K. Dick, one of the masters of science fiction. The short stories that are collected are at turns funny, scary and inspiring. "2nd Variety" became the basis for the film "Screamers" and "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" became "Total Recall". In some ways Dick's short stories were more inspired than his novels, it was as if the restrictions imposed by the medium allowed him free reign; he became more concise in his concepts and his wit became razor sharp as well as his descriptions becoming more vivid.
Of this collection, "2nd Variety" is my favourite -about a group of soldiers trying to survive in a war against some very pesky, highly developed killing machines. As in a lot of Dicks short stories there's an element of, if not humour, then irony. And that makes it all worth while for me - someone who can see the bleakest, blackest depths of the human condition, show it to us but still raise a smile...
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