A matchless display of Philip K. Dick¿s quirky, humorous, idiosyncratically philosophical world view. With one exception, all the stories of this volume were written over a nine-month period between 1951 and 1952, when Dick was making his first impact as a writer.
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Though best known for Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the source of the classic SF film Blade Runner, for four decades in dozens of stories and novels Philip K. Dick turned into poetic prose the metaphysical doubt and surreal zeitgeist of the late 20th century. This volume, the first of five, finds him at the beginning of his career, just starting to develop the themes which would make him one of the most important writers of the latter half of the century. The 25 stories come with a forward by the author, an introduction by Roger Zelazny, who co-wrote Deus Irae with Dick, and six pages of informative notes. From the previously unpublished "Stability" (1947) to "Nanny" (1952), these are science-fiction stories, fantasies, unique gimmicks and oddities. "Roog" is a dog's-eye view of refuge collectors, "The Preserving Machine" a chill allegory on the nature of change, while the title story concerns a psychic Martian with a remarkable survival mechanism.
Inevitably some of the SF elements have dated, but it doesn't matter: Dick wasn't predicting the future, but shining a bright, sometimes mordant light on the baffling nature of reality. These stories still dazzle because they are mind-bendingly inventive, quirkily humorous, filled with original and startling ideas. Dick, who said he wrote about "The shock of dysrecognition", was a true original, a writer who expanded to possibilities of fiction. This collection is essential reading for anyone who wants to stretch the horizons of their universe. --Gary S. Dalkin
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The first volume of the complete stories of the twentieth century¿s greatest SF author.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As a long time fan of the work of Philip K Dick, I love this complete collection of his short stories (of which this is the first of 5 volumes).
These are amongst his earliest stories (with one exception, all the stories of this volume were written over a nine-month period between 1951 and 1952) and as with any collection of this kind, where all an authors short stories are collected, you get something of a mixed bag. However, to my mind even when PKD is not at his best he is still well worth a read (and at his best he is among the very best). As well as the stories you get some interesting introductory material and some helpful notes.
The stories contained in this volume are:
"Stability"
"Roog"
"The Little Movement"
"Beyond Lies the Wub"
"The Gun"
"The Skull"
"The Defenders"
"Mr. Spaceship"
"Piper in the Woods"
"The Infinites"
"The Preserving Machine"
"Expendable"
"The Variable Man"
"The Indefatigable Frog"
"The Crystal Crypt"
"The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford"
"The Builder"
"Meddler"
"Paycheck" (on which the movie Paycheck is based)
"The Great C"
"Out in the Garden"
"The King of the Elves" (on which the forthcoming movie King of the Elves is based)
"Colony"
"Prize Ship"
"Nanny"
The other four volumes in this collection are:
Second Variety: Volume Two Of The Collected Short Stories
The Father-Thing: Volume Three Of The Collected Short Stories
Minority Report: Volume Four Of The Collected Short Stories
We Can Remember It For You Wholesale: Volume Five of The Collected Short Stories
"This is why I love SF. I love to read it; I love to write it. The SF writer sees not just possibilities but wild possibilities. It's not just 'What if...' It's 'My God; what if...' In frenzy and hysteria."
-- Philip K Dick
If you are new to Philip K Dick's work I would also recommend the novels (which generally seem to be regarded as among his best):
A Scanner Darkly (S.F. Masterworks)
The Man In The High Castle (S.F. Masterworks)
Ubik (S.F. Masterworks)
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (S.F. Masterworks)
Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? (S.F. Masterworks)
Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said (S.F. Masterworks)
That said, as with the short stories, though some of PKD's works are better than others, to my mind they are all well worth reading.
These are amongst his earliest stories (with one exception, all the stories of this volume were written over a nine-month period between 1951 and 1952) and as with any collection of this kind, where all an authors short stories are collected, you get something of a mixed bag. However, to my mind even when PKD is not at his best he is still well worth a read (and at his best he is among the very best). As well as the stories you get some interesting introductory material and some helpful notes.
The stories contained in this volume are:
"Stability"
"Roog"
"The Little Movement"
"Beyond Lies the Wub"
"The Gun"
"The Skull"
"The Defenders"
"Mr. Spaceship"
"Piper in the Woods"
"The Infinites"
"The Preserving Machine"
"Expendable"
"The Variable Man"
"The Indefatigable Frog"
"The Crystal Crypt"
"The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford"
"The Builder"
"Meddler"
"Paycheck" (on which the movie Paycheck is based)
"The Great C"
"Out in the Garden"
"The King of the Elves" (on which the forthcoming movie King of the Elves is based)
"Colony"
"Prize Ship"
"Nanny"
The other four volumes in this collection are:
Second Variety: Volume Two Of The Collected Short Stories
The Father-Thing: Volume Three Of The Collected Short Stories
Minority Report: Volume Four Of The Collected Short Stories
We Can Remember It For You Wholesale: Volume Five of The Collected Short Stories
"This is why I love SF. I love to read it; I love to write it. The SF writer sees not just possibilities but wild possibilities. It's not just 'What if...' It's 'My God; what if...' In frenzy and hysteria."
-- Philip K Dick
If you are new to Philip K Dick's work I would also recommend the novels (which generally seem to be regarded as among his best):
A Scanner Darkly (S.F. Masterworks)
The Man In The High Castle (S.F. Masterworks)
Ubik (S.F. Masterworks)
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (S.F. Masterworks)
Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? (S.F. Masterworks)
Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said (S.F. Masterworks)
That said, as with the short stories, though some of PKD's works are better than others, to my mind they are all well worth reading.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Just the compendium to dip into when you want your reality twisted a little. I found it a good collection, some experimental stuff, other stories have a more familiar structure. Full marks for the only story I have read where the protagonist is the only character and is in fact a spaceship, fly on 'Mr Spaceship'
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
These are the first stories I have encountered of Philip K Dick. The book is a mix of the bizarre, strange, and exciting. After you're finished you will definitely look at reality a bit differently. Or maybe your reality will be a bit more real. Or at least you'll see dogs, shoes, and butterflies in a new light.
Supposedly these were all written by Philip in his early 20's, which is quite impressive. I've already purchased the other 4 volumes.
Supposedly these were all written by Philip in his early 20's, which is quite impressive. I've already purchased the other 4 volumes.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everybody should read this.
You will marvel at Philip K Dicks creative genius and recognise the inspiration for some of our favourite sci-fi films.
Published 6 months ago by Iain Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great short stories
Philip K Dick's short stories are some of his very best work. As a writer whose talent was in crafting imaginative stories filled with mend-bending ideas rather than developing... Read more
Published 17 months ago by David Clarke
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book, Mildly Creepy!
Brought this on holiday and really enjoyed it. Some very thought provoking stories and some very creepy stories. First P.K.Dick book read and Im now a fan
Published 20 months ago by SteoW
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good collection
A good selection of his short stories. If you are like me and prefer the "older" style of SF, then this is for you.
Published on 6 Aug 2010 by Martin D
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
A few good stories in this book but too many leave you thinking that you have no idea what the author was trying to convey
Published on 10 Mar 2010 by PB Durham
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Fun.
As already pointed out, the stories here are a varied bunch. As they were all written in the '50s some are little more than dated sci-fi and even fantasy. Read more
Published on 20 Sep 2007 by Andrew
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting early stories
As this is the first of 5 volumes of ALL Philip K Dick's short fiction, it's not classic SF and it's not classic PKD. Read more
Published on 9 Jan 2002
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