Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
NOT the book of the film - but still genius, 24 Feb 2003
This review is from: Minority Report (Gollancz S.F.) (Hardcover)
Let's get one thing straight first of all - the only reason that this book is awarded four and not five stars is because of the misleading nature of its cover design. If, like me, you are investing in this because you thoroughly enjoyed the film and want to check out the author, you will be in for a bit of a shock - Minority Report is actually a SHORT story and the movie bears little or no resemblance to it. Anyone expecting a novel-sized read mirroring the plot and suspense of the Tom Cruise blockbuster will initially be disappointed. However the disappointment won't be for long. This book is in fact a collection of nine Philip K Dick short stories, every one of them supremely imaginative, thought provoking and utterly engrossing futuristic fantasies. As well as Minority Report - ironically, possibly the weakest of the nine - there is "The Electric Ant", about a man discovering he is in fact a robot; "Oh! To Be A Blobel", a heartbreaking tale of inter-alien relationships; and "War Game", chartering the children's toy market sometime in the distant future. Also included is "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", "The Impostor" and "Second Variety" which were made into the films "Total Recall", "The Impostor" and "Screamers" respectively. What made the late Philip K Dick such a genius is not just the unique, Earth-shattering situations in which he places his characters, but the characters themselves. Despite being aliens, or on other planets, or in the future, they encounter the same passions, problems and emotional traumas that we do here in the early 21st Century. A perfect introduction to the world of Dick, ignore the fact that this is not 'the book of the film' and prepare to be immersed in the best science fiction writing of all time.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
More brilliance from PKD, 28 July 2005
Some of Dick's novels are my favourite books, but short stories were where he truly excelled. The whole five-part series of his Collected Short Series is brilliant, and this fourth installment doesn't disappoint. You can really see a progression between the short stories and some of his later novels that drew inspiration from them. The neat freak in me is slightly annoyed that the cover is completely different to the others in the series though, especially when it's only been done to tie in with the film. A great book to dip into now and then when your brain is too tired to digest an entire novel!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
NOT the book of the film - but still genius, 5 Mar 2003
Let’s get one thing straight first of all – the only reason that this book is awarded four and not five stars is because of the misleading nature of its cover design. If, like me, you are investing in this because you thoroughly enjoyed the film and want to check out the author, you will be in for a bit of a shock – Minority Report is actually a SHORT story and the movie bears little or no resemblance to it. Anyone expecting a novel-sized read mirroring the plot and suspense of the Tom Cruise blockbuster will initially be disappointed. However the disappointment won’t be for long. This book is in fact a collection of nine Philip K Dick short stories, every one of them supremely imaginative, thought provoking and utterly engrossing futuristic fantasies. As well as Minority Report – ironically, possibly the weakest of the nine – there is “The Electric Ant”, about a man discovering he is in fact a robot; “Oh! To Be A Blobel”, a heartbreaking tale of inter-alien relationships; and “War Game”, chartering the children’s toy market sometime in the distant future. Also included is “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale”, “The Impostor” and “Second Variety” which were made into the films “Total Recall”, “The Impostor” and “Screamers” respectively. What made the late Philip K Dick such a genius is not just the unique, Earth-shattering situations in which he places his characters, but the characters themselves. Despite being aliens, or on other planets, or in the future, they encounter the same passions, problems and emotional traumas that we do here in the early 21st Century. A perfect introduction to the world of Dick, ignore the fact that this is not ‘the book of the film’ and prepare to be immersed in the best science fiction writing of all time.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|