Ragle Gumm is an ordinary man leading an ordinary life, except that he makes his living by entering a newspaper contest every day -- and winning, every day. But he gradually begins to suspect that his life -- indeed his whole world -- is an illusion, constructed around him for the express purpose of keeping him docile and happy. But if that is the case, what is his real world like, and what is he actually doing every day when he thinks he is guessing 'Where Will The Little Green Man Be Next?'
Time Out Of Joint (S.F. MASTERWORKS)
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Book Description
An idea that predates both THE TRUMAN SHOW and THE MATRIX from one of SF's greats.
About the Author
Philip K. Dick (1928-82) 'One of the two or three most important figures in 20th century US SF (The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction). Born one of twins -- his sister died in infancey -- he lived most of his life in California, and worote more than fifty books in a career of prodigious productivity and achievement. The films Blade Runner and Minority Report are both based on his stories.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Although the other reviewers are correct in observing that the ending lurches unsatisfyingly into a very different (and blurred and hackneyed) ending, this is nevertheless an interesting and illumintaing book for PKD fans to look at. The Afterword says it all. Dick, stuck in the rut of hammering out pot-boiling pap for his pulpy SF publisher (he hadn't yet quite found his voice, nor harnessed his full force) was at this time trying to broaden out into the mainstream. Books like The Man Whose Teeth Were All Exactly Alike, and Confessions Of A Crap Artist, were where Dick really wanted to be heading - exploring alternative realities in hum-drum, down home, small town settings. His publisher was having none of it. So here we have a wonderful dose of Dick's realism with a lurid SF ending tacked on by an impatient editor eager to satisfy the huge SF market of the time. It represents the crossover between Dick's mainstream and SF writing, and shows the author grappling with his Big Theme while struggling to find the right form. Only later did he achieve true greatness. In a way this book can be seen as a turning point, a fulcrum, in Dick's writing - and as such I found it an interesting (if ultimately flawed) novel.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By M. O. HAYNES
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
In short this book starts off with mystery surrounding a man's seemingly mundane life and builds intrigue about the man's odd situation very well, but the ultimate payoff when the author reveals what is actually going on is a little disappointing. It's hard to say anything else or draw similarities without totally giving away the plot.
Philip K Dick has written better books than this but that is not to say that you should avoid reading this one - just don't expect to be blown away. The 'Afterword' by Lou Stathis goes some way in explaining why the book itself seems out of joint and implies that Dick rewrote it following feedback from the publisher.
This is labelled as Book 55 in the great 'SF MASTERWORKS' series out of which Dick has at least eight entries including 'The Penultimate Truth', 'The Simulcra', 'The Three Stigmata of palmer Eldritch', Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said', 'Valis', 'Now Wait for Last Year', and 'Martian Time Slip'... I would suggest that most of these are superior to this book and all are well worth a read.
Philip K Dick has written better books than this but that is not to say that you should avoid reading this one - just don't expect to be blown away. The 'Afterword' by Lou Stathis goes some way in explaining why the book itself seems out of joint and implies that Dick rewrote it following feedback from the publisher.
This is labelled as Book 55 in the great 'SF MASTERWORKS' series out of which Dick has at least eight entries including 'The Penultimate Truth', 'The Simulcra', 'The Three Stigmata of palmer Eldritch', Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said', 'Valis', 'Now Wait for Last Year', and 'Martian Time Slip'... I would suggest that most of these are superior to this book and all are well worth a read.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The concept of this novel, like pretty much every Phillip K Dick book, is a wonderful one. A man finds out that his entire life is a construct and that most of the people around him are not who he thinks they are. He is convinced that they are trying to keep him where he is for an important purpose which he tries to work out during the course of the story. Unfortunately, unlike most Phillip K Dick books, this one does not fulfill its potential. The most disappointing aspect is the ending which doesn't seem to be part of the rest of the novel at all. I don't believe it explained itself very well either and should have gone into more depth. That said though it has enough redeeming moments in it to make it worth reading. It includes lots of examples of Dick's usual themes of paranoia and the mistrust of the people in control. Overall, an interesting read. Just a shame about that ending.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable in a very PKDickian manner
I should not have started to read this book when I had a nearing deadline. Admittedly I donor find PKD easy to put down but my first reaction to the first couple of chapters was... Read more
Published 23 days ago by Ariadne
4.0 out of 5 stars
Poor Ending, Otherwise Perfect
This is my first PKD book and by no means will be my last. The plot is highly original and even though it is not very exciting, PKD's fabulous writing style keeps you turning the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Killian Beashel
1.0 out of 5 stars
Slow and, at best, dull.
The book is grindingly slow to begin, speeds up slightly towards the middle then, for some unknown reason, becomes the ending to a completely different story. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Rubyjen
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Early Dick Novel
"Ragle Gumm is an ordinary man leading an ordinary suburban life, except that he makes his living by entering a newspaper contest every day -- and winning, every day. Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2011 by M. D. Jenkins
4.0 out of 5 stars
Better than Life on Mars and fifty years its senior
This book won't in many ways seem original,this is beacause in the fifty years since the Prisoner,Ashes to Ashes and various other programmes and books have come along which draw... Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2011 by Mr. Carl G. Brierley
5.0 out of 5 stars
top quality sci-fi
I agree with most of the other reviews. This is classic Philip K Dick, drawing you in and building slowly but steadily to a climax, and also superb sci-fi - full of rich invention,... Read more
Published on 22 April 2010 by Sean Tynan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic science fiction
This is a brilliant read. It has all the characterisitcs of a Philip K Dick novel - the books starts off a slow pace, slowly building the tension until breakin point. Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2009 by Mr. David J. Watson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Inner Space Fiction
PKD's fiction can be pretty much broken down into two styles, as the afterword indicates, pulpy hamburger mass production sci fi and more introspective "inner space" fiction... Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2008 by Lark
4.0 out of 5 stars
1950s suburbia has never been so scary
Paranoid, doom-laden and nervy, this is the first novel where Dick got the chance to explore the alternate realities that fascinate him, and it’s all the better for being... Read more
Published on 23 Feb 2006 by Neb
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not quite 5 stars, but close
Yes, this is similar to the concept of the Truman show, as well as numerous other screenplays. It is a good novel, and builds an atmosphere of paranoia qutie effectively - a... Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2003 by Johnny London
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