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Topic: Philip K. Dick
Kinanik
Upset about being titless
posted 04-10-2006 03:39:40 AM
Due to the awesomeness of my uncle and his inability to bring his book collection with us. I've recently been wanting to read more Sci-Fi, and I find that while Babylon 5 novels are fun, it's all one universe. So, now that I am in possession of every singe Philip K. Dick book ever written, does anyone have reccomendations on where to start, and which ones are worth reading?
Gully Foyle is my name
And Terra is my nation
Deep space is my dwelling place
The stars my destination
nem-x
posted 04-10-2006 06:53:39 AM
Ja'Deth Issar Ka'bael
I posted in a title changing thread.
posted 04-10-2006 07:26:56 AM
"Man in the High Castle" is usually one recommended. Had to read it my second year in college.

That was one screwy dude, though.

Lyinar's sweetie and don't you forget it!*
"All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die. -Roy Batty
*Also Lyinar's attack panda

sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me

The Blob
Approved by Maradon
posted 04-10-2006 09:43:54 AM
I really liked "A Scanner Darkly".
Cherveny
Papaya
posted 04-10-2006 10:37:14 AM
Not sure if I have the title right or not, but one that was decent was "Shed my tears, said the policeman", about a man that, step by step, stops existing in other people's minds.

Of course, there's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", on which the movie "Blade Runner" was (loosely) based.

Sean
posted 04-10-2006 10:50:35 AM
quote:
Cherveny had this to say about Jimmy Carter:
"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". . ."Blade Runner"

A Kansas City Shuffle is when everybody looks right, you go left.

It's not something people hear about.

Kinanik
Upset about being titless
posted 04-10-2006 02:31:38 PM
OK, thanks guys, I'll be sure to start those once I finish up Gilead.
Gully Foyle is my name
And Terra is my nation
Deep space is my dwelling place
The stars my destination
Cherveny
Papaya
posted 04-10-2006 02:37:36 PM
Another too, name was something like "Now Wait for Last Year". Don't remember the whole plot anymore, but remember liking it.
Arrenn Lightblade
Yes. Yes he is.
posted 04-11-2006 02:40:57 AM
A Scanner Darkly was decent. Plus they are making it in to a movie due to release in June, so that is something to consider.
Ja'Deth Issar Ka'bael
I posted in a title changing thread.
posted 04-13-2006 08:19:31 PM
Skip "Androids" and just go watch Blade Runner. That novel sucked the ass. Dick was apparently miffed they altered his work for the movie, but believe me...they had their reasons...
Lyinar's sweetie and don't you forget it!*
"All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die. -Roy Batty
*Also Lyinar's attack panda

sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me

Kinanik
Upset about being titless
posted 04-14-2006 06:07:05 PM
Really? Hmm. I decided to start with 'A Man in the High Castle' anyways, and I also added "Confessions of a Crap Artist" to the list, so now my reading order is :
High Castle
Now Wait til next year
Crap Artist
A scanner darkly,
Shed my tears
Then, depending on how much time is left in the semester, I'll start Androids. I wasn't a huge fan on 'Blade Runner', but it has been reccomended enough that I should at least give it a try.
Gully Foyle is my name
And Terra is my nation
Deep space is my dwelling place
The stars my destination
The Blob
Approved by Maradon
posted 04-15-2006 12:25:23 AM
Also, in my second foray into PKD (my first was The Philip K Dick Reader, 24 short stories including the basis for the movies Screamers, Total Recall, and Minority Report) I tried "Counter-Clock World", in which time had somehow backwardized itself, so corpses in cememtaries were coming back to life, old folks were getting younger, instead of dying you climb back into the womb, et c., and.. uh.. I just couldn't hang. Every time someone said "Mmm" while regurgitating coffee back into their cup my brain said "Eh.. no. Fuck that shit. This shit does not make sense."

So I couldn't read it.

The Blob
Approved by Maradon
posted 04-15-2006 12:27:21 AM
Also, it's "Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said", not Shed My Tears. Not trying to be a douche, just incase you wanna look it up or something.
Cherveny
Papaya
posted 04-15-2006 02:35:33 AM
quote:
The Blob wrote this then went back to looking for porn:
Also, it's "Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said", not Shed My Tears. Not trying to be a douche, just incase you wanna look it up or something.

Thanks, I kinda felt I got that title wrong somehow.

Cherveny
Papaya
posted 04-15-2006 02:38:11 AM
quote:
Ja'Deth Issar Ka'bael wrote this then went back to looking for porn:
Skip "Androids" and just go watch Blade Runner. That novel sucked the ass. Dick was apparently miffed they altered his work for the movie, but believe me...they had their reasons...

I happened to like "Androids" personally, but tastes differ. It is a VASTLY different feeling of story than the movie though, so do not expect them to feel anything alike.

I do agree though, the book version probably would not have worked well as a movie (well, not as a mainstream one anyway, might have worked on the arthouse movie circuit.)

Ja'Deth Issar Ka'bael
I posted in a title changing thread.
posted 04-15-2006 09:11:52 PM
It would have to be arthouse. It was obsessed in places with the nuclear fallout, ownership of a living animal, blah blah blah. Boring as bloody hell.
Lyinar's sweetie and don't you forget it!*
"All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die. -Roy Batty
*Also Lyinar's attack panda

sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me

Kinanik
Upset about being titless
posted 04-16-2006 04:18:19 AM
OK, so I finished 'The Man in the High Castle'... I really enjoyed it, but It seemed to go nowhere. He did say he was going to write a sequel, but never got around to it. There are quite a few open ends...
Gully Foyle is my name
And Terra is my nation
Deep space is my dwelling place
The stars my destination
Ja'Deth Issar Ka'bael
I posted in a title changing thread.
posted 04-16-2006 11:07:01 AM
Now imagine that novel...as an autobiography.

Dick was so whacked out that he really thought he was the sole survivor from an alternate version of history.

Lyinar's sweetie and don't you forget it!*
"All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die. -Roy Batty
*Also Lyinar's attack panda

sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me

Bloodcookie
Pancake
posted 04-16-2006 09:20:27 PM
quote:
Check out the big brain on Ja'Deth Issar Ka'bael!
Now imagine that novel...as an autobiography.

Dick was so whacked out that he really thought he was the sole survivor from an alternate version of history.


It's really too complicated to go into, so I won't, but I have to point out that this is a vast misinterpretation and oversimplification. Essentially, he had a spontaneous mystic experience, which he would come to understand in the context of ancient gnostic Christian beliefs.


""...destructive analysis of the familiar is the only method of approach to an understanding of fundamentally different modes of expression." -Edward Sapir, Language
Ja'Deth Issar Ka'bael
I posted in a title changing thread.
posted 04-17-2006 08:39:49 AM
Like that's any better.
Lyinar's sweetie and don't you forget it!*
"All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die. -Roy Batty
*Also Lyinar's attack panda

sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me

Bloodcookie
Pancake
posted 04-17-2006 07:57:40 PM
Meh.

""...destructive analysis of the familiar is the only method of approach to an understanding of fundamentally different modes of expression." -Edward Sapir, Language
Ja'Deth Issar Ka'bael
I posted in a title changing thread.
posted 04-17-2006 08:30:26 PM
My thoughts exactly.
Lyinar's sweetie and don't you forget it!*
"All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die. -Roy Batty
*Also Lyinar's attack panda

sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me

Lyinar Ka`Bael
Are you looking at my pine tree again?
posted 04-18-2006 03:08:54 PM
Go ahead and go into it. I'm curious how it relates to Gnostic beliefs.


Lyinar Ka`Bael, Piney Fresh Druidess - Luclin

Malbi
posted 04-18-2006 08:37:09 PM
quote:
Lyinar Ka`Bael had this to say about Cuba:
Go ahead and go into it. I'm curious how it relates to Gnostic beliefs.

*perks* oh wait nevermind you said Gnostic...

I Didnt ask to be Secretary of Balloon Doggies, the Balloon Doggies demanded it!
Kinanik
Upset about being titless
posted 04-20-2006 12:18:32 AM
I've been told that Ubik is one of his better novels, so I began that one the other day. I haven't gotten vary far, due to this school thing, but this one seems like much more sci-fi ey than Man in the High Castle. I'm enjoying it so far. It's amazing, apparently after moving to Alaska and leaving his PKD books with us, my uncle bought the entire collection. Again. I'll make my judgement as to how whackadoo crazy PKD was after I finish Ubik.
Gully Foyle is my name
And Terra is my nation
Deep space is my dwelling place
The stars my destination
All times are US/Eastern
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