Mr. Kay
December 23rd, 2011, 07:41 PM
Dear folks,
I'd like to start a discussion about Philip k. Dick. An author whom I personally admire a lot. So far I read "Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep?" and "The Man in the High Castle." I enjoyed them both very much, for they explore a topic which appeals to me seriously. What is reality? And is our preception of it the final word?
Dick is nowadays considered classic of SF. A literary critique called him once "The Shakespeare of Science Fiction." I put him on my reading list with the note EBW, meaning entire body of work. Someday, I want to have read everything this guy has ever written. This will be a lifetime task. Reading is a lifetime task, either, so no worries about when this will be the case, if ever.
Anyway, I would like to know what you think about him? One of the greatest writers of the genre or simply overrated? What do you think about the fim adaptations of his stories? Do they suck or do they rock? As far as I know, a re-imagining of "Total Recall" is under way.
As far as I'm concerned, Blade Runner is a great movie. It changes the story significantly, but not in a bad way. "Total Recall" with Schwarzenegger wasn't bad either.
I only read the above mentioned books, yet. I have to say I like them very much. Full of plot twists and exciting. He definitely deserves his standing in today's literature. But I have to admit I noticed a weakness of his. Though, these novels were interesting reads, one thing PKD did not manage to achieve so well is the ending. Both novels basically turn out to end in the middle of something. What do you think?
Another point of interest: PKD inserted metafictional devices in both novels. In DADOES, there is a general big cult following for SF literature. In TMITHC, there is a novel set in an alternative reality where WWII was won by the allies. I like this kind of stuff.
So feel free to add your comments. I'm looking forward to.
Best, Mr. Kay
I'd like to start a discussion about Philip k. Dick. An author whom I personally admire a lot. So far I read "Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep?" and "The Man in the High Castle." I enjoyed them both very much, for they explore a topic which appeals to me seriously. What is reality? And is our preception of it the final word?
Dick is nowadays considered classic of SF. A literary critique called him once "The Shakespeare of Science Fiction." I put him on my reading list with the note EBW, meaning entire body of work. Someday, I want to have read everything this guy has ever written. This will be a lifetime task. Reading is a lifetime task, either, so no worries about when this will be the case, if ever.
Anyway, I would like to know what you think about him? One of the greatest writers of the genre or simply overrated? What do you think about the fim adaptations of his stories? Do they suck or do they rock? As far as I know, a re-imagining of "Total Recall" is under way.
As far as I'm concerned, Blade Runner is a great movie. It changes the story significantly, but not in a bad way. "Total Recall" with Schwarzenegger wasn't bad either.
I only read the above mentioned books, yet. I have to say I like them very much. Full of plot twists and exciting. He definitely deserves his standing in today's literature. But I have to admit I noticed a weakness of his. Though, these novels were interesting reads, one thing PKD did not manage to achieve so well is the ending. Both novels basically turn out to end in the middle of something. What do you think?
Another point of interest: PKD inserted metafictional devices in both novels. In DADOES, there is a general big cult following for SF literature. In TMITHC, there is a novel set in an alternative reality where WWII was won by the allies. I like this kind of stuff.
So feel free to add your comments. I'm looking forward to.
Best, Mr. Kay