68 Science Fiction Tales

by Philip K. Dick, Isaac Asimov, Andre Norton

1. This World Is Taboo
2. Invasion
3. The Ambulance Made Two Trips
4. Pariah Planet
5. Operation Terror
6. Space Platform
7. Operation: Outer Space
8. The Machine That Saved The World
9. The Runaway Skyscraper
10. The Pirates Of Ersatz
11. The Aliens
12. The Terrible Answer
13. Last Resort
14. Warrior Race
15. Bad Medicine
16. The Status Civilization
17. Watchbird
18. Ask A Foolish Question
19. The Unthinking Destroyer
20. Subjectivity
21. The Big Trip Up Yonder
22. Ham Sandwich
23. Trees Are Where You Find Them
24. The Butterfly Kiss
25. Dp
26. The Hour Of Battle
27. The Crystal Crypt
28. Beyond The Door
29. The Gun
30. Beyond Lies The Wub
31. The Skull
32. The Defenders
33. Second Variety
34. The Variable Man
35. Mr. Spaceship
36. The Eyes Have It
37. Piper In The Woods
38. Youth By Isaak Asimov
39. Space Tug
40. The Leader
41.The Black Star Passes
42.Islands Of Space
43.Invaders From The Infinite
44.All Cats Are Gray
45.The Defiant Agents
46.The Gifts Of Asti
47.Key Out Of Time
48. The People Of The Crater
49. Plague Ship
50. Ralestone Luck
51. Rebel Spurs
52. Ride Proud, Rebel!
53. Star Born
54. Star Hunter
55. Storm Over Warlock
56. The Time Traders
57. Voodoo Planet
58. Arm Of The Law
59. Deathworld
60. The Ethical Engineer
61. The K-Factor
62. The Misplaced Battleship
63. Navy Day
64. Planet Of The Damned
65. The Repairman
66. Sense Of Obligation
67. Toy Shop
68. The Velvet Glove

ebook

First published July 1, 2014

About the author

Philip Kindred Dick was a prolific American science fiction author whose work has had a lasting impact on literature, cinema, and popular culture. Known for his imaginative narratives and profound philosophical themes, Dick explored the nature of reality, the boundaries of human identity, and the impact of technology and authoritarianism on society. His stories often blurred the line between the real and the artificial, challenging readers to question their perceptions and beliefs.
Raised in California, Dick began writing professionally in the early 1950s, publishing short stories in various science fiction magazines. He quickly developed a distinctive voice within the genre, marked by a fusion of science fiction concepts with deep existential and psychological inquiry. Over his career, he authored 44 novels and more than 100 short stories, many of which have become classics in the field.
Recurring themes in Dick's work include alternate realities, simulations, corporate and government control, mental illness, and the nature of consciousness. His protagonists are frequently everyday individuals—often paranoid, uncertain, or troubled—caught in surreal and often dangerous circumstances that force them to question their environment and themselves. Works such as Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, and A Scanner Darkly reflect his fascination with perception and altered states of consciousness, often drawing from his own experiences with mental health struggles and drug use.
One of Dick’s most influential novels is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s iconic film Blade Runner. The novel deals with the distinction between humans and artificial beings and asks profound questions about empathy, identity, and what it means to be alive. Other adaptations of his work include Total Recall, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, and The Man in the High Castle, each reflecting key elements of his storytelling—uncertain realities, oppressive systems, and the search for truth. These adaptations have introduced his complex ideas to audiences well beyond the traditional readership of science fiction.
In the 1970s, Dick underwent a series of visionary and mystical experiences that had a significant influence on his later writings. He described receiving profound knowledge from an external, possibly divine, source and documented these events extensively in what became known as The Exegesis, a massive and often fragmented journal. These experiences inspired his later novels, most notably the VALIS trilogy, which mixes autobiography, theology, and metaphysics in a narrative that defies conventional structure and genre boundaries.
Throughout his life, Dick faced financial instability, health issues, and periods of personal turmoil, yet he remained a dedicated and relentless writer. Despite limited commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation grew steadily, and he came to be regarded as one of the most original voices in speculative fiction. His work has been celebrated for its ability to fuse philosophical depth with gripping storytelling and has influenced not only science fiction writers but also philosophers, filmmakers, and futurists.
Dick’s legacy continues to thrive in both literary and cinematic spheres. The themes he explored remain urgently relevant in the modern world, particularly as technology increasingly intersects with human identity and governance. The Philip K. Dick Award, named in his honor, is presented annually to distinguished works of science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. His writings have also inspired television series, academic studies, and countless homages across media.
Through his vivid imagination and unflinching inquiry into the nature of existence, Philip K. Dick redefined what science fiction could achieve. His work continues to challenge and inspire, offering timeless insights into the human condition a

Reviews

[René · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are there 68 stories (some short, some quite longer) ? There are two that were repeated elsewhere in this compilation. Not all stories are science-fiction, as some are from sci-fi authors writing about the American Civil War, etc. Some stories are not shown in their logical order either, and a table of content would have been appreciated. But overall, a great "book".