Impostor

by Philip K. Dick

After Mankind has finally abolished war, the Earth finds itself besieged by the alien 'Outspacers'. Only a protective force field about the world prevents large scale invasion-- but one scientist finds himself the supposed target of a small scale invasion when paranoid authorities are convinced he is an alien robot armed with a powerful bomb.

This story has been published previously in several story collections, and was the basis for the movie Impostor (2001) starring Gary Sinise.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Thriller, Fantasy, Mystery, Audiobook

ebook

First published June 1, 1953

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

[J.L. Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Everyone was frightened. Everyone was willing to sacrifice the individual because of the group fear. He was being killed because they could not wait…There was not enough time.”

Philip K. Dick’s “Impostor” (Astounding Science Fiction, June 1953) channels the fear and paranoia of the times. While working on a weapon to use against an alien invasion, Spence Olham is arrested and accused of being an android planted by the aliens (Outspacers). There is no way to prove his innocence or humanity; he would have been programmed to believe he was Spence Olham. Disassembly or activation are the only ways to determine the validity of the claims, but either would mean his death. Maybe the answer lies in Sutton Wood? Interesting short story from early 50s science fiction. Solid PKD. 3.5 stars

[Bill Kerwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in Astounding (July 1953), “Imposter” tells of Spencer Olham, who is suspected of being a robot replicant who not only killed and replaced the “real” Spencer Olham but who also holds in his chest a “U-bomb” which could destroy the whole colony. But is the intelligence reliable? Is Spencer really a killer robot, or is he just a man unjustly accused, a man who will be killed summarily because the situation is an emergency, the circumstances so critical that neither justice or fairness can be permitted?

This simple story is memorable for being one of the early efforts in which Dick deals with the question: what exactly makes us human? It also deals effectively with the horrors of war and what it can do to a democratic society.

[Tristram Shandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Perhaps at some other time, when there was no war, men might not act this way, hurrying an individual to his death because they were afraid. Everyone was frightened, everyone was willing to sacrifice the individual because of the group fear.”

Spence Olham is an engineer working on a project to develop a new weapon that will give Earth an advantage over the so-called Outspacers with whom they are engaged in lethal warfare. One day, Olham is arrested on his way to work and given to understand that the real Spence Olham was killed by an Outspacer robot a few days ago, the robot now replacing him in order to blow up the new weapon with a U-bomb it is carrying inside its body. Spence is shocked that even his old friend Nelson believes this story and is now giving the government agents a hand in their resolution to “destroy” Spence. He is also informed that the robot was implanted with memories of the real Spence Olham’s so that it does not even know that it is not a human being but a spy walking around with a weapon. Olham manages to escape from his opponents and now grasps at every chance, be it ever so slim, to prove his identity before it is too late.

Admittedly, to a modern reader, PKD’s short story Impostor, which was published in 1953, may not come up with a surprising twist, but I am not reading Dick for plot mainly. Instead, I as much enjoy the philosophical ideas Dick makes me think about and his unlimited imagination. By the way, in 1953 the story might still have been quite unpredictable and original in terms of its plot.

Impostor can be read as a warning against war, and one should not forget that in the 1950s the danger of war was definitely looming larger than today (even though there are some developments in our day and age that might have it in them to unsettle us). The Cold War was an everyday fear for people, the Korean War a grim reality, and the arms race was going on at full speed. This also proved a hotbed for public paranoia in the form of McCarthyism, warping people’s conception of reality and making them commit or at least condone in witchhunts against their fellow-citizens. I don’t exactly remember who coined the phrase of truth being the first casualty when war comes, but there is definitely a lot to say for its being true. Our protagonist suddenly finds himself the target of such a collective neurosis, and to his dismay he realizes that normal constraints civilized societies have built up in order to prevent ostracism and what is generally termed “swift justice” no longer exist. This is partly the result of how media shape people’s conception of everyday life, and in Impostor we find that newspapers are run by “news machines”, who, according to Olham, also have exaggerated the threat embodied by the Outspacers in order to rally people behind their government and make them readily pull their weight in the common war effort. These “new machines” have also invented the term “Outspacers” to denote the common enemy, a word that sounds both threatening and exclusive and will doubtless serve its purpose.

As a side-note, reading Impostor might make you more aware of terms employed and campaigns run by the mass media today. One example in German newspapers, for instance, is the adjective “umstritten”, i.e. “controversial”, which they put in front of a person’s title and name to show that readers should under no circumstances agree with that person’s views unless they want to lay themselves open to the suspicion of sharing the wrong ideas and being morally deficient.

Olham is now also branded as an Outspacer, and thereby labelled as meant for destruction. Dick, however, goes one step beyond a criticism of war hysteria and newspaper propaganda in that he allows for the fact that the Outspacer robot is fed with real human memories and thus not able to know that he is not a real human person. This opens another new pasture for our hungry minds to graze upon in that it raises the question what the essence of being human is. If personality and individuality are based on memories and experiences, and if those can be created in some sort of test-tubes and implanted at will into machines capable of taking decisions and experiencing feelings – like the ones our protagonist goes through –, what should we call the product?

Questions like these prove even more breath-taking and intriguing than the twist in this tale.

[Tobias-alexandru Dumbrăveanu · Rating 5 out of 5]

"But if that's Olham, then I must be..."

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this during my days of faithful PKD fandom, hideously gleeful from the realization that all of these great movies were being made by the maker of Valis and Transmigration. I'm still hoping to see more movies be made, of course. Imposter wasn't THAT bad, was it? At least it followed the text somewhat, and kept the cool twist at the end. Ahhh... it's hard to be objective when looking through the eyes of a fanboy.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fascinating short-story from Philip K Dick. The more I read from this author the more I think he was a philosopher and a genius

[Peter Tillman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's an online copy: https://www.valdosta.edu/~asantas/Tex...

Took me a moment to remember this one, which holds up well 70 years on. I don't suppose it's much of a spoiler to reveal that things don't end well for the titular character. If you missed it, or it's been awwhile... 3+ stars. Not reread (yet).

[sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

had to read this in english class. it’s alright, also gives you a good introduction into sci-fi, not mind blowing though.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Wonderful story of alien infiltration during wartime, reads like a taut thriller.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75. Sporo niezłej SF, dużo lęku przed atomową zagładą. Tom lepszy niż ten z najwcześniejszymi utworami.

[Kasper · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better Philip K. Dick shorts I've read. I simply can't get enough of his mix of novel sci-fi ideas and thought-provoking philosophical questions.

[Austin Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published in 1953! Authorities need to kill a robot pretending to be a man. Pre-Blade Runner!

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Impostor” (1953)
I know that I am 'me' but what if I'm not me but an imposter? Robots taking on human form. Am I a robot? Fantastic story, brilliant ending! ****

Spence Olham, a member of a team designing an offensive weapon to destroy invading aliens known as the Outspacers, is confronted by a colleague and accused by security officer Major Peters of being an android impostor designed to sabotage Earth's defenses. The impostor's ship was damaged and has crashed just outside the city. The android is supposed to detonate a planet-destroying bomb on the utterance of a deadly code phrase. Olham, in an attempt to clear his name and prove his humanity, manages to escape his captors and return to Earth after they fail to kill him on the moon. Upon reaching Earth, Olham contacts his wife, Mary, but is soon ambushed by security officers waiting for him by his house. Out of options and with Major Peters' forces closing in, Olham decides to prove he is a human by finding the crashed Outspacer spaceship and recovering the android's body from the wreckage. Unfortunately, the discovery of a bloody knife by the wreckage indicates to Olham that Peters was correct and that the real Spence Olham had already been killed. The android, now aware of the truth of its existence, proclaims "If that's Olham, then I must be..." causing the bomb to detonate, the explosion visible even to the Outspacers of Alpha Centauri.
- - -
Quotes:
'I am Olham,' he said again. 'I know I am. But I can't prove it.'
'The robot,' Peters said, 'would be unaware that he was not the real Spence Olham. He would become Olham in mind as well as body.' …
'But there would be one difference. Inside the robot is a U-Bomb, ready to explode at the trigger phrase.'
- - -
He would die, and presently they would realize their mistake. Perhaps at some other time, when there was no war, men might not act this way, hurrying an individual to his death because they were afraid. Everyone was frightened, everyone was willing to sacrifice the individual because of the group fear.
He was being killed because they could not wait to be sure of his guilt. There was not enough time.
- - -

[SpookySoto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating:I liked it

I already had an idea of how the story would end because it's been overused in sci-fi movies, but I guess Phillip K Dick was a pioneer and his stories were fresh.

I liked the pacing and the ideas, his tales are always futuristic and paranoid, always questioning reality. The ending is very nice.

I liked this quote:

"Perhaps at some other time, when there was no war, men might not act this way, hurrying an individual to his death because they were afraid. Everyone was frightened, everyone was willing to sacrifice the individual because of the group fear."

I recommend it


Spence Olham, a member of a team designing an offensive weapon to destroy invading aliens known as the Outspacers, is confronted by a colleague and accused by security officer Major Peters of being an android impostor designed to sabotage Earth's defenses. The impostor's ship was damaged and has crashed just outside the city. The android is supposed to detonate a planet-destroying bomb on the utterance of a deadly code phrase. Olham, in an attempt to clear his name and prove his humanity, manages to escape his captors and return to Earth after they fail to kill him on the Moon. Upon reaching Earth, Olham contacts his wife, Mary, but is soon ambushed by security officers waiting for him by his house. Out of options and Major Peters forces closing in, Olham decides to prove he is a human by finding the crashed Outspacer spaceship and recovering the android's body from the wreckage. The discovery of a bloody knife by the wreckage indicates to Olham that Peters was correct and that the real Spence Olham had already been killed. The android, now aware of the truth of its existence, proclaims "If that's Olham, then I must be..." causing the bomb to detonate, the explosion visible even to the Outspacers of Alpha Centauri.

[ياسين سعيد · Rating 4 out of 5]

- قصة (المُنتَحِل Impostor):
ظهرت للمرة الأولى على صفحات مجلة (قصص خيال علمي مذهلة Astounding SF).
تتكون القصة من نحو خمسة آلاف وخمسمائة كلمة، قدَّم فيها فيليب –كعادته- قصة مسلية، بناها على فرضية شيقة وعميقة في آن واحد:
- لو علمت أن العدو قادر على صنع نسخة طبق الأصل من إنسان، فكيف لك أن تُثبت أنك أنت؟
تقع أحداث القصة في المستقبل البعيد، عندما سعت حضارة فضائية متطورة إلى غزو الأرض، إلا أن البشر نجحوا في حماية مدنهم الرئيسة باختراع دفاعي يشبه الفقاعة، لم يلبثوا أن أحاطوا بها الكوكب بكامله، وفي الوقت نفسه واصل العلماء سعيهم إلى ابتكار سلاح هجومي، وقطعوا بالفعل شوطًا كبيرًا في ذلك، أحد هؤلاء العلماء يدعى سبنس أولام.
انقبلت حياة أولام رأسًا على عقب، عندما ألقى الأمن القبض عليه فجأة، أخبروه بأنهم تلقوا بلاغ يفيد بأنه ليس أولام، وليس بشريًّا حتى، وإنما نسخة آلية مطابقة صنعها الفضائيين، أكسبوها نفس السمات الجسدية والشخصية لأولهام، وكذلك ذاكرته.
نجح الروبوت في تجاوز الفقاعة وقتل أولام الحقيقي، قبل أن يحل محله، بهدف الوصول إلى مركز الأبحاث، وتفجيره من الداخل.
أصيب أولام بالصدمة عندما سمع هذا الكلام، ورآهم يوشكون على إعدامه بالفعل، في حين أنه يثق تمامًا بأنه بشري، وأنه أولام الحقيقي.
من ذلك المنطلق يخوض أولهام رحلتين متوازيتين:
1- رحلة خارجية: هربًا من الأجهزة الأمنية، وبحثًا عن طريقة لإثبات براءته.
2- رحلة داخلية: سعيًا إلى حسم الشك الذي ولد داخل عقله: هل هو حقًّا سبنسر أولهام، أم أنه مجرد نسخة آلية مُبرمجة؟

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Impostor" is a wicked little short story from the paranoid-schizo mind of Philip K. Dick. Originally printed in Astounding SF magazine back in the fifties, this is the story of a war between Earth and the Outspacers from Alpha Centauri. The Outspacers send a clone/robot of a top scientist, Spence Olham, to replace him and set off a bomb that'll wipe out key infrastructure and weapons research centres. The problem for 'ol Spence is that he's hunted by security forces on Earth who're not interested, or care, whether he's a human or a robot, their orders are to shoot on sight before the bomb is detonated. It's down to Spence to prove whether he really is, or isn't, what he claims to be before it's too late.

The twists and turns are classic PKD. The paranoid-mania is palpable and it serves as an early inclination as to the trajectory his career would go in. The story is fast-paced and never slows down. it's a rip-roaring thrill to the end that left me guessing.

This is a fantastic little short story that's well worth checking out, and I'm going to leave a link to where you can read it for free if you so wish. it's worth it! - https://bestreadables.com/short-stori...

[Chris Aldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mindwebs audiobook 51 (story first appeared in Galaxy June 1953 and included in Groff Conklin‘s collection “Science Fiction Terror Tales”). A classic PKD about a case of mistaken identity in a paranoid future when Earth is at war with an alien race. An advanced robot is suspected of threatening to sacrifice itself in order to take out key enemy personnel. Exciting stuff from a master of imaginative speculation.

Warns us firstly about how easily our nearest and dearest will be prepared to betray us in times of war. (Few listened as McCarthyism leads the way to ethnic cleansing in Czechoslovakia and now we have Serbia and Brexit and Trump).
The robot contains a warning about how AI can fool humans and even itself. This time the seeds of his prophesy are visible now ! In February 2019 the GPT-2 algorithm which can imitate writing styles has ironically been suppressed for 2 years by OpenAI (the organisation designed to make AI available to all.)

[Zare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another identity related short story. I came across this story via a movie with actor Gary Sinise. I liked the movie a lot, because it was to the point, had a good cast and by the looks of it decent production - a
almost "Starship Trooper" movie quality sets and costumes.

The story is even better, taking place in a shorter time period. How one knows he is human and not a plant, disaster waiting to happen? The entire story is so modern and written in a lean way, I was surprised it was written in 1950s.

The only downside is that the story suffers from what I call the 6th Sense effect - to enjoy it again, you need to forget it (what a challenge, I dare you!)

Highly recommended.

[Stijn · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of his first stories about the 'What is human?' theme. Considering that it is written in the 1950's this was a very new SF idea and is used by now within so many stories, books, TV shows, movies... That we may forget that it was PKD that was one of the original architects.
Great story, the constant questioning of your own identity that stays with you from beginning to the very end. And even beyond. He has left an overwhelming legacy of mind-bending ideas that even now, after all these years, keeps people in limbo. Am I real? Do I exist? Or am I just programmed to think I'm real and exist?

[Louis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just because you believe it, it doesn’t mean it's true. Confused androids, clandestine missions, nuclear war, lunar bases, and a space invasion. Another take on AI by a master at the craft. PKD picks up on the McCarthyism trends of the time and weaves them into the story for a little social commentary infusion. And all of this in just a few pages. This story could fit into a history of 20th-century America class just as easily into the hands of a science fiction fan.

[macintosh2000 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sussy.

Premise is engaging and the tension is kept throughout. My only issue I suppose is that while it's a good snapshot of the universe Dick created, more backstory or emotional connections to the character would have helped stick the philosophical question he was asking.

The idea of "Who am I/What does it mean to be human" is good but the main character it was being directed towards was moreso a JAG rather than a fully developed character that I cared about.

[Dianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know Dick's writing well enough now that I always guess the twist. the unknown twist is what originally drew me to him. The stories have lost their punch now.

Also the only woman is this story is referred to as 'the woman' by Olham's colleges. Wtf? Use her name ffs.

[Langhorne Tweed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Which do you prefer? In this episode we take a look at the 2002 Dimension Films adaptation of the PKD story IMPOSTER. Plus: Boris Karloff and the BBC's Out of This World. Alien Love Triangle. And the LT. Dan Band.

https://soundcloud.com/dickheadspodca...

[Ljfarve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best Philip k dick story I have read so far what I did not like about we can remember it for you wholesale imposter fixed in spades the funny thing is that imposter is a lot shorter with ending that shocking it is so good

[Ty Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like there were some plot holes left over, but they made way for an engaging and succinct plot.

Noticing a trend of untrustworthy two-dimensional women characters in PKDs stories 🤔though it's less prominent here

[SH · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a mindfuck all the way through. I like how the author experiments with societal problems in a future where clones are possible. The same topic was present in his more famous book "does androids dream of electric sheep".

[Shhhhh Ahhhhh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable. Sort of reminded me of Run for the Stars. I would enjoy a series of these but, due to the way the plot was structured that is precluded in this specific universe.

[fixmyshoes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have seen the movie and knew the ending, but I was surprised to learn that the story the movie is based on is very short. It is fast paced and full of action and can be read in one breath.

[Jane Marga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon realizing what the end entails with regarding existence, you'll surely say, "Wtf".

[J.T. McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

brilliant short story really enjoyed it, stays within the Philip k Dick universe and is as good as all the others. now I want to watch the movie.