What do you think?
Rate this book
The Early Work of Philip K. Dick Volume 1: The Variable Man and Other Stories
Edited and selected by noted scholar Gregg Rickman, The Early Work of Philip K. Dick, Volume One: 1952-1953, and Volume Two: 1953-1954, encompasses a total of twenty-six stories from the early years of Philip K. Dick. With extensive story notes and introductions by Rickman, and packaged to belong on any shelf, The Early Work of Philip K. Dick promises an early peek into the many worlds created by one of the acclaimed masters of science fiction and fantasy.
Contents:
* Introduction
* Beyond lies the wub
* The gun
* The skull
* Mr. Spaceship
* Piper in the woods
* The variable man
* The crystal crypt
* Meddler
* Beyond the door
* Jon's world
* Progeny
* Of withered apples
* Adjustment team
* James P. Crow
* Souvenir
* Story notes
Contents:
* Introduction
* Beyond lies the wub
* The gun
* The skull
* Mr. Spaceship
* Piper in the woods
* The variable man
* The crystal crypt
* Meddler
* Beyond the door
* Jon's world
* Progeny
* Of withered apples
* Adjustment team
* James P. Crow
* Souvenir
* Story notes
408 pages, Hardcover
First published November 15, 2008
6 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Philip K. Dick
2,006 books22.5k followersPhilip 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
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
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 30, 2019
I’d read quite a few of these stories already. “The Skull”, “Piper in the Woods” among others. I really wonder if I’d read these out of whatever cheap, serial-pulp they were printed from if I’d like them as much. There were a few corn ball stories and corn ball moments in the better stories, but overall I really enjoyed them. He has an easy, non-cynical style. He is a sexist writer, but these stories were written in the 1950s afterall. Then again, it’s probably easier for me to give him a pass. None of the female characters have much depth--except for maybe the wife in “Beyond the Door”, who escapes her abusive husband with the help of a little birdie. Most of them are shrill, objectified or dull. But I don’t think his writing is really known for memorable characters. His heroes, if you can even call them that, are usually the ordinary, average Joes. I think of “The Variable Man” or even his novels like Ubik or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (which is not a good novel, in my opinion).
It might have been Dick himself that once said the protagonists of sf are the ideas not the the characters. That’s always stuck with me and made understanding sf a bit easier. Instead of worrying about plot, character development, I think about the ideas in the story. What is he saying about this society and culture in this or that story? How might that be applicable to the ‘real world’?
He doesn’t spend much time at all on the ‘science’ part of the sf. This is refreshing. It was my only beef, really, with The Three-Body Problem. That sort of writing belongs in a textbook, in my opinion. I probably wouldn’t mind if I had a mind for STEM, though. In general, I think Dick is a way better short-story writer than novelist. His books are very hit- and-miss for me.
It might have been Dick himself that once said the protagonists of sf are the ideas not the the characters. That’s always stuck with me and made understanding sf a bit easier. Instead of worrying about plot, character development, I think about the ideas in the story. What is he saying about this society and culture in this or that story? How might that be applicable to the ‘real world’?
He doesn’t spend much time at all on the ‘science’ part of the sf. This is refreshing. It was my only beef, really, with The Three-Body Problem. That sort of writing belongs in a textbook, in my opinion. I probably wouldn’t mind if I had a mind for STEM, though. In general, I think Dick is a way better short-story writer than novelist. His books are very hit- and-miss for me.
February 11, 2016
If you like your sci-fi old school, this collection of Philip K. Dick's stories from the 1950s is for you. The Martians are from Mars; the starship captains wear eyeglasses, smoke cigarettes and are, invariably, male; and the themes explored are clearly colored by the Cold War. While these stories reveal an unpolished author and are not on par with some of Dick's later classics like A Scanner Darkly or Ubik, there are some real gems in here, including Beyond Lies the Wub, his first story ever published. For sci-fi film buffs, look for a movie adaptation of The Adjustment Team (film title "The Adjustment Bureau") starring Matt Damon, coming in 2011.
January 22, 2024
Read Collected Stories Instead
This volume contains the following stories:
- Beyond Lies The Wub
- The Gun
- The Skull
- Mr Spaceship
- Piper in the Woods
- The Variable Man
- The Crystal Crypt
- Meddler
- Beyond The Door
- Jon's World
- Progeny
- Of Withered Apples
- Adjustment Team
- James P Crow
- Souvenier
This volume is another version of collected stories by Philip K Dick and was published in 2009. There are earlier volumes which are more comprehensive (i.e. contain more stories). Please see the bibliography of Philip K Dick on Wikipedia. I recommend The Collected Stories of Philip K Dick Volume 1 (1987).
This volume does contain 'Story Notes' and an Introduction written by Gregg Rickman. The story notes will give you an idea of someone else's impression of what each story is supposed to mean (in their opinion) but is more geared toward the history of the story, when it was published, where it was published and why. I found some of the ideas on the stories missed the mark in my opinion.
Philip K Dick was in his early 20s when he wrote these and I found that the stories were well written. Some of these stories could have been expanded. There were a few duds but for the most part I enjoyed the stories.
Many times one of the characters says something that I think Dick meant to be thought provoking. For example, in Jon's World:
"Your question is meaningless. Questions of purpose have no objective validity. They can't be subjected to any form of empirical investigation."
I suppose this character doesn't believe in philosophical questions. I didn't do well in Philosophy 101 myself. None of it made any sense to me. That is not to say that you can't pose a question, discuss it and get no resolution. Some folks just like to imagine and talk about things.
In another story, James P Crow, the character in the story said he chose his name as a joke which the robots of society didn't understand. The name was never explained in the story so I Googled it. I subsequently found out that this was a reference to the Jim Crow laws. Note that in this story, humans could never get ahead and were segregated into their own communities away from the controlling robots. I suppose that when this story was written (i.e. the 1950s), these laws were being abolished.
Many of these stories paint a bleak picture of the future. War is a constant in the future. In one of the stories 'Souvenier', man has conquered the Galaxy and everywhere society is constant. The thought is that if everyone has the same things, they can't covet what their neighbor has. I don't think this is the only reason for war. In every society, there will be different jobs. As long as someone supervises someone else, there will be conflict. Anywhere there is conflict, there will be war.
This volume contains the following stories:
- Beyond Lies The Wub
- The Gun
- The Skull
- Mr Spaceship
- Piper in the Woods
- The Variable Man
- The Crystal Crypt
- Meddler
- Beyond The Door
- Jon's World
- Progeny
- Of Withered Apples
- Adjustment Team
- James P Crow
- Souvenier
This volume is another version of collected stories by Philip K Dick and was published in 2009. There are earlier volumes which are more comprehensive (i.e. contain more stories). Please see the bibliography of Philip K Dick on Wikipedia. I recommend The Collected Stories of Philip K Dick Volume 1 (1987).
This volume does contain 'Story Notes' and an Introduction written by Gregg Rickman. The story notes will give you an idea of someone else's impression of what each story is supposed to mean (in their opinion) but is more geared toward the history of the story, when it was published, where it was published and why. I found some of the ideas on the stories missed the mark in my opinion.
Philip K Dick was in his early 20s when he wrote these and I found that the stories were well written. Some of these stories could have been expanded. There were a few duds but for the most part I enjoyed the stories.
Many times one of the characters says something that I think Dick meant to be thought provoking. For example, in Jon's World:
"Your question is meaningless. Questions of purpose have no objective validity. They can't be subjected to any form of empirical investigation."
I suppose this character doesn't believe in philosophical questions. I didn't do well in Philosophy 101 myself. None of it made any sense to me. That is not to say that you can't pose a question, discuss it and get no resolution. Some folks just like to imagine and talk about things.
In another story, James P Crow, the character in the story said he chose his name as a joke which the robots of society didn't understand. The name was never explained in the story so I Googled it. I subsequently found out that this was a reference to the Jim Crow laws. Note that in this story, humans could never get ahead and were segregated into their own communities away from the controlling robots. I suppose that when this story was written (i.e. the 1950s), these laws were being abolished.
Many of these stories paint a bleak picture of the future. War is a constant in the future. In one of the stories 'Souvenier', man has conquered the Galaxy and everywhere society is constant. The thought is that if everyone has the same things, they can't covet what their neighbor has. I don't think this is the only reason for war. In every society, there will be different jobs. As long as someone supervises someone else, there will be conflict. Anywhere there is conflict, there will be war.
May 10, 2018
This volume collects 15 of the earliest short publications by Philip K. Dick (1928–1982), all from 1952–1953. Though the young author is clearly finding his footing in these stories, many of the elements he developed in later works are present in embryonic form. The nature of reality is held up to question in Adjustment Team, while self-repairing and replicating robots populate James P. Crow, The Gun and Jon's World. The weak must prevail against seemingly invincible opponents in Beyond Lies the Wub, Piper in the Woods and Souvenir, and the prospect of total destruction looms in The Variable Man. Rickman provides an informative introduction and detailed endnotes on each story, which alone would make this volume worth acquiring. This collection is a must-have for PKD fans. (Nov.)
January 8, 2023
Already read two of the fifteen stories in another collection. Hope to find Volume Two (1953-1954) from the library as well. Never really got into science fiction and not sure I have much interest outside of PKD. He seems to take science fiction to a less commonplace territory in the field of writing. Somewhat philosophical though not academic in any sense. A man of his times in all the senses of that assessment. Not to judge a person by standards outside their time or accepted value systems. But he did shift writing outside simple categories by writing in an easy to read style. Definitely, not Nabokov; no real need for a dictionary. But he is also not a condescending writer who makes fun of his readers or anyone he thinks acts badly.
April 8, 2025
15 stories:
*** Beyond Lies the Wub (1952)
*** The Gun (1952)
*** The Skull (1952)
*** Mr. Spaceship (1953)
*** Piper in the Woods (1953)
*** The Variable Man (1953)
*** The Crystal Crypt (1954)
*** Meddler (1954)
** Beyond the Door (1954)
*** Jon's World (1954)
*** Progeny (1954)
**** Of Withered Apples (1954)
**** Adjustment Team (1954)
**** James P. Crow (1954)
*** Souvenir (1954)
*** Beyond Lies the Wub (1952)
*** The Gun (1952)
*** The Skull (1952)
*** Mr. Spaceship (1953)
*** Piper in the Woods (1953)
*** The Variable Man (1953)
*** The Crystal Crypt (1954)
*** Meddler (1954)
** Beyond the Door (1954)
*** Jon's World (1954)
*** Progeny (1954)
**** Of Withered Apples (1954)
**** Adjustment Team (1954)
**** James P. Crow (1954)
*** Souvenir (1954)
October 9, 2017
Philip K. Dick - fiction that makes your head hurt and makes you think! Not to everyone's taste but I love his work.
June 25, 2021
There are a few icky girls in these classic sci fi stories but don't worry. They're mostly evil whore Fembots.
October 5, 2024
The worlds in each are so different and immersive, and most of them could and should have gone beyond the short stories they were in. I always enjoy PKD's imagination.
July 20, 2025
outstanding sci-fi written well ahead of its time,
recommended
recommended
August 25, 2015
I don't read a lot of sci-fi, so this was a little out of my genre. But I thought I'd give this one a try because three of my favourite sci-fi movies are based on Philip K. Dick stories (Blade Runner, Minority Report and The Adjustment Bureau). Not only did I get through the 400 or so pages, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the stories.
This collection includes 15 stories that were published in 1952/1953, including the novella-length tale 'The Variable Man'. It's hard to believe Dick was only in his early 20s when he wrote them because they show a depth of understanding about the human condition. Sure there are travels to other planets, time machines and technological advances, but the stories also touch on issues of the times (e.g. the Cold War, racial discrimination, behaviourism, dubious psychiatric treatments) as well as perennial issues such as good vs evil, ethics, peace vs war, and questions to do with spirituality and the meaning of life.
I'd only heard of one of the stories before - The Adjustment Team, which inspired the movie 'The Adjustment Bureau'. The movie is very different, except for the main premise of adjustments being made to reality. Most of the stories have twists or at least unexpected endings that were satisfying. I always admire a writer who can pull off a good twist. One of my favourite stories was 'The Meddler' where two men travel to the future with every intention of just observing and not interfering. However, when they discover that human life has been destroyed, they travel back a bit further to try to work out what caused it. All seems well until ... well, you'll just have to read it for yourself.
I also liked the poignant 'Jon's Story' is which a young man is given 'treatment' to eradicate the fantastic visions he receives.
Female characters tend to be more in the background, if mentioned at all, but I guess that was a sign of the times. Although some aspects of the stories are a little dated, it was amazing how relevant the majority of the themes are today. I enjoyed this book enough that I want to read others in the series (after a little break).
If you're a sci-fi fan, you probably already have some Philip K. Dick in your library. If you don't usually read in this genre, this is a good book to dip into. It might just win you over.
This collection includes 15 stories that were published in 1952/1953, including the novella-length tale 'The Variable Man'. It's hard to believe Dick was only in his early 20s when he wrote them because they show a depth of understanding about the human condition. Sure there are travels to other planets, time machines and technological advances, but the stories also touch on issues of the times (e.g. the Cold War, racial discrimination, behaviourism, dubious psychiatric treatments) as well as perennial issues such as good vs evil, ethics, peace vs war, and questions to do with spirituality and the meaning of life.
I'd only heard of one of the stories before - The Adjustment Team, which inspired the movie 'The Adjustment Bureau'. The movie is very different, except for the main premise of adjustments being made to reality. Most of the stories have twists or at least unexpected endings that were satisfying. I always admire a writer who can pull off a good twist. One of my favourite stories was 'The Meddler' where two men travel to the future with every intention of just observing and not interfering. However, when they discover that human life has been destroyed, they travel back a bit further to try to work out what caused it. All seems well until ... well, you'll just have to read it for yourself.
I also liked the poignant 'Jon's Story' is which a young man is given 'treatment' to eradicate the fantastic visions he receives.
Female characters tend to be more in the background, if mentioned at all, but I guess that was a sign of the times. Although some aspects of the stories are a little dated, it was amazing how relevant the majority of the themes are today. I enjoyed this book enough that I want to read others in the series (after a little break).
If you're a sci-fi fan, you probably already have some Philip K. Dick in your library. If you don't usually read in this genre, this is a good book to dip into. It might just win you over.
March 16, 2010
This book is part of a two volume set of stories written before 1960. The selection includes much of the best of the early work and a representative selection including two non SF items. Volume 2 is about 100 pages shorter than volume 1 which makes me wonder if a single bigger book was originally planned.
For me the highlight of the collection was The Variable Man, a novella, among the short stories. It is a fine story on its own and also shows the potential later realized in novels. Given a larger work area, Dick gives us more in both breadth and depth, not a padded short story.
The book also has some interesting commentary and background material contributed by the editor, Gregg Rickman, who has written several books about the author (The two biography volumes now expensive items on the used market, alas) and met with him at length during the year before his death. This adds value to the set, and for serious fans, a possible reason to duplicate material in their present libraries.
Dick managed to write and publish around 60 short story or novella scale works during the first three years of his career (1952-1954) about half of his total output in those forms. These two volumes cover 28 from 1952-1954. One can still obtain the paperback edition of the Complete Stories, a five volume set of fairly thick books to explore further. But do not tarry too long, they will become expensive collector's items should they fall out of print for very long (as the limited release hardcovers are now).
For me the highlight of the collection was The Variable Man, a novella, among the short stories. It is a fine story on its own and also shows the potential later realized in novels. Given a larger work area, Dick gives us more in both breadth and depth, not a padded short story.
The book also has some interesting commentary and background material contributed by the editor, Gregg Rickman, who has written several books about the author (The two biography volumes now expensive items on the used market, alas) and met with him at length during the year before his death. This adds value to the set, and for serious fans, a possible reason to duplicate material in their present libraries.
Dick managed to write and publish around 60 short story or novella scale works during the first three years of his career (1952-1954) about half of his total output in those forms. These two volumes cover 28 from 1952-1954. One can still obtain the paperback edition of the Complete Stories, a five volume set of fairly thick books to explore further. But do not tarry too long, they will become expensive collector's items should they fall out of print for very long (as the limited release hardcovers are now).
February 2, 2015
I really enjoyed this book because it showed how much Philip K. Dick grew as a writer and how much his ideas expanded over the years. I liked the introduction a lot as it talked about how he used to work at a record store but then his phobia made him choke at work and so he decided it was time to quit and write full-time. He thought that his phobia was part of his life up until that point just to ensure that he became a writer and didn't waste his life as a record salesperson.
I really loved most of the stories in this book. Just in this collection he grows so much as a writer and his stories get more and more interesting. I absolutely loved "the Variable Man" and several of the other stories. I usually enjoy science fiction but there is a special place in my heart for Philip K. Dick.
I really loved most of the stories in this book. Just in this collection he grows so much as a writer and his stories get more and more interesting. I absolutely loved "the Variable Man" and several of the other stories. I usually enjoy science fiction but there is a special place in my heart for Philip K. Dick.
November 8, 2010
If you like your sci-fi old school, this collection of Philip K. Dick's stories from the 1950s and 60s is for you. The Martians are from Mars; the starship captains wear eyeglasses, smoke cigarettes and are, invariably, male; and the themes explored are clearly colored by the Cold War. While these stories reveal an unpolished author and are not on par with some of Dick's later classics like A Scanner Darkly or Ubik, there are some real gems in here, including Beyond Lies the Wub, his first story ever published. For sci-fi film buffs, look for a movie adaptation of The Adjustment Team (film title "The Adjustment Bureau") starring Matt Damon, coming in 2011.
September 2, 2011
Not only a showcase for one of sci-fi's most celebrated authors, but a celebration of what gives the genre its power in the first place. PKD's stories are as relevant and powerful today as when they first saw print a half century ago.
I especially appreciated the 'story notes' section at the end of the book which gives background on each story's inspiration, reception, and publication history. Some of these anecdotes are as interesting as the stories themselves.
Check out 'The Gun', 'The Variable Man', and 'The Souvenir' especially.
I especially appreciated the 'story notes' section at the end of the book which gives background on each story's inspiration, reception, and publication history. Some of these anecdotes are as interesting as the stories themselves.
Check out 'The Gun', 'The Variable Man', and 'The Souvenir' especially.
December 15, 2015
Beyond Lies the Wub (1952): 3/5
The Gun (1952): 4/5
The Skull (1952): 4/5
Mr. Spaceship (1953): 3/5
Piper in the Woods (1953): 3.5/5
The Variable Man (1953): 4/5
The Crystal Crypt (1954): 2.5/5
Meddler (1954): 4/5
Beyond the Door (1954): 3/5
Jon's World (1954): 3/5
Progeny (1954): 4/5
Of Withered Apples (1954): 2.5/5
Adjustment Team (1954): ----
James P. Crow (1954): 4/5
Souvenir (1954): 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5 -> 4/5
The Gun (1952): 4/5
The Skull (1952): 4/5
Mr. Spaceship (1953): 3/5
Piper in the Woods (1953): 3.5/5
The Variable Man (1953): 4/5
The Crystal Crypt (1954): 2.5/5
Meddler (1954): 4/5
Beyond the Door (1954): 3/5
Jon's World (1954): 3/5
Progeny (1954): 4/5
Of Withered Apples (1954): 2.5/5
Adjustment Team (1954): ----
James P. Crow (1954): 4/5
Souvenir (1954): 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5 -> 4/5
November 18, 2009
A collection of Dick's earliest stories, most appeared in 50's pulp SF magazines. I had read some in other anthologies, but this puts them together in choronological order so you see how Dick grows as a writer. Most not as polished as his later works, but still good, short reads. Looking forward to reading Vol. 2.
May 9, 2011
I didn't read all stories in this book, but I enjoy the ones I read. I picked this book because I watched "The Adjustment Bureau", and I wanted to find out how much the movie and the book were close. Apparently, there were only a few similarities, and I can say the book and the movie are different stories. Because they are different, it is hard to say which is better.
April 19, 2012
I really enjoyed he thinking process that followed each story. Question like is that where we are going? What would I do or think in such a situation? And other thoughts like oh, yeah, this was written at least a half a century ago (all the smoking, kinda of funny). There is a little bit of language I could have done without, that is why only four stars.
October 14, 2014
A really good collection of short stories, and an excellent introduction into the genius that is Philip K. Dick. For being his first published stories, they're not clunky at all, and while you can see them become more polished as he grows, none are cringeworthy. Very creative and you can see him developing the themes and ideas that continue throughout his career.
November 17, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyable, but only two stories really grabbed me: "Adjustment Team" and "James P. Crow." The problem with the other stories is that you know exactly how things are going to play out very early on---and since these are only short stories, that doesn't leave much time for being in awe and wonder and being surprised. I definitely prefer weirder Dick. Yep, I said it.
February 28, 2011
i thoroughly enjoyed these early short stories! Sure, they're not on par with his later work but it's great fun to see him start to toy with so many of the themes he would be dealing with throughout his career. i definitely look forward to reading vol. 2.
June 26, 2011
I'm glad I started with his early works as it gives me the chance to see how he developed & grew as a writer in this genre. That said, I loved this collection, & the touch of whimsy that was a part of many of the stories.
August 17, 2013
A great collection, though some stories are less than magnificent. As a huge fan and a writer, it was educational and interesting to see the origins of some of the themes that dominate his later novels. PKD was truly one of a kind.
August 2, 2010
PKD once again contributes to my insomnia. Thanks.
February 4, 2012
"We worship in common a vague animism. A sense of the general positive vitality of the universal process."
August 14, 2014
scarily ahead of their time, extremely thought provoking.
Read
January 17, 2013Interesting stories. I can see many of the newer stories as derivative works from authors during Philip Dick's age, which the book says was the golden age for Sci-Fi stories.
December 26, 2013
Very good. reminds me of the pleasure of good scifi short stories. Actually the 'adjustment team' was not one of the better ones.
Fun time travel stories.
Fun time travel stories.
October 8, 2012
Great collection of Philip K Dick stories. My favorite one in this book is The Variable Man.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews