Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

This is our discussion of the short story....

Orpheus with Clay Feet • (1964) by P.K. Dick (as Jack Dowling)

From the anthology The Minority Report and Other Classic Stories by Philip K. Dick. See The Minority Report and Other Classic Stories discussion hub for more info on the anthology and pointers to discussion of its other stories.

I enjoyed this one too. It was a fun time travel story that loops around and eventually references itself in a way that reminded me of when Dark Helmet pulled out his VHS copy of Spaceballs and fast-forwarded to see what was going to happen next. PKD wrote himself into the story again, like he did in Waterspider. Of course he also wrote himself into The Man in the High Castle which is the book that really got me interested in PKD.

And speaking of Spaceballs, where is the long-awaited sequel? I heard it was going to be called Spaceballs 3: The Search for 2 (a joke that would have been a lot funnier soon after the release of Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock).

This story also made me laugh. I did not know he liked to write himself in his stories quite frequently so thanks Randy for pointing that out (I am one of those few who have not read The Man in the High Castle).

Now I wish Slade would travel back to the past and un-inspire EL James or Stephenie Meyer.

According to the Notes, the story was originally published under the name Jack Dowland, too.

Interesting that Slade works for a consultancy for draft dodgers. PKD was clearly on the leading edge of the anti-Vietnam War movement.

G33z3r wrote: "According to the Notes, the story was originally published under the name Jack Dowland, too."

I know! That was a great touch.