What is it with Phillip K Dick?

kennyc · 10-14-2011, 05:36 AM

I just saw a(nother) recommendation praising Phillip K Dick. I just don't get it. I've read a lot of his short stories (or tried to) and they just come across to me as lame. The do not draw me in, engage me in any sort of way. The characters seems two dimensional and very unreal.

I admit I've not read "The Man in the High Castle" maybe that is different better? Given what I have read of his, I really have little desire to tackle it.

xg4bx · 10-14-2011, 06:28 AM

i've only ever read Man in the High Castle. i don't remember an iota of it.

however the movies based on his stuff are good. i'll eventually sit down and give reading his work a concerted effort.

rhadin · 10-14-2011, 07:13 AM

I'm with you, Kenny, and no, Man in the High Castle isn't any better.

pdurrant · 10-14-2011, 07:18 AM

Some of his stuff is excellent. "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" is splendid.

But if his stuff doesn't work for you, go for work by writers that you do like.

poohbear_nc · 10-14-2011, 09:33 AM

The only PKD work I've ever read & enjoyed is "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep." I've tried other novels & SS - they too strike me as flat & boring.

HomeInMyShoes · 10-14-2011, 09:56 AM

So far, I've only read the short story Beyond the Door. I liked it and I've got Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? pretty high on my potential list. Based on the comments of kennyc and poohbear_nc, it might be the only title I read from the author, but then given the number of authors that I have read 0 books of, 1 is a lot.

DixieGal · 10-14-2011, 10:09 AM

That is how I feel about Heinlein. I know that I should like his stuff, but I just do not. It is too "preachy" for my taste.

replica145 · 10-14-2011, 01:51 PM

He's like Stephen King. He can blow your mind or make your eyes roll right out of your head. Sometimes in the same book.

Try Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch and the Valis Trilogy.

Rob Lister · 10-14-2011, 02:39 PM

i used to be a heinlein fan, but then i grew up. his adult novels suck, imo.

i was never a fan of dick. :0

Kymmmm · 10-14-2011, 04:21 PM

I suppose they are a bit dated now and so is their writing style. 1950's, 60's?
A more ignorant and trusting age. Heinlein definitely had his 'Daddy' issues and it showed. I bet he was cranky that Hubbard actually got his religion off the ground whereas R.H's never got past the 'grok' disciples.

Kymmmm

cearbhallain · 10-15-2011, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by replica145

He's like Stephen King. He can blow your mind or make your eyes roll right out of your head. Sometimes in the same book.

Try Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch and the Valis Trilogy.

By now Three Stigmata should be recognized as literature. Dick's work can be divided into discrete categories, the books he wrote so he could eat, and the books he wrote to explore his cosmology. The former category includes things like Vulcan's Hammer and the Simulacrum, but even those "inferior" works contain the germ of his overriding themes - in fact some of those books are the playgrounds in which he begins to explore his most interesting themes.

I don't think you should completely write off his works until you've read _A Scanner Darkly_, _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep_, _The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, _UBIK_, and _The Man In The High Castle_.

jrlewis · 10-15-2011, 12:31 PM

I've read tons of his short stories. I can appreciate how imaginative and groundbreaking they were when they were published, in concept if not in execution. He's more often praised for his ideas than his prose.

But so many of his stories have become tv shows and movies over the last 40 years that his stories have almost become cliche by now. I wouldn't recommend him in general, but if you're interested in classic SF or the history of SF, then he is required reading.

kennyc · 10-15-2011, 12:39 PM

I think it is that that "gets" me. He does explore some interesting ideas/angles, but I just can't get past the (lack of) character and storytelling.

RichL · 10-15-2011, 04:27 PM

His blaah factor is directly proportional to the length of the story.

carpetmojo · 10-15-2011, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichL

His blaah factor is directly proportional to the length of the story.

"......................I don't think you should completely write off his works until you've read _A Scanner Darkly_, _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep_, _The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, _UBIK_, and _The Man In The High Castle_. "

Tried most of them at one stage or another, couldn't see it I'm afraid.
I only recently decided to stop thinking I "ought to try again" ..........

10-14-2011, 05:36 AM	#1
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	What is it with Phillip K Dick? I just saw a(nother) recommendation praising Phillip K Dick. I just don't get it. I've read a lot of his short stories (or tried to) and they just come across to me as lame. The do not draw me in, engage me in any sort of way. The characters seems two dimensional and very unreal. I admit I've not read "The Man in the High Castle" maybe that is different better? Given what I have read of his, I really have little desire to tackle it.

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10-14-2011, 06:28 AM	#2
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	i've only ever read Man in the High Castle. i don't remember an iota of it. however the movies based on his stuff are good. i'll eventually sit down and give reading his work a concerted effort.

10-14-2011, 07:13 AM	#3
rhadin Literacy = Understanding Posts: 4,833 Karma: 59674358 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: The World of Books Device: Nook, Nook Tablet	I'm with you, Kenny, and no, Man in the High Castle isn't any better.

10-14-2011, 07:18 AM	#4
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 71,506 Karma: 306214458 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Voyage	Some of his stuff is excellent. "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" is splendid. But if his stuff doesn't work for you, go for work by writers that you do like.

10-14-2011, 09:33 AM	#5
poohbear_nc Now what? Posts: 58,852 Karma: 135181808 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	The only PKD work I've ever read & enjoyed is "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep." I've tried other novels & SS - they too strike me as flat & boring.

10-14-2011, 09:56 AM	#6
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	So far, I've only read the short story Beyond the Door. I liked it and I've got Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? pretty high on my potential list. Based on the comments of kennyc and poohbear_nc, it might be the only title I read from the author, but then given the number of authors that I have read 0 books of, 1 is a lot.

10-14-2011, 10:09 AM	#7
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	That is how I feel about Heinlein. I know that I should like his stuff, but I just do not. It is too "preachy" for my taste.

10-14-2011, 01:51 PM	#8
replica145 Bake 'Em Away Toys Posts: 210 Karma: 1271856 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Dirty Jersey Device: Kindle PW (Books) & iPad 3 (Comics)	He's like Stephen King. He can blow your mind or make your eyes roll right out of your head. Sometimes in the same book. Try Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch and the Valis Trilogy.

10-14-2011, 02:39 PM	#9
Rob Lister Fanatic Posts: 532 Karma: 3293888 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Virginia Device: Nook Simple Touch	i used to be a heinlein fan, but then i grew up. his adult novels suck, imo. i was never a fan of dick. :0

10-14-2011, 04:21 PM	#10
Kymmmm Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 306 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Brisbane. Australia Device: Nook Color and Simple Touch	I suppose they are a bit dated now and so is their writing style. 1950's, 60's? A more ignorant and trusting age. Heinlein definitely had his 'Daddy' issues and it showed. I bet he was cranky that Hubbard actually got his religion off the ground whereas R.H's never got past the 'grok' disciples. Kymmmm

10-15-2011, 12:31 PM	#12
jrlewis SF/F Author Posts: 160 Karma: 349656 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: USA Device: Adobe Digital Editions	I've read tons of his short stories. I can appreciate how imaginative and groundbreaking they were when they were published, in concept if not in execution. He's more often praised for his ideas than his prose. But so many of his stories have become tv shows and movies over the last 40 years that his stories have almost become cliche by now. I wouldn't recommend him in general, but if you're interested in classic SF or the history of SF, then he is required reading.

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10-15-2011, 12:39 PM	#13
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	I think it is that that "gets" me. He does explore some interesting ideas/angles, but I just can't get past the (lack of) character and storytelling.

10-15-2011, 04:27 PM	#14
RichL Evangelist Posts: 407 Karma: 1096520 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: back to x51v	His blaah factor is directly proportional to the length of the story.