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Title: The Eye of The Sibyl and Other Classic Stories (The Collected Short Stories of Philip K. Dick, Vol. 5) by Philip K. Dick ISBN: 0-8065-1328-4 Publisher: Citadel Trade Pub. Date: May, 1992 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.88 (8 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Some of Dick's most personal works
Comment: It is not that surprising to witness how this collection of short stories by Philip K. Dick is the least appreciated, since his later novels also tend to be greeted by varied reactions. But this volume is at least as good as the preceding four, and maybe even better. Here we find Dick less concerned with traditional forms, and perhaps more inclined than ever before to explore the issues that really interested him; many revolve around religion and theology. The stories were published from the mid-1960s to the 1980s, and reflect the thematic preoccupations of Dick's longer works from each period. The breadth of the tales is considerable, as the stories vary from deceptively light satire (The War With the Fnools, The Day Mr. Computer...) to politico-religious tensions (The Little Black Box, Faith of our Fathers), testimonies (The Eye of the Sibyl, Rautavaara's Case) and solitary soul-searching (The Electric Ant), often spanning all of these approaches in a single story. This collection might not be the best entry point in Dick's work, but a fair accessment of that work's relevance would not be possible without this essential book.
Rating: 4
Summary: Later but not necessarily better
Comment: In this final volume of the Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick, we get a chance to read the short stories he wrote from the late 1960s to his death. For those who were accustomed to the imaginative and off-beat work of the first four volumes, this last book may be a bit jarring: as Dick's life got stranger, so did his stories. Even in the genre of the strange that is science fiction, stranger is not automatically better.
Some of the stories in this collection are every bit as good as the ones in the other books. Tales such as "The Pre-Persons," "Your Appointment Will Be Yesterday" and "The Electric Ant" are among his better stories. There are also stories that would eventually become novels like Counter-Clock World, Dr. Bloodmoney and The Divine Invasion. Then there are the previously unpublished works...which are strictly for PKD completists; there is good reason these were not published.
His later short stories, like his later novels (Valis, The Transmigration of Timothy Archer) are often permeated with the theological and hallucinogenic qualities that also dominated Dick's life. These later stories are dominated more by ideas than by good writing; compare the title story to the similarly themed Waterspider in Volume 4 and you'll see the earlier story is far better.
Overall this book rates a weak four stars, although the whole set rates a full five stars. Even if a bit disappointing compared with the previous books, this still has enough quality to be well worth reading.
Rating: 5
Summary: If I could only recommend 2 Phil Dick books --
Comment: This volume has many of the stories from the out-of-print Ballantine "Best of Phil Dick." While his earlier work is more literate, his later style in stories/novels became much looser, but just as enjoyable. The themes here, like his novel "Do androids dream," are more mind-blowing and less reliant on finding a new twist on an old sci-fi theme. "Faith of our fathers," and "I hope I shall arrive soon"(probably the inspiration for movies "Open your eyes/Vanilla sky") are the most powerful, thoughtful and fun stories (how the heck does he do it?!) but may not resonate with gadget-oriented, non-psychological readers. Nevertheless, this is an indispensible book, and like "Do androids dream," my choice when giving a Phil Dick book to friends.
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Title: We Can Remember It for You Wholesale (The Collected Short Stories of Philip K. Dick, Vol. 2) by Philip K. Dick ISBN: 0806512091 Publisher: Citadel Trade Pub. Date: November, 1990 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Second Variety: And Other Classic Stories (The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick, Vol. 3) by Philip K. Dick ISBN: 0806512261 Publisher: Citadel Trade Pub. Date: May, 1991 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford: And Other Classic Stories by Philip K. Dick, Steven O. Godersky ISBN: 0806511532 Publisher: Citadel Trade Pub. Date: April, 1990 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: The Minority Report and Other Classic Stories (Dick, Philip K. Short Stories.) by Philip K. Dick, James Jr. Triptree ISBN: 0806523794 Publisher: Citadel Trade Pub. Date: May, 2003 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: The Minority Report (The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick, Vol. 4) by Philip K. Dick ISBN: 0806512768 Publisher: Citadel Press Pub. Date: 19 January, 1992 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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