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11 Science Fiction Stories
Philip K Dick was one of the most prolific science fiction writers of all time.
Now 11 of his first stories are available in one collection.
Stories Included:
Beyond Lies the Wub
Beyond the Door
The Crystal Crypt
The Defenders
The Gun
The Skull
The Eyes Have It
Second Variety
The Variable Man
Mr. Spaceship
Piper in the Woods
Now 11 of his first stories are available in one collection.
Stories Included:
Beyond Lies the Wub
Beyond the Door
The Crystal Crypt
The Defenders
The Gun
The Skull
The Eyes Have It
Second Variety
The Variable Man
Mr. Spaceship
Piper in the Woods
377 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 6, 2010
66 people are currently reading
173 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
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 26, 2018
I loved everything except "Piper int he Woods".
April 12, 2013
These short stories are rather enjoyable. Dick does a really good job of adding enough background to let us understand the story without going into too much exposition or drawing it out too much. Generally one of my main problems with short stories (or rather why I like novels more) is because often I don't feel like I'm particularly involved with the story, either the characters or the situation, enough to care. I didn't have that problem with these stories.
That's not to say they were all great, though, unfortunately. All of these stories were built around either a plot twist or some point about society that Dick wanted to make. The problem is that a number of the plot twists were super obvious so it was just dumb when the characters didn't expect them and all the observations on society came across as rather preachy.
That's not to say that the points weren't something worth pointing out. Most of the stories had to do with war to some extent and in general the stories seemed like products of the cold war. I would have liked if the stories had each listed the year they were written with the titles. Not only to know more specifically what Dick was writing in response to, but also because I'm wondering what the state of technology was when it was written. If I were to guess I'd think the 50s or 60s as there weren't any transistors - all the advanced technology was done with wiring and tubes a la Fallout.
I'll put my thoughts about a few of the specific stories in spoilers:
I've been meaning to read Dick's stories for a long time, so I'm glad that I finally did get around to it. I'll probably read more of his works in the future, too. I'd like to see how he manages world building in a novel considering how well he handled it for the purposes of these short stories.
That's not to say they were all great, though, unfortunately. All of these stories were built around either a plot twist or some point about society that Dick wanted to make. The problem is that a number of the plot twists were super obvious so it was just dumb when the characters didn't expect them and all the observations on society came across as rather preachy.
That's not to say that the points weren't something worth pointing out. Most of the stories had to do with war to some extent and in general the stories seemed like products of the cold war. I would have liked if the stories had each listed the year they were written with the titles. Not only to know more specifically what Dick was writing in response to, but also because I'm wondering what the state of technology was when it was written. If I were to guess I'd think the 50s or 60s as there weren't any transistors - all the advanced technology was done with wiring and tubes a la Fallout.
I'll put my thoughts about a few of the specific stories in spoilers:
I've been meaning to read Dick's stories for a long time, so I'm glad that I finally did get around to it. I'll probably read more of his works in the future, too. I'd like to see how he manages world building in a novel considering how well he handled it for the purposes of these short stories.
July 2, 2012
Most of these read like classic episodes of the Twilight Zone, so the spirit and concept of all of them remains true even today. It is definitely worth a read.
Beyond Lies the Wub - 3/5 Stars
An interesting twist on a few common sayings.
Beyond the Door - 2/5 Stars
This is a descent into madness story.
The Crystal Crypt - 3/5 Stars
An interesting concept based on bending the truth. The end was a bit predictable.
The Defenders - 4/5 Stars
I really like this one. Again a little predictable, but it has a nice unique end to it.
The Gun - 5/5 Stars
Translating ancient stories into modern myth. Loved this one.
The Skull - 3/5 Stars
Another one that is a bit predictable, but quite enjoyable.
The Eyes Have - 3/5 Stars
A funny look at taking things too literally.
Second Variety - 4/5 Stars
It is a bit slow to start, but I really enjoyed the ending and what it says about mankind.
The Variable Man - 4/5 Stars
The major problem with this one is that it feels a bit too long. It involves the foolishness of relying on statistics and power of human intuition.
Mr. Spaceship 5/5 Stars
Longevity, the perfection of society, the fulfillment of dreams, all of these things are combined with great characterization.
Piper in the Woods 4/5 Stars
This one is more of a psychological mystery. Why do we do the things we do? Is living a simple life better than a sophisticated one?
Beyond Lies the Wub - 3/5 Stars
An interesting twist on a few common sayings.
Beyond the Door - 2/5 Stars
This is a descent into madness story.
The Crystal Crypt - 3/5 Stars
An interesting concept based on bending the truth. The end was a bit predictable.
The Defenders - 4/5 Stars
I really like this one. Again a little predictable, but it has a nice unique end to it.
The Gun - 5/5 Stars
Translating ancient stories into modern myth. Loved this one.
The Skull - 3/5 Stars
Another one that is a bit predictable, but quite enjoyable.
The Eyes Have - 3/5 Stars
A funny look at taking things too literally.
Second Variety - 4/5 Stars
It is a bit slow to start, but I really enjoyed the ending and what it says about mankind.
The Variable Man - 4/5 Stars
The major problem with this one is that it feels a bit too long. It involves the foolishness of relying on statistics and power of human intuition.
Mr. Spaceship 5/5 Stars
Longevity, the perfection of society, the fulfillment of dreams, all of these things are combined with great characterization.
Piper in the Woods 4/5 Stars
This one is more of a psychological mystery. Why do we do the things we do? Is living a simple life better than a sophisticated one?
April 24, 2013
I haven't read much PKD besides "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep." (And "Deus Irae"--which to be fair is a collaboration with Roger Zelazny, so not 100% his writing.) So I was happy to pick up this collection and dive in.
This collection contains some of his earlier shorts, and the execution is a bit clumsy at times, as is the underlying science. But, you have to take the stories in context with the time period they were written (early 50's). As such, it's a great collection.
The presentation was a bit vanilla with the stories arranged alphabetically, and some typographical issues, and of course, these stories are all public domain... But it's really the stories themselves that count.
Sure some were a bit predictable, maybe cliche...but again, think of the time period, and we're dealing with over 60 years worth of time gone by, and the Russians are no longer The Enemy.
Now, it was convenient to grab this on Kindle for a buck, but I think moving forward I might hit the public domain and read the stories more chronologically. Nonetheless, the collection was a good starting point.
Do yourself a favor and look up "The Eyes Have It." This one had me laughing out loud, and I had a hard time reading for a couple of weeks because of the twisted light the story shed on narrative descriptions.
This collection contains some of his earlier shorts, and the execution is a bit clumsy at times, as is the underlying science. But, you have to take the stories in context with the time period they were written (early 50's). As such, it's a great collection.
The presentation was a bit vanilla with the stories arranged alphabetically, and some typographical issues, and of course, these stories are all public domain... But it's really the stories themselves that count.
Sure some were a bit predictable, maybe cliche...but again, think of the time period, and we're dealing with over 60 years worth of time gone by, and the Russians are no longer The Enemy.
Now, it was convenient to grab this on Kindle for a buck, but I think moving forward I might hit the public domain and read the stories more chronologically. Nonetheless, the collection was a good starting point.
Do yourself a favor and look up "The Eyes Have It." This one had me laughing out loud, and I had a hard time reading for a couple of weeks because of the twisted light the story shed on narrative descriptions.
August 3, 2012
Interesting stories. My only complaint is that quite frequently, the suspension of disbelief was broken. Characters acted strangely (why would spies ever, ever tell their entire mission to a stranger, even when all seems safe?), did things that were impossible (a person from 1914 being able to fix, and improve upon devices from the far future, imagine someone like that getting their hands on cellphone) or, most commonly, spoke very bluntly from an outsider's perspective, passing judgement on the human race. While I don't mind exploring different perspectives of actions, the way it was delivered was inelegant, and I often found myself thinking "the author is speaking directly to me again..." which pulled me out of the story.
That said, the stories got more engaging as the book went on though. I particularly liked the story of the variable man, someone pulled unexpectedly from the past who throws a wren into the war efforts of a futuristic Earth waging war with an intergalactic empire. And these stories do what sci-fi is good at doing, raising questions about technology and culture of the present and future, exploring their possibilities and consequences.
That said, the stories got more engaging as the book went on though. I particularly liked the story of the variable man, someone pulled unexpectedly from the past who throws a wren into the war efforts of a futuristic Earth waging war with an intergalactic empire. And these stories do what sci-fi is good at doing, raising questions about technology and culture of the present and future, exploring their possibilities and consequences.
August 17, 2012
Few people can explore the limits and weirdness of humanity within science fiction like PKD can, and pull off surprising twists. With a few exceptions where the story world felt thin, these are some of PKD's best!
I especially enjoyed Second Variety (which I think is the grittiest, and possibly best story, with the best characterization and quickest immersion in the world), The Variable man, The Skull, The Defenders and The Crystal Crypt.
I especially enjoyed Second Variety (which I think is the grittiest, and possibly best story, with the best characterization and quickest immersion in the world), The Variable man, The Skull, The Defenders and The Crystal Crypt.
February 4, 2011
These stories are great fun. Like reading screen plays for The Outer Limits or The Twilight Zone. Dick's mind is a wonder and the stories are extremely clever and often quite funny in a bizarre manner. I'm hooked and am particularly interested in the pieces that have been turned into movies. I'm on my way....
May 17, 2012
11 short stories with space travel, dystopian futures and some fun twist and turns.
The Variable Man was my favorite one. Thomas Cole coming to the future and changing their war forever with his special skill of fixing everything.
The final story, Mr. Spaceship was an interesting idea of consciousness surviving in our brain alone.
Man vs machine, man vs man all great ideas.
The Variable Man was my favorite one. Thomas Cole coming to the future and changing their war forever with his special skill of fixing everything.
The final story, Mr. Spaceship was an interesting idea of consciousness surviving in our brain alone.
Man vs machine, man vs man all great ideas.
June 30, 2011
Great collection of stories - at least one of them has been made into a TV Show already(Think it was a Twilight Zone - the modern version). Definitely a book I can recommend if you like space stories.
December 10, 2012
Some stories are awful, some are decent, and some are pretty good. The problem I find with Dick's writing is the lack of focus on his characters. Plot and idea are so emphasized that it's hard to hold interest in the story once you see where its going.
July 28, 2013
I mostly enjoyed this collection of Philip K. Dick stories. Philip K. Dick has an incredible imagination and unique story telling ability about human nature as there are twists in his stories, ala The Twilight Zone...
December 25, 2011
His stories are interesting and usually have a "twist" somewhat reminiscent of the Twilight Zone. As in any collection, some are better than others, but all are worth reading.
January 30, 2012
While not exactly poignant most of the time this was a fun collection of Twilight Zone-like stories.
November 20, 2012
Either I'm a plot-guessing genius or the plots of these stories are so completely obvious. Either way, I almost wanted to stop reading each story because I knew how it would end.
didnt-finish
September 24, 2018i read 3 of these (and another as a stand alone a while back) and...meh. don't keep my attention very well, and i feel like they are cliche, while recognizing these were written before the cliche's exist. not gonna finish now.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews