The Cosmic Puppets in Philip K Dick

May 10, 2012 Jack Stovold rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The Philip K. Dick Project #4

Originally published as a novelette “Glass of Darkness”, this is basically Dick’s first science fiction or fantasy novel (although this one is pretty firmly in the fantasy camp). Although I enjoyed Voices from the Street, I was excited to get into more genre territory, and this didn’t disappoint. The tone of this novel shares much more in common with Dick’s short stories than Voices.

In fact, the economy of the writing and the quick pacing make this feel a lot like The Philip K. Dick Project #4

Originally published as a novelette “Glass of Darkness”, this is basically Dick’s first science fiction or fantasy novel (although this one is pretty firmly in the fantasy camp). Although I enjoyed Voices from the Street, I was excited to get into more genre territory, and this didn’t disappoint. The tone of this novel shares much more in common with Dick’s short stories than Voices.

In fact, the economy of the writing and the quick pacing make this feel a lot like a young adult novel. I wish I had come across this when I was a lot younger, because it would undoubtedly be one of those books I would have loved and read repeatedly whenever I needed a dose of some serious weirdness. As it stands now, I can definitely see picking this up on a lazy Sunday. (The book is short enough that it could probably be read in a few hours in one sitting).

The opening third of the book is excellent, as Dick keeps piling on the mysteries and strangeness in brisk little chapters that end on cliffhangers. As soon as The Wanderers appeared, I was hooked. And the layering of realities is very intriguing and phildickian. Dick’s gift for atmosphere is great here. The way he nonchalantly writes such surreal scenes really can grab you and put some great images in your mind.

Characterization is much thinner here than in Voices, but it doesn’t hurt the story much. We know almost nothing about Ted Barton himself, and the casualness with which his wife is expelled from the story is almost comical. But there’s something so likeable about the kind of decent, simple people Dick writes. We don’t always know them very well, but they seem nice enough. I particularly enjoyed Christopher, the town drunk.

Inevitably it is a little disappointing when all of the mysteries get solved and it turns out Millgate is part of an unending cosmic battle. The ending does satisfy, even if it does rely too much on mythological tropes.

All in all, I recommend this book highly. It’s gotten me even more excited about things to come. ...more

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