Philip K Dick discussion

I'm talking about books inspired by the great man or in which he or thiny veiled version of him is a chracter, i.e the cardboard universe.

My personal favourite is fellow Dickheads Jonathan Lethem's , Girl in landscape. It was clearly inspired by things like Dr.Bloodmoney but has hints of other PKD work too, a must read for PKD fans. It is not trading off the idiosynchrasies of Dick the man, but is more of a homage to his work.

I suppose it's cheating, but I did like Philip K. Dick is Dead, Alas. Very Dickian, including PKD himself.

Nope not cheating just the kinda thing I wanted to hear. I haven't read that yet, been holding out on any dick related books due to hyperdickamatosis about 6 years ago, now I feed them to myself very slowly, it's on my wish list.

I'm not sure of books that have been inspired but CERTAINLY the works of writer/director Charlie Kauffman, especially his film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" which was as much of a plagiarising exercise as anyone could imagine.

I'd still have watched his version of A SCANNER DARKLY, for which he submitted an early script version that became a Linklater rewrite.

Sorry, if I've diverted the thread a bit, please back to your discussion of Dick-inspired books.

I'll check back later.

It's very difficult to come across someone with a similar style to Dick. The only other writer that I consistently enjoy as much as I do PKD is Murakami. This might just be a personal thing, but they both hit close to home as far as creating worlds and events that awe and inspire.

On this note, could people please start listing other favorite authors. While I appreciate PKD's entire library, I feel that someone has to come along and continue writing some mindblowing, dirty, incredible, and dark SciFi.

Christopher,

yes, Murakami is a very good comparison - totally different culture and far less drugs (Murakami's a marathon running health nut) but shared liberation of the writing form, I'd say. Another Japanese writer you might like is his namesake Ryu Murakami, who does explore the darker side of Japan. And also Natsuo Kirino, a female writer who is just odd - in a good way.

You really ought to try reading a UK writer called Jeff Noon - his first two or three novels were crackers.

Also, a little-known writer called Cordwainer Smith is a MUST READ.

And don't forget my own 2008 novels "Bukkakeworld" and "Planet of the Owls", or the 2001 "Szmonhfu" writing as Hertzan Chimera. I didn't wanna "plug" so blatantly, but obviously I've been inspired by all the writers I've read and loved.

I read Jeff Noon's "Vurt" based on Mike recommendation and I would agree it is a good pick for PKD fans.

On the movie side, some thought Christopher Nolan's Memento was inspired by Dick... Nolan as a new movie coming out in the US on July 16 named 'Inception'... it looks Dickian as well.

yeah, Inception looks like a real corker

:)

and glad you enjoyed Vurt

It look too over the top with the trailers. I wouldnt mind if it was half as good as Memento though.

What makes Jeff Noon's Vurt Dickian ? Themes or writing ability and themes. ?

Mohammed,

I suspect you NEED to read Vurt and then come back and tell us if you agree.

:)

Hehe no help then ;)

Its just many books that are called Dickian just because they try to be rambling,different.

Mohammed,

I'll tell you it's about a dystopian world and a PARALLEL world where all the 'good stuff' comes from that's accessed by tickling a feather in the back of the throat.

Plus you have TWO recommendations from two PKD fans.

:)

Yeah that is more reliable than other GR fans when its about PKD.

I don't want to turn this into a film thread, but now that director Vincenzo Natali has a hit currently in theatres (Splice) I thought I'd point out his second film which was definiately Dickian: 'Cypher', its a dystopian corporate espionage. You can get more details from wiki or a movie site if you like, but I think you all will like it... I actually had to double-check after watching to make it wasn't actually a PKD story I didn't know about.

Ursula K LeGuin's "The Lathe of Heaven". Even her middle initial is (I'm guessing) a Dick tribute!
The Phildickiest film I've seen is "The Truman Show".
Very reminiscent of "Time out of Joint".

without Dick, there would be no INCEPTION.

:)

http://mikephilbin.blogspot.com/2010/...

Heh i did think it was like a wacky PKD novel. The dreams,characters was too controlled though except Cobb and his damaged wife.

How could I have forgotten "Jacob's Ladder"?
PS May I coin the term "Philm"?
OK then, I won't

Alex mentioned Jonathan Lethem's Girl in Landscape. I just read my first Lethem book: Amnesia Moon, and found it Dickian and something I'd high recommend to PKD fans, its dystopian and apocalyptic, with dreams and influence from hallucinogenic drugs.. sound familiar?

Also, Lethem has an Ubik tattoo on his bicep.. the spray can with the pink UBIK letters. That is just a minor hint he is influenced by Dick.

And I've got a Dick tattoo started and a Dick-inspired backpiece planned.. will have to post pics someday

Giggsy,

now that you've 'dipped your toe' into Jeff Noon's Dickiverse, try POLLEN and NYMPHOMATION. It's all good mind-crack.

I see you recently endured my Yoroppa novel. You're sure to wanna check out my Free Planet novel, due 2013.

Lethem's Gun With Occasional Music is like PKD (in his wackier moods) meets Raymond Chandler.

But the absolutely brilliant Counting Heads is the only sci-fi novel that I like as much (or even more) than the work of PKD. Expands on the idea of charter apartments (as seen in The Simulacra) among other Dickian ideas. And it just has that feeling of regular people in a world gone mad, that you get in PKDs books.
Do not sleep on this one, folks! Also check the short story The Wedding Album by the same author, found in the short story collection Getting to Know You.

There is also a stand out episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine called Whispers, that any PKD fan will enjoy thoroughly.

Someone asked earlier about other writers who might be different than PKD but brilliant and revolutionary. J G Ballard especially in The Atrocity Exhibition is a writer as unique and subversive and innovative as PKD.
The Truman Show was definitely similar to Time Out of Joint my favorite PKD novel. Check out Mike Philbin's stuff most written under the name of Hertzan Chimera. Mike you seem more influenced by Burroughs than PKD and Bukkakeworld was very Kafkaesque. But there is really no way to compare your writing to anything to anything I have ever read so in that way you are like PKD. You have your own genre. I write some drug fiction but not like PKD.
If you like nonfiction there are some great books on quantum physics, string theory, chaos theory and multiverse theory and science seems to be acknowledging PKD was right. Time travel has been scientifically proven. It is called quantum nonlocality. And string theory says that parallel universes are not a possibility but a necessity The theory of Shroedinger's Cat seems right out of PKD. The cat for a time is both alive and dead. Every possibility exists. For example there is a parallel universe where you chose not to read this post. And another universe where I don't write this post because I lost my phone and another universe where I didn't post this because my parents didn't meet. And one where your parents never met. If you chose A in another reality you chose B. Same with the next decision. Every reality exists. Brian Greene has written some good books on string theory and multiverses. The Elegant Universe is a good starting point. There are scientists working to show that the crazy world of PKD is very close to the truth.
Some of Stanislaw Lem's work like Solaris reminds me of PKD.
Thomas Ligotti is usually compared to Lovecraft but he also writes mind bending surreal fiction. Same with Arthur Manchen a contemporary of Lovecraft and influence on him and is classified as Lovecraftian but also has similar mind bending proprties.
Another non fiction book is The Holographic Universe which argues that everything we perceive is actually just a massive projected hologram and not "real" in the traditional sense. What you see is just your brain's interpretation of an entirely different reality we could never see

David wrote: "Check out Mike Philbin's stuff most written under the name of Hertzan Chimera. Mike you seem more influenced by Burroughs than PKD and Bukkakeworld was very Kafkaesque"

Perhaps the only man more insane than Mike Philbin is Hertzan Chimera!

I've read Bukkakeworld and Yôroppa, and Yôroppa definitely reminded me of Burroughs. So Mike Philbin, which Philbin and Chimera titles are most Dickian?

How about a novel purporting to be a guide to the work of one Phoebus K Dank?

This is The Cardboard Universe by Christoper Miller


The 2 narrators give very different views of Phoebus in the form of an alphabetical list of topics.

I thought it was excellent and well worth a look for any real PKD fan

On a slightly different note I've recently bought Losing the Head of PKD

Not read it yet but looks like suitably Dickian story of a group of people attempting to build an adroid of PKD

I think Chris Nolan is a PKD fan, so "Inception" bearing a resemblance to "Ubik" is probably not a coincidence. Same thing with the Wachowskis and PKD-isms popping up in "The Matrix".

Neal Stephenson and the late David Foster Wallace have also mentioned PKD as a source of inspiration, but I have yet to read any of their work because of how long and complex their novels are. (both also happened to like Thomas Pynchon after all)

I recently read Hugh Howey's Wool Omnibus. Nowhere near PKD's genius, but there were quite a few moments where the mechanics of the story reminded me of Dick. The opening, especially - I thought Howey's was going to actually plagiarise the Penultimate Truth or something! (thankfully he didn't).

though a graphic novel I find these two to possess some form of Dick: King City & Heavy Liquid

ahh...i didn't notice anybody mention Steve Erickson's; Rubicon Beach. Erickson might have other fine novel's out there, but i havn't found them yet. Rubicon Beach is the best non-PKD, PKD. None of the books mentioned are worth mentioning. It's possible that i havn't read one of the books recomended, but i'll stand by the statement, unless someone can dispute it.

i do like the Letham howevet...

steve erickson: Rubicon Beach

guys, I hadn't seen this thread in ages - belated thanks for the positive plugs; ya know, your Anodes.

:)

Ian Watson, Miracle Visitors

Valerio Evangelisti, Cherudek
Urusula K. Le Guin, The Lathe of Heaven

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Christopher Priest. Stylistically very different (far more reserved, English writing style) but very much concerned with the themes of identity and the reliability of memory. I would suggest trying The Affirmation or The Glamour.

I wouldn't necessarily agree with this somewhat condescending comparison when one professional reviewer said: "Christopher Priest is Philip K Dick for grown ups." I think what they meant by that is that Priest was less concerned with the trappings of the SF genre.

Personally, I think Priest is a great writer who should be read in his own right but there is definitely something of interest in his writing for those looking for other writers that explore similar themes to Dick.

Simon wrote: "I'm surprised no one has mentioned Christopher Priest. Stylistically very different (far more reserved, English writing style) but very much concerned with the themes of identity and the reliabilit..."

ive only ever read The Inverted World and it seemed a YA book.

Pickle wrote: "ive only ever read The Inverted World and it seemed a YA book. "

Hmmm...I looked at your review and you described it as "YA/Steampunk". It's amazing how two people can read the same book and get completely different impressions from it.

I loved that book but it's not what I'd suggest first when thinking of books that would appeal to PKD fans. Even if you didn't like "Inverted World", I wouldn't let that put you off trying one of the other recommendations I gave (above) as they are very different.

Simon wrote: "Pickle wrote: "ive only ever read The Inverted World and it seemed a YA book. "

Hmmm...I looked at your review and you described it as "YA/Steampunk". It's amazing how two people can read the same..."

it was that i didnt like it, it was just surprising that I felt like this as i wasnt expecting it. I found Mortal Engines to be very similar to Inverted World which is no bad thing.

I will certainly read more of Priest if my library has him in stock.

Simon wrote: "I'm surprised no one has mentioned Christopher Priest. Stylistically very different (far more reserved, English writing style) but very much concerned with the themes of identity and the reliability of memory. I would suggest trying The Affirmation or The Glamour."

I've read The Affirmation and I agree with you. The themes are kind of similar but Priest's style is a bit colder. It'a a very good book.

Simon wrote: "I wouldn't necessarily agree with this somewhat condescending comparison when one professional reviewer said: "Christopher Priest is Philip K Dick for grown ups." I think what they meant by that is that Priest was less concerned with the trappings of the SF genre."

Man, that's harsh. Do you have a online link for that review? I'd like to see where this reviewer is coming from.

Sérgio wrote: "Man, that's harsh. Do you have a online link for that review? I'd like to see where this reviewer is coming from. "

I don't I'm afraid. I think it might even have been a quote on the back of one of his books. I'll have to track it down and find out who it's credited to.

Alot from Clifford Simak, "All flesh is grass" for one

I read Inverted World a few months ago, and I thought it was a good tale, albeit one that might perhaps have worked better as a novella. I'll check out his other books. Regarding that Quote about Priest being Dick for grown-ups, that review ought to go into the circular file.

The other clue Lethem is influenced by PKD is he edited the three Library of America PKD books.

Early K. W. Jeter is definitely influenced by PKD. They were friends. And, of course, he wrote the novel sequels to the movie Blade Runner. Try Dr. Adder.

You don't really need clues about Lethem being influenced by Dick... Lethem himself repeatedly said that, and he's rather proud of his Dickian side.

Jeter's The Glass Hammer is more Dickian than Dr Adder.

Randolph wrote: "I just read Babel-17/Empire Star (Nebula Award winner, I think) by Samuel R. Delany and it reminded me of Dick without all the psychotic baggage. Pretty good short novel."

Dick "without the psychotic baggage" ain't Dick, not at all...

Dick and Delaney have said unkind things about each other's work. Dick though Dhalgren. Delaney has called out the strand of Christianity that is pretty unabashed in the final novels by PKD. The disagreement almost could be said to be philsophical, Plato vs Postmodernism. But I think there are few sci fi novels as trippy as Trouble on Triton.

Robert Anton Wilson's work comes to mind for its paranoia and conspiracy elements as in The Illuminatus Trilogy.

David wrote: "Robert Anton Wilson's work comes to mind for its paranoia and conspiracy elements as in The Illuminatus Trilogy."

Robert Anton Wilson was a big fan of PKD's work. He also had a similar 'experience' around the same time as Dick; in Wilson's case he thought for a time that he was receiving communications from the Sirius star system. His book Cosmic Trigger is a must read if you are interested in finding out more about this. Like PKD, he made multiple attempts to figure out what happened to himself. However he tended to be a bit more scientific in his approach, whereas Dick looked for more religious meaning.

Oh, another Dick-like movie project (time displacement, alien scum) is the forthcoming movie EDGE OF TOMORROW.

In fact, here's the trailer for EOT, which PKD book is it most like / stealing from?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw61gC...

Mike wrote: "Oh, another Dick-like movie project (time displacement, alien scum) is the forthcoming movie EDGE OF TOMORROW.

In fact, here's the trailer for EOT, which PKD book is it most like / stealing from?
..."

Groundhog Day.