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Rating: 
Summary: These are excellent stories.
Review: Every story in this collection is fascinating. Each one
is its own little world. It's easy to see why filmmakers
like his stories - his dialogue is believable, and there is
always action of some sort. The Variable Man, the longest
short story in this collection, is an action-adventure film
waiting to happen. The King of the Elves is one of my many
favorites.
Rating:
Summary: Early works from a master
Review: In this first book in a five-volume set collecting all the short stories of Philip K. Dick, we get a chance to see the first stories he wrote and published and can learn that from the very start, Dick was a great writer.This is one of those rare story collections where there absolutely NO bad stories. Each one is a well-written and interesting piece; some have a dark humor, others are utterly horrifying, but each one is good or great in its own way. Written in the 1950s, these stories are a refreshing change of pace from some of the more banal sci-fi pieces to come out of that era. The emphasis here is not on the science (which is often unexplained) but on the fiction: the characters, the mood and the plot. Adept at the plot twist, Dick often resolves his stories in logical but unanticipated ways. From evil toys and malicious butterflies to trolls and lethal towels, Dick puts us in a number of worlds not far removed from our own and entertains us from first page to last. I look forward to reading the other four volumes in this set; some of the stories I have read before and others I haven't, but I'm sure I'll have a blast with all of them.
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: Reading the collected short stories - Volumes 1 through 5 - is like watching the old Twilight Zone. Weird and wonderful stuff!
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: Reading the collected short stories - Volumes 1 through 5 - is like watching the old Twilight Zone. Weird and wonderful stuff!
Rating: 
Summary: Good collection, but....
Review: The problem with slapping the "genius" label on a writer is that people tend to overlook that writer's flaws. All the glowing reviews make this collection sound better then it really is. PKD certainly was a genius, but he wasn't perfect. His best stories are absolutely amazing, but it took him time to get there and he wrote several clunkers along the way. This book collects 25 of PKD's short stories from the early 1950s. Like most of his early work it's inconsistent. To those who are familiar with his writing, the brilliance that would later come is sometimes apparent. However, the young PKD was still growing as a writer and hadn't quite found his voice yet. The best stories in this collection are great reads. Unfortunately, there are several stories here that are just filler and are significant only because PKD wrote them. If you are not familiar with PKD's work some of these stories will be a great introduction. But most of them are far from perfect. Here are a few high and low points: Roog:
This is a fun little story. The men who come to collect your garbage are not what they seem, and only your dog knows why. The Gun:
This is one of those filler stories, cause it has not point to it. I guess PKD needed a quick buck. Beyond Lies the Wub:
More filler. The Skull:
Some of these stories could have been made into episodes of the Twilight Zone, like this one. An interesting take on the story of Christ. The premise is not very original by today's standards, but still a good story. The Preserving Machine:
Probably the worst story in the collection. Expendable:
One of the best stories in the collection is also the shortest; only 5 pages. It is also one of the funniest. Next time you see an ant, beware. The Variable Man:
Another really good story. A man from the past comes into the future when the earth is at war with an alien empire. PKD in full control here. The Indefatigable Frog:
PKD's comical side is pretty unique and fun. The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford:
The title story is kinda cute, but nothing special. Meddler:
Another of the "Twilight Zone" type stories. Many writers have speculated about the end of the world. But only PKD would think that the end would be caused by butterflies. Paycheck:
The recent John Woo film is based on this story. A fascinating premise is marred by poor execution. All the later PKD trademarks are here: evil all controling government, paranoia, and normal people trapped by circumstances beyond their control. Had PKD written this story 10 years later it would probably come out much better. Colony:
More paranoia, but this time PKD uses it to comic effect. The colonists try to evacuate while naked. One of the best in the collection. Prize Ship:
Time travel stories usually have a twist; so does this one. I laughed when I finished it. Nanny:
A not so subtle take on the cold war arms race. Interesting, but could have been edited down some more.
Rating:
Summary: Good collection, but....
Review: The problem with slapping the "genius" label on a writer is that people tend to overlook that writer's flaws. All the glowing reviews make this collection sound better then it really is. PKD certainly was a genius, but he wasn't perfect. His best stories are absolutely amazing, but it took him time to get there and he wrote several clunkers along the way. This book collects 25 of PKD's short stories from the early 1950s. Like most of his early work it's inconsistent. To those who are familiar with his writing, the brilliance that would later come is sometimes apparent. However, the young PKD was still growing as a writer and hadn't quite found his voice yet. The best stories in this collection are great reads. Unfortunately, there are several stories here that are just filler and are significant only because PKD wrote them. If you are not familiar with PKD's work some of these stories will be a great introduction. But most of them are far from perfect. Here are a few high and low points: Roog:
This is a fun little story. The men who come to collect your garbage are not what they seem, and only your dog knows why. The Gun:
This is one of those filler stories, cause it has not point to it. I guess PKD needed a quick buck. Beyond Lies the Wub:
More filler. The Skull:
Some of these stories could have been made into episodes of the Twilight Zone, like this one. An interesting take on the story of Christ. The premise is not very original by today's standards, but still a good story. The Preserving Machine:
Probably the worst story in the collection. Expendable:
One of the best stories in the collection is also the shortest; only 5 pages. It is also one of the funniest. Next time you see an ant, beware. The Variable Man:
Another really good story. A man from the past comes into the future when the earth is at war with an alien empire. PKD in full control here. The Indefatigable Frog:
PKD's comical side is pretty unique and fun. The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford:
The title story is kinda cute, but nothing special. Meddler:
Another of the "Twilight Zone" type stories. Many writers have speculated about the end of the world. But only PKD would think that the end would be caused by butterflies. Paycheck:
The recent John Woo film is based on this story. A fascinating premise is marred by poor execution. All the later PKD trademarks are here: evil all controling government, paranoia, and normal people trapped by circumstances beyond their control. Had PKD written this story 10 years later it would probably come out much better. Colony:
More paranoia, but this time PKD uses it to comic effect. The colonists try to evacuate while naked. One of the best in the collection. Prize Ship:
Time travel stories usually have a twist; so does this one. I laughed when I finished it. Nanny:
A not so subtle take on the cold war arms race. Interesting, but could have been edited down some more.
Rating:
Summary: 25 great stories by this peerless science fiction master
Review: There are three consistent aspects to PKD's (Philip Dick's) work that I find compelling:
1. He constantly asks the (most important) question, "What is the nature of reality"?
2. He repeatedly states and offers evidence that the answer to the question "What does it mean to be human?" is the ability to feel empathy.
3. His plots involve such "ordinary" people, and have excellent character development - so you quickly get to understand them. Meanwhile, the story involves some bizarre science fiction device , idea, or condition, that he makes a part of this very normal human's world. You're quickly drawn in by the master.
PKD spent a significant amount of time thinking and writing about philosophy. In a way, reading his stories is an entertaining way of doing a survey of his take on the world's philosophical history without having to read (and understand) endless tomes of the great philosophers. You can see how this changes in PKD as you read different books in the Collected Stories series.
Philip makes it abundantly clear that he hates much of the stupidity that mankind inflicts on itself. War is a commonly expressed example of this. Of course, with the science fiction plot theme, he can easily spread examples of this through time, through the galaxy, and beyond (even to gods, other sentient races, etc).
As is tragically true so often with deep thinkers, Philip's life was far from carefree...As a consequence, and the fact that he's obviously a man bent on searching for TRUTH, his writing often has a dark underlying feeling. Comedy is sprinkled through the stories, but it too has a dark quality. Even the moments of greatest joy provide a somewhat bittersweet feeling, due to the background of the plot worlds. But again - reading PKD is not a dose of happy-pills, it is about TRUTH, whether pretty or not.
No matter who you are, these stories will make you think and I suspect learn a thing or two. They cover such a variety of plots that almost everyone is bound to be pleased by some, alarmed or saddened by others, and to feel a surge of empathy for some situations and realize that (bizarre as the situation may be) - this too is human.
I think it would be truly impossible for any thinking person to read and reflect on the 118 stories in the 5 volume series and come away completely unchanged. And for the vast majority of us (to borrow a PKD novel title) "Cosmic Puppets" with empathic capabilities, I'm betting the change will be for the better...
Rating:
Summary: Best SF Writer Ever
Review: This book is a collection of PKD's earliest short stories, one of which had not been previously published. This volume is particularly interesting because the reader can watch PKD develop his storytelling skills over time. Full of the characteristic Dick plot-twists and off-the-wall humor, this volume is immensely enjoyable. My favorites include "King of the Elves," "Expendable," "The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford," and "Colony."
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