Mohammed ’s Comments (group member since May 09, 2009)

Mohammed ’s comments from the Philip K Dick group.

I read this book last year and i was impressed by it,surprised. It has a lesser reputation compared to his other mid level,top level books.

I enjoyed the characters,the game,the world.

Sérgio wrote: "Well, as I said, I read it again a few years ago and still liked it very much.

It's true that Androids is a very popular because of the movie but I don't think it's overrated.

Some scenes were gr..."

I didnt mean you re-read because i can respect other PKD fans liking some books better than others. As you say he wrote many quality books. I meant people who only read few PKD and think Androids is the best ever PKD, it rankes nr.1 in every list not made by PKD fans.

My top 3 so far is High Castle,Now Wait for Last Year, Palmer Eldritch. Havent read Valis,Ubiik,Scanner Darkly,Martian Time-Slip that fellow fans rank very high.

Sérgio wrote: "I read Androids the first time when I was 12 years old, so I have fondness for it.

The last time I read it was like 5 years ago. It's hard to compare books when there's a span of years between you..."

I dont like to talk about the movie to compare becuase its a very different. It is visually great i agree.

You read the book as 12 years old thats what i mean, it seems many people reads that book first of all their PKD books. It was my first PKD and it is good but its minor,mid level compared the top,best books of him. I enjoy it but his writing,ideas is better in other books.

I just dont like how PKD newbies overrate it because its their fav film too....

Sérgio wrote: "Have you guys/gals seen this list?


http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/10...


It's pretty acurate as far as I'm concerned."

Ubik and The High Man in the Castle has gotten most mentioned as the best PKD book i know among fans. You agree about Androids being better ?

Its just more popular film than the other books. Both the book and the film is vastly overrated imho.

I had heard about the FBI complex among the rumors you have heard about in his weirder days. Its good to read from the perspective of people like Benford who knew the man and the author. They know the real man he was and not only the bad sides of his that added to his author reputation.

I just finished The Man in the High Castle and it doesnt make Palmer, Now Wait For Last Year less fantastic but it stands out as my fav and the best written PKD book so far for me. I have read just over 10 books so i many other good ones left to read.

I have seen his more imaginative, weird in choosing story types like you had to be in mag market. Most of his mature novels he has themes,type social realism he deals with.

You cant say Second Variety, Adjustment Team, King of Elves is similar stories to his novels.

I think the fact PKD prose,language is dated is one of his strengths. We all know he isnt prose stylist and has workman like prose but the best about him is his stories feel so personal, his mind is so present in them. You cant take him out of his times, its the stories,the social content, the vision that is timeless and not his language.

Language that isnt dated is overrated to special authors like PKD.

Reading The Man in the High Castle right now and the fact the language is dated to 1962 and even sounds older doesnt matter all. It is a great,important story.

http://www.gregorybenford.com/uncateg...


An interesting,intimate look at PKD.

This topic reminds me i should stop seeing PKD so much as novelist and get more complete stories collection. I have read less than 15 Dick short stories and that is way too little.

Adrien wrote: "I don't think "Do Androids..." would even make my top TEN!

Mohammed wrote: "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? i think is the most overrated of his works. I think because its so easy for first ..."

Good to know there are PKD fans no drawn in by that popular film. I f i had read more than 10 PKD novels it would be outside my top ten ;)

Im slow PKD reader, im afraid of running out of his books as first time reads.

PKD must have read Zelazny also because Zelazny was one of the most acclaimed authors of the 60s-70s in SF and his SF is pretty weird,social SF the ones i have read at-least. I sometimes thought his SF was PKD like but with better prose style and less workman like prose.

This topic asks a question i have wondered many times. Which is the most acclaimed, best biography. PKD is one of few writers who fascinate me enough to read a good biography.

Cool i have not read Radio Free either :)

I havent seen Scanner Darkly because i couldnt stand it for more than 20 minutes of it as you say it was one trick poney visuals.

PKD story like that deserve a good live action film.

Its funny or sad that its the closest we have come to PKD style since the lines,characters was similar to his writing style.

Mike wrote: "As I don't like Valis so much, I'd be tempted to have everyone re-read that so that we can all see it for the stinking cod carcase that it is.

:)

That should start the debate... VALIS then for 1..."

Im up for book like Valis, because i havent read it yet hehe :)

Byron i have to wonder if you have seen Nicholas Cage PKD film, Paycheck etc

There is no way in the near future there will be maybe a new movie that introduce a whole new generation to PKD. It will like always some that read after old Blade Runner and maybe Minority Report. No single quality PKD film that will draw in more readers than other in the near future.

The mathematical facts are they only use PKD name to sell films in Hollywood. Usually bad films that wont make people go after the books.

Horrific book and PKD in the same sentence makes Cosmic Puppets sound so much better in my eyes ;)

The title makes it sound like an early pulpy PKD short story.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? i think is the most overrated of his works. I think because its so easy for first time readers with his heroic hero, its melodramatic story, themes makes its more popular than it should be.

For me its a middle book because its not as strong,complex as his best books. The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch is a finer example imo.

Mike wrote: "You mean like UBIK or TEARS, POLICEMAN?

Oh, yeah.... :)"

Yep im more interested in seeing those films that might become similar to what PKD tried to do with the book versions.

I have vague hope for a film that captures the mood, gravity of PKD books.