This is an early novel by PKD.
I have heard many negative things about this book, but I think they were unfair for the most part. It is not perfect, but still pretty good and well worth reading.
The story basically goes like this. There is a world war and much destruction. A new government takes over based on Relativism - you can believe what you like, but you can't try to foist it on others. Sort of the polar opposite of the Absolutism that is blamed for the war by some of the characters in the story. But in practice, the two may not seem all that different.
A member of the secret police happens upon this guy Jones who can see one year into the future. One thing leads to another, and after the secret police fail to assassinate Jones, he soon becomes supreme leader. His rise to power has something to do with amoeba like creatures from outer space called the drifters. It might spoil the book for people who have not read it if I explained much more on how that goes and turns out, but later, there is a sort of super Tholian web involved which will mean something to fans of the original Star Trek series. In any case, things under Jones don't seem to go so well.
Also in the story are some human like creatures adapted for life on Venus. Well, not the actual Venus as it is, but as I guess it was imagined by the author when this book was written in the 1950's and apparently before any probes went there. Well, it made for good storytelling nonetheless. These characters as presented in the story should also give readers some things to think about - I'll keep my conclusions here to myself.
The book is quite thought provoking in many other aspects as well. Things go from one extreme to another, and one can ask what really changed. The implications of being able to see the future were also explored and done quite well I think. There is much more besides this.
The book has a decent ending even if things are not tied up completely - but this lends a hopeful aspect.
I think it would have been a better book if it had been a little longer to allow for a deeper presentation of the many things it considered. In any case, it is very good as is, and I recommend it.
I have heard many negative things about this book, but I think they were unfair for the most part. It is not perfect, but still pretty good and well worth reading.
The story basically goes like this. There is a world war and much destruction. A new government takes over based on Relativism - you can believe what you like, but you can't try to foist it on others. Sort of the polar opposite of the Absolutism that is blamed for the war by some of the characters in the story. But in practice, the two may not seem all that different.
A member of the secret police happens upon this guy Jones who can see one year into the future. One thing leads to another, and after the secret police fail to assassinate Jones, he soon becomes supreme leader. His rise to power has something to do with amoeba like creatures from outer space called the drifters. It might spoil the book for people who have not read it if I explained much more on how that goes and turns out, but later, there is a sort of super Tholian web involved which will mean something to fans of the original Star Trek series. In any case, things under Jones don't seem to go so well.
Also in the story are some human like creatures adapted for life on Venus. Well, not the actual Venus as it is, but as I guess it was imagined by the author when this book was written in the 1950's and apparently before any probes went there. Well, it made for good storytelling nonetheless. These characters as presented in the story should also give readers some things to think about - I'll keep my conclusions here to myself.
The book is quite thought provoking in many other aspects as well. Things go from one extreme to another, and one can ask what really changed. The implications of being able to see the future were also explored and done quite well I think. There is much more besides this.
The book has a decent ending even if things are not tied up completely - but this lends a hopeful aspect.
I think it would have been a better book if it had been a little longer to allow for a deeper presentation of the many things it considered. In any case, it is very good as is, and I recommend it.
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