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# he has been lining his pockets for years
(I helped save b3ta! Duke Otterby you pre-verts, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 18:08, archived)
# Which Philip K Dick book, would you suggest to someone who hasn't read any of his books?
(I helped save b3ta! Duke Otterby you pre-verts, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 18:32, archived)
# any of the Janet and John series?
sorry, haven't read any of his books. heard of him
(polished turd 404 pixels wide, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 18:35, archived)
# read all of them, so much blood shed in them
(I helped save b3ta! Duke Otterby you pre-verts, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 18:45, archived)
# Ubik : SAFE WHEN USED AS INDICATED
/autocomplete, but relevant to your interests.

It's very weird.

I've also read 'Dr Bloodmoney', but wasn't so impressed.
(I helped save b3ta! The Alchemist king of the needlessly complicated, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 18:44, archived)
# it isn't wanky sci-fi is it?
I'm after sci-fi which isn't up its own arse, or am I asking to much?
(I helped save b3ta! Duke Otterby you pre-verts, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 18:46, archived)
# I'm impressed with his lack of what I think is called 'information dumping'
which is where characters spout long paragraphs of information at each other about some technology/alien race/galactic civilisation.

But he does have a kind of old-fashioned style to his writing sometimes. I think his stuff has aged a lot better than other 'classic' sci-fi, though.

I don't think that it's too wanky, no.

edit : for modern sci-fi, I quite like Adam Roberts - 'Salt', 'Wall', etc.
(I helped save b3ta! The Alchemist king of the needlessly complicated, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 18:51, archived)
# so a bit like H G wells?
(I helped save b3ta! Duke Otterby you pre-verts, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 18:53, archived)
# As someone who has only relatively recently started reading
him, I would say Minority Report and Second Variety were my favourites.

However, if you're starting out, the film books may be a good place to start.

Like Do Androids dream of electric sheep, which became Blade Runner, and We can remember it for you wholesale which became Total Recall.
(I helped save b3ta! Redsushi! Whoop! Whoop! Yes, that one!, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 18:59, archived)
# this is the problem, I know so many of his books, via the films, I was having a hard time choosing which one to read
(I helped save b3ta! Duke Otterby you pre-verts, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 19:07, archived)
# Well it's a tough one,
what with him having written so many :)

I would suggest finding a book of the hilm you enjoyed most and starting with that. But I don't think it is gonna matter because you'll end up reading them all eventually anyway :)
(I helped save b3ta! Redsushi! Whoop! Whoop! Yes, that one!, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 19:10, archived)
# Go for short-story collections
He's at his best in short stories. The novels can get a bit... extended. As if he didn't really know what was going on any more than you do. Not all of them, but certainly a significant number.

In a PKD short story you get about as much 'idea' as a novel (by mass) without too much extended plot. Hence why films are usually adapted from his short stories.

(I have a soft spot for Eye in the Sky, but I know it isn't considered a classic. I just think it's the perfect archetype of his novels)
(Skittlemcfluff ......................, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 20:40, archived)
# They're making a film of Ubik aren't they?
(I helped save b3ta! Redsushi! Whoop! Whoop! Yes, that one!, Fri 27 Mar 2009, 19:04, archived)