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The Father-Thing (collection)
''The Father-Thing'' is a collection of science fiction stories by American writer Philip K. Dick. It was first published by Gollancz in 1989 and reprints Volume III of ''The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick''. It had not previously been published as a stand-alone volume. Many of the stories had originally appeared in the magazines '' If'', ''Science Fiction Adventures'', ''Science Fiction Stories'', ''Orbit'', ''Fantasy and Science Fiction'', '' Imagination'', ''Future'', ''Galaxy Science Fiction'', ''Beyond Fantasy Fiction'', ''Satellite'', ''Science Fiction Quarterly'' and ''Imaginative Tales''. Contents * Introduction, by John Brunner * " Fair Game" * " The Hanging Stranger" * " The Eyes Have It" * " The Golden Man" * "The Turning Wheel" * " The Last of the Masters" * " The Father-Thing" * "Strange Eden" * "Tony and the Beetles" * "Null-O" * " To Serve the Master" * "Exhibit Piece" * " The Crawlers" * "Sales Pitch" * "Shell Game" * "Upon the Dull Earth" * " Foster, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Philip K
Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularized the name include kings of Macedonia and one of the apostles of early Christianity. ''Philip'' has many alternative spellings. One derivation often used as a surname is Phillips. It was also found during ancient Greek times with two Ps as Philippides and Philippos. It has many diminutive (or even hypocoristic) forms including Phil, Philly, Lip, Pip, Pep or Peps. There are also feminine forms such as Philippine and Philippa. Antiquity Kings of Macedon * Philip I of Macedon * Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great * Philip III of Macedon, half-brother of Alexander the Great * Philip IV of Macedon * Philip V of Macedon New Testament * Philip the Apostle * Philip the Evangelist Others * Philippus of Croton (c. 6th centur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Father-thing
"The Father-Thing" is a 1954 science fiction short story by American writer Philip K. Dick. The story, told through third-person narration but focusing on the child, concerns the replacement of a boy's father with a replicated version. At first, only the child sees the difference and has to recruit other children to help him reveal the truth. The story is typical of Dick's short stories of the period. The premise was widely used in fiction of the time. Works like ''Invasion of the Body Snatchers'', especially popular in the 1950s, expressed the fear that people are not what they seem to be. Dick's story is typically more personal because it is not about the invasion of a community, but of a family. '' The Father-Thing'' is the US Underwood-Miller (1987) and UK title of the third collected volume of Dick's short stories, retitled ''Second Variety'' after "Second Variety" was moved from Volume 2 by Citadel. Adaptations In 2017, writer-director Michael Dinner adapted the story as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Chromium Fence
"The Chromium Fence" is a science fiction short story by American writer Philip K. Dick, first published in ''Imagination ''magazine in July 1955. The story is set in a future where political differences have been reduced to trivialities, the "purists" are pitted against the "naturalists". The purists wish to make the adoption of cosmetic changes (sweat glands removed, teeth fixed and so on) compulsory. The purist and naturalist mantra in this story is shown as one extreme manifestation of the brain-washing. The central character, Don Walsh, seems the only sane man left and refuses to join either side. Eventually, however, he is forced to act and pays the ultimate price. Publication history This story was never reprinted anywhere after its single appearance in the bottom-market magazine ''Imagination'', until the appearance of Dick's collected stories in 1987. Dick's agency attempted to sell the story to the '' New Yorker magazine'' by describing it as a 'New York New York m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
War Veteran
A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular job, occupation or Craft, field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that has served directly in combat in a war is further defined as a war veteran (although not all military conflicts, or areas in which armed combat took place, are necessarily referred to as ''wars''). Military veterans are unique as a group as their lived experience is so strongly connected to the conduct of war in general and application of professional violence in particular. Therefore, there are a large body of knowledge developed through centuries of scholarly studies that seek to describe, understand and explain their lived experience in and out of service. Griffith with colleagues provides an overview of this research field that addresses veterans general health, transition from military service to civilian life, homelessness, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pay For The Printer
"Pay for the Printer" is a science fiction short story by American writer Philip K. Dick. It was first published in ''Satellite Science Fiction'', in October 1956. Manuscript dated January 28, 1954. Plot In a war-ravaged future, humanity has come to depend on an alien species known as the Biltongs, possessed of the ability to replicate items identically – although the copies only last for a short time. When the Biltongs become decrepit, the humans are forced to rediscover the skill of building. Synopsis The earth is devastated after a conflict involving the explosion of H-bombs There are very few remnants of civilization and the lands are devastated due to the fact it doesn't rain anymore. Allen Fergesson is a member of the Pittsburgh colony, the story begins in his car where he's with Charlotte, a member of a decaying colony where the Biltong is sick, and a mysterious man they picked up on the road. When they arrive at the colony everything is falling apart, they meet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Foster, You're Dead!
"Foster, You're Dead!" is a 1955 science fiction short story by American writer Philip K. Dick. It was first published in ''Star Science Fiction Stories No.3''. The story is a satire of two 1950s-era trends: consumerism and increasing Cold War anxiety. Dick wrote in a letter: "One day I saw a newspaper headline reporting that the President suggested that if Americans had to buy their bomb shelters, rather than being provided with them by the government, they'd take better care of them, an idea which made me furious. Logically, each of us should own a submarine, a jet fighter, and so forth." It was adapted by Kalen Egan and Travis Sentell for the episode "Safe and Sound" of the 2017 TV series '' Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams''. Plot summary The story takes place in 1971 where the vast majority of citizens own private bomb shelters and financially support nuclear war Nuclear warfare, also known as atomic warfare, is a theoretical military conflict or prepared politi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Upon The Dull Earth
"Upon the Dull Earth" is a fantasy short story by American writer Philip K. Dick, first published in November 1954 in ''Beyond Fantasy Fiction''. Both the title and the protagonist's name are taken from Shakespeare's ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona'', Act IV, scene ii: Plot summary By offering up the blood of a lamb, Silvia, the protagonist of "Upon the Dull Earth," is able to summon creatures she identifies as angels. She thinks that the creatures are her ancestors, and she is sure that one day she will join them. At the same time, though, it is not clear whether the creatures are really good, as Silvia thinks, or wicked. Their behavior and their relation with Silvia scare the girl's relatives and Rick, her boyfriend. Rick thinks that Silvia's behavior is very dangerous, as "the white-winged giants ... can sear erto ash". During a quarrel with Rick, the girl accidentally cuts herself. Unwillingly, Silvia's blood summons the creatures. Unable to control their power, the angel-like ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shell Game (short Story)
"Shell Game" is a science fiction short story by American writer Philip K. Dick. It was submitted to the Scott Meredith Literary Agency and received by SMLA on December 12, 1953. It was published in ''Galaxy Science Fiction'' in September 1954Levack, Daniel (1981) ''PKD: A Philip K. Dick Bibliography'', Underwood/Miller, p. 124, Plot summary A group of paranoid mental patients, long stranded on an alien planet by the shipwreck of the robot-controlled hospital spaceship transporting them to a mental hospital, believe themselves to be constantly under attack by aliens or other humans. They discover the damaged ship in a bog, and from recorded tapes they learn of their condition and the circumstances of the shipwreck. Even when they discover this evidence of the truth and attempt to verify or disprove the information on the ship's tapes, they construct sophisticated explanations of why the attacks are real despite contrary evidence. After much internal dispute, and sometimes violen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sales Pitch (short Story)
"Sales Pitch" is a science fiction short story by American writer Philip K. Dick, first published in '' Future Science Fiction ''magazine, June 1954. The premise is the omnipresent, intrusive and even aggressive advertising and marketing. At the end of the story, the protagonist is driven mad by a robot who can forcefully market himself, and refuses to take no for an answer. The subject was of concern to Dick, and features in his early works such as ''The Man Who Japed''. Ending In 1978, Dick said of the story: For a 1989–1990 radio series, Sci Fi Radio produced an audio play version of this story which is now available for free download. The story was adapted by Tony Grisoni Tony Grisoni (born 28 October 1952) is a British screenwriter. He lives in London. His first feature film, ''Queen of Hearts'', directed by Jon Amiel, won the Grand Prix at the 1990 Festival du Film de Paris. Life and career He has co-written se ... for the episode "Crazy Diamond" of the 2017 T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Crawlers (short Story)
"The Crawlers" is a science fiction short story by American writer Philip K. Dick. Submitted under the title "Foundling Home", it was first published as "The Crawlers" in ''Imagination ''magazine, July 1954. A film adaptation was announced for production by Edward R. Pressman Edward Rambach Pressman (April 11, 1943 – January 17, 2023) was an American film producer and founder of the production company Edward R. Pressman Film Corporation. Pressman was born to a Jewish family in New York City, the son of Lynn and J ... starting in 2014. Plot summary The story starts out from the point of view of a crawler constructing one of its curious hives. The crawler seems sentient and to genuinely enjoy building its odd dwelling. The story is set in a small Midwestern town, with references later in the story to mysterious "pools" which seem to cause mutations. Certain families in the area have begun to give birth to abnormal children – "crawlers" – with long, soft, pale, elongate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Exhibit Piece
"Exhibit Piece" is a 1954 science fiction short story by American writer Philip K. Dick. The story is an early exploration of the concept of shifting realities, a common theme in Dick's subsequent works. The protagonist is a future historian of the 20th century who finds himself shifting in time from the future to that time period. At first, it is unclear whether he is merely a man from the past imagining a future life, or vice versa. The ending of the story remains ambiguous, as it is revealed that with the use of a "time gate", the man may have actually traveled through time. After a confrontation with his boss from the future through the time gate, they advise him that he needs to be euthanized and that they will deconstruct the exhibit, as they believe he has gone mad. The man, confident that they cannot travel via the time gate to get him and that destruction of the exhibit will simply close the time gate, returns to his home in the 20th century, only to read in the newspaper ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
