Read Ubik a month or two ago, loved it! I would go so far as to say its the SF Novel I have enjoyed most of the 15 or so I have read this year. Started it directly after Do Androids. . . . and Ubik shaded it for me. Just fulsomely magnificent in its Dickian ideas and execution. Also, the Outlaw bookseller recommended I follow Ubik with Christopher Priests Indoctrinaire for its similarities and contrasts. It was a good steer! If you have a copy I would say go for it. Thanks as ever Michael, your reviews are gold standard! ❤✌
Thanks. Indoctrinaire is a good next step, or..I might prefer even more... The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula LeGuin...definitely a different type of novella, but re reading Ubik makes me want to re read Lathe
@@FIT2BREAD 'Lathe' is good, but feels contrived - it was her 'tribute' to PKD in a way, but she just couldn't embrace his curveball approach in the same way. I like it, though.
So I'm still Team Outlaw Bookseller on this as far as going with Indoctrinaire... tho I'll push back re. Lathe. What I prefer in Lathe is that the ambiguity is more subtle. Where in Ubik I'm a reader thinking "what the F is going on and who's dead and what is actually real," I'm sort of doing the same thing with Lathe, but in Lathe I'm also compelled to think deeper about what else could be affecting reality. What if ten other people are affecting reality with their dreams? It also feels more consequential. I'm considering if a dream that wipes out a billion people is some form of killing because those lives are snuffed away, or is it not in anyway killing because those lives never existed to begin with. I just feel the stakes are higher. I have now also started re-reading Lathe, and while I would have said I prefer Ubik, if you asked me last week, I still love both, but might tell you I favor Lathe.
Ubik is my fave Dick novel, at least of the eight or ten I've read. It has so much more momentum than some of his others. And the density of ideas is almost enough to overload the brain.
I respectfully disagree. I've never hated a book as much as Ubik. I find it awful, it is all over the place and it goes nowhere. The characters are unpleasant. The themes are somewhat interesting, but PKD mangled them. It is a short book, but, OMG, it was an ordeal to finish it. It is the dumbest, most stupid science fiction book I've ever read. Maybe I feel it this way because I read it after reading The Way Station by Simak.... The contrast was immeasurable. It was like leaving the Sistine Chapel to walk on a sidewalk covered with dog s...t. PKD is too overrated.
hadn't heard of it before but if it's fast-paced and edge of your of your seat suspense I might love it also looks like it packs a huge amount of ideas and storylines in a short space judging by covers must have gone thru ten or so editions but u chose my fav green day song though lyrics are unfamiliar⚛😀
Is there a Dick book without precognition as a plot device? I'm two Dicks in, as it very much were, and so far I'm not sold. I preferred Martian Timeslip to Three Stigmata but didn't feel like I was in the presence of SF greatness. Nice review, perhaps I'll tackle Ubik as my next Dick. 😉
I'll let the low hanging fruit slide on that one...don't want to dwell on Dick....seriously though. A Scanner Darkly and Do Androids Deam of Electric Sheep are options. There's others as well
@SciFiScavenger Yeah, he has some great short stories. I wish I could remember which video it was ...but I reviewed one of his short story compilations which has a lot of my thoughts. I think it was probably minority report and other stories. Is the name of the omnibus...
I've read a few of his novels and about two dozen short stories. I would say SF is more of a device than a goal. What I find great about Dick is his exploration of consciousness, reality, and spirituality. Themes that are common to SF, for sure! But I think that if he had been able to successfully explore these themes without the tropes of SF, he probably would have.
'Ubik' - a total classic, but when it came along it was already in a long tradition starting with 'Slan', Kuttner's 'Mutant' and The X-Men: then of course there's the film that resembles it closely- Cronenberg's 'Scanners'. Maybe one day Dick's own screenplay for 'Ubik' will finally emerge from development hell and be made...
Thanks for adding some class to this joint... :) I wish I was more well-read in Shakespeare as I wouldn't be surprised if we could find some roots even that far back...
I read it around 1970. Ubik definitely reminded me of some of Van Vogt's novels. "The World Of Null A" in particular and Gosseyn's (GoSane's) attempts to decipher his realities thru investigation, telepathy, psychokinetics, time binding and even God there, too. Review: I have read Ubik twice, The World Of Null A at least 20 times over 55 years. I just added 2 more hardbound copies of "Null A". Of course, I read them!
Fantastic and brain melting novel. I think this is one of his top notch stories with jaw dropping moments that I never have encountered yet in any of his other books, Any recommendations for similar stories ? And Thanks for this great and well specific review !
Really good book, great review, fantastic song. That guy has a great voice.
thanks Dale
Read Ubik a month or two ago, loved it! I would go so far as to say its the SF Novel I have enjoyed most of the 15 or so I have read this year. Started it directly after Do Androids. . . . and Ubik shaded it for me. Just fulsomely magnificent in its Dickian ideas and execution. Also, the Outlaw bookseller recommended I follow Ubik with Christopher Priests Indoctrinaire for its similarities and contrasts. It was a good steer! If you have a copy I would say go for it. Thanks as ever Michael, your reviews are gold standard! ❤✌
Thanks. Indoctrinaire is a good next step, or..I might prefer even more... The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula LeGuin...definitely a different type of novella, but re reading Ubik makes me want to re read Lathe
Thanks for the mention, glad you liked my vid.
@@FIT2BREAD 'Lathe' is good, but feels contrived - it was her 'tribute' to PKD in a way, but she just couldn't embrace his curveball approach in the same way. I like it, though.
So I'm still Team Outlaw Bookseller on this as far as going with Indoctrinaire... tho I'll push back re. Lathe. What I prefer in Lathe is that the ambiguity is more subtle. Where in Ubik I'm a reader thinking "what the F is going on and who's dead and what is actually real," I'm sort of doing the same thing with Lathe, but in Lathe I'm also compelled to think deeper about what else could be affecting reality. What if ten other people are affecting reality with their dreams? It also feels more consequential. I'm considering if a dream that wipes out a billion people is some form of killing because those lives are snuffed away, or is it not in anyway killing because those lives never existed to begin with. I just feel the stakes are higher. I have now also started re-reading Lathe, and while I would have said I prefer Ubik, if you asked me last week, I still love both, but might tell you I favor Lathe.
@@FIT2BREAD The TV movie of 'Lathe' is worth checking out. It has an interesting history...
Cool shirt an good review ❤
Ubik is my fave Dick novel, at least of the eight or ten I've read. It has so much more momentum than some of his others. And the density of ideas is almost enough to overload the brain.
I like the way you phrased it, more momentum"
This definitely sounds like a different book. I may try it at some point.
Go for it chas. Its a fast read and its fun
Literally just finished this book a few days ago
how was it for you?
@@FIT2BREAD this was my first PKD book and I really enjoyed it! Recommendation for my 2nd PKD read?
For you I'm feeling...The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (2nd choice would be Flow My Tears the Policeman Said)@@LenoxSpartanFitness
@@FIT2BREAD thank you! I’ll grab one of those after I wrap up Dust.
I respectfully disagree.
I've never hated a book as much as Ubik. I find it awful, it is all over the place and it goes nowhere. The characters are unpleasant. The themes are somewhat interesting, but PKD mangled them. It is a short book, but, OMG, it was an ordeal to finish it. It is the dumbest, most stupid science fiction book I've ever read.
Maybe I feel it this way because I read it after reading The Way Station by Simak.... The contrast was immeasurable. It was like leaving the Sistine Chapel to walk on a sidewalk covered with dog s...t.
PKD is too overrated.
I've seen a few Ubik reviews, none had made me want to read it so far. Yours does! And even got me pumped for it! So thank you for this video!
That's really kind of you to share that. Thanks. O hope it's a good read for you
This sounds like a fascinating read! “Spray me down if I’m going to last” 🤣
Haha J
hadn't heard of it before but if it's fast-paced and edge of your of your seat suspense I might love it also looks like it packs a huge amount of ideas and storylines in a short space judging by covers must have gone thru ten or so editions but u chose my fav green day song though lyrics are unfamiliar⚛😀
Frank this one's really fast paced and I think it will be up your alley. It's a thinker...but not a hard thinker
Green Day is 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
Is there a Dick book without precognition as a plot device? I'm two Dicks in, as it very much were, and so far I'm not sold. I preferred Martian Timeslip to Three Stigmata but didn't feel like I was in the presence of SF greatness. Nice review, perhaps I'll tackle Ubik as my next Dick. 😉
I'll let the low hanging fruit slide on that one...don't want to dwell on Dick....seriously though. A Scanner Darkly and Do Androids Deam of Electric Sheep are options. There's others as well
@@FIT2BREAD the irony is I have a shelf full of his books. I would like to read Androids, and some short stories too.
@SciFiScavenger Yeah, he has some great short stories. I wish I could remember which video it was ...but I reviewed one of his short story compilations which has a lot of my thoughts. I think it was probably minority report and other stories. Is the name of the omnibus...
@@FIT2BREAD btw, I'm still cogitating on the Pants on Fire tag. Will probably get something out next week, possibly not sticking 100% to the rubric.
I've read a few of his novels and about two dozen short stories. I would say SF is more of a device than a goal. What I find great about Dick is his exploration of consciousness, reality, and spirituality. Themes that are common to SF, for sure! But I think that if he had been able to successfully explore these themes without the tropes of SF, he probably would have.
'Ubik' - a total classic, but when it came along it was already in a long tradition starting with 'Slan', Kuttner's 'Mutant' and The X-Men: then of course there's the film that resembles it closely- Cronenberg's 'Scanners'. Maybe one day Dick's own screenplay for 'Ubik' will finally emerge from development hell and be made...
Thanks for adding some class to this joint... :) I wish I was more well-read in Shakespeare as I wouldn't be surprised if we could find some roots even that far back...
@@FIT2BREAD I am actually planning a video that connects Shaky to PKD.....
im definitely there for that!@@outlawbookselleroriginal
I read it around 1970. Ubik definitely reminded me of some of Van Vogt's novels. "The World Of Null A" in particular and Gosseyn's (GoSane's) attempts to decipher his realities thru investigation, telepathy, psychokinetics, time binding and even God there, too.
Review: I have read Ubik twice, The World Of Null A at least 20 times over 55 years. I just added 2 more hardbound copies of "Null A". Of course, I read them!
One of my favorite books of all time!
awesome. Its a great brain trip
Cool Slaughterhouse 5 shirt!
Thanks!
Great review for a great author!!
thanks Craig. This is at the top of my Dick list
Fantastic and brain melting novel. I think this is one of his top notch stories with jaw dropping moments that I never have encountered yet in any of his other books,
Any recommendations for similar stories ?
And Thanks for this great and well specific review !
Thanks. I like Lathe of Heaven by Ursula LeGuin for the confusion surrounding reality....
What are you reading today
Seveneves (p. 680) u?
Palimpsests by Carter Scholz and Glenn Harcourt it's about a archaeological dig and they discover a cube from another time
nice, I'm not familiar with it, though there are definitely a few time travel novels with similar vibes
@@Shelbyproductions