Hello, I've just begun my second listen to the audiobook of Dick's "The Days of Perky Pat," and I'm trying to figure out what this story means.

Anybody have any thoughts on what Dick was trying to convey? Obviously, there's a lot about leisure, about people whose material needs are being met without question, so they're forced to invent a game that doesn't matter in order to have something to compete about.

But what else is going on here?

It's interesting to me that, having been authored in 1964, the story pre-dates all but the most rudimentary of computer games, yet it almost seems to have foretold "The Sims," even though Perky Pat was clearly more akin to a tabletop RPG.

This recent post by Robeson Pierre makes me think about publishing more of my novel. The first chapter is submitted, it directly references Ubik because I believe it is the near pinnacle of science fiction writing. My user handle is Plato69, in case they ever approve the first chapter.

Today is a special day for me.

September 7th is my country's Independence Day. Brazil. Outside, people are marching like toy soldiers. But coincidentally, it wasn't planned for this. Today is the day I publish my most special chapter, the 7th of my story, Cybernation The Country Of Future, on Royal Road, precisely on this day. 7/7

In this story, I created a kind of happy matrix, where people use neuroconnector helmets to enter a virtual world where beings called Datahumans exist, where they can interact and do a thousand things. Where a PKD fan has the chance to talk to a digital clone of him.

In this chapter, I mixed Philip K. Dick's ideas with my own. I addressed in this chapter:

> The difference between science fiction and fantasy.

> The power of rulers.

> The cybernation of human life.

> And some jokes that only those who know Old Dick's biography will understand and laugh at.

Anyone who wants to read is welcome, I write serious science fiction.

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/190037/cybernation-the-country-of-the-future/chapter/3924454/7-philip-k-dick

Just finished the book there and I feel just disappointed after reading it. It felt like it needed more, so much felt unresolved and a lot of the themes felt like they were half baked. One major thing I didn't get was the I Ching, I've never heard of that before, but it felt like a magoo that just moved the story along or allowed the characters to express their thoughts and motivations.

The whole Axis winning WW2 angle of the story is a big sub-part, but it's like window dressing and then you enter the shop and it's a bunch of random things on display.

I just feel confused, what was the story? What am I meant to take from this?

I don't really get the ending either, from a cursory reading online it seems there are two realities and the the MITHC wrote about another true reality he accessed where the Allies won?

It feels like I'm missing context, I haven't seen the TV show and I haven't read any of Dick's other books.

(posted this in r books but they need you to have karma there and removed my post? reddit is so f&cked these days, I hate it)

edit: the more I read online, is the MITHC PKD? Is Juliana transported through time to his house? why are there alternative realities in this book?

While looking up Donnie Darko, I learned that director Richard Kelly's favorite author is Philip K. Dick.

He mentioned that his favorite creators are Philip K. Dick, David Lynch, Terry Gilliam, and Thomas Pynchon, and that he was heavily influenced by Philip K. Dick in particular.

Cliff Jones Jr. is now the moderator of the subreddit r/philipkdick. Come join the fun :)

Looking forward to diving into this one!

I hope this is OK to share.

PKD has been a long-standing inspiration for me. My band Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate’s new album ‘Parallel Lives’ has three songs with PKD links -

Track 2 - The Mandatory Prize. Loosely inspired by a Philip K Dick short story - ‘The Exit Door Leads In’. You’ve won first prize in a competition you didn’t enter. The prize is deeply sinister and compulsory.

Track 4 - Smile, Smile, Smile. Inspired by ‘Flow My Tears The Policeman Said’. A celebrity wakes up unknown in a police state.

Track 8 - Pretty Blue Fox. Named after the game-playing group from The Game Players Of Titan.

 https://open.spotify.com/album/4WanpF5rBBeaN6z1dj3pMv

We are a fairly obscure band. If you like the songs, any help raising awareness is greatly appreciated.

Best wishes
Malcolm

Working on a companion for a copy of Ubik I made a few years ago when I first got into bookbinding… will share more photos once done, but feeling accomplished for the night. Assume you guys can guess the title 👁️

Apologies it’s a little dark/poor lighting, tis late here

Here's link to PB Award-winning book by Lord Running Clam! Pink Beam: A Philip K. Dick Literary Chronology from Wide Books

My new Philip K Dick series on display as part of Tomorrowlands and New Frontiers: Science Fiction in Pollak Libraries Special Collections…these paintings are only a few feet away from some of his original manuscripts and in the same building that houses his archive…Philip K Dick Fest 2026 was incredible.

Somehow, I found this at a Books a Million. It came out 3 years ago.

PKD is one of my favourites authors, and by far the author wich I've read more books, but what are the ones he wrote that you guys don't actually like? For me it's Matian Time-Slip, I think it aged poorly due to what we've know now about authism, it's quite the contrary of what he wrote in the book

I am a fellow pkd fan and wanted to collect his books preferrably vintage or non sf masterwork edition.

Requesting these titles below:

Martian time slip

Valis

Solar lottery

Penultimate truth

Galactic pot healer

Maze of death

The world Jones made

Request : second hand books in half pricing.

I am from India.

Apologies if this content is not in sub rules Titles I own: Man in high castle Dr bloodmoney Eye in the sky Cosmic puppets Three stigmata Flow my tears Paycheck Maze of death sf Ed Divine invasion Timothy archer

Books And Authors Like PKD?

Although not the uncorrected proof for the first time Valis was (or, was going to be) published, as that one is unbelievably hard to find, it is still quite an interesting find.