Reading Sci-Fi's Most Criminally Forgotten Masterpiece + 4 Other Books [100 Book Challenge #25-30]

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00:00 The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
04:16 Star of the Unborn by Franz Werfel
13:37 Dreamsnake by Vonda McIntyre
15:39 Will-O-The-Wisp by Thomas Burnett Swann
17:43 Burning Chrome by William Gibson
20:30 Next Random Book Pick

[@snoadog]

Maybe I'm pointing out something painfully obvious to all but the most casual of observers but the ease at which you narrate makes these videos a delight to listen to. I wish more youtubers had this skill. Well done!

[@myoldchannel0690]

As a person who records himself speaking, YES! This guy is a natural. And his love and knowledge of classic sci-fi really makes the videos worth watching.

[@RenegadesRift]

I love how your videos just go straight into the meat of it, without any fluff at the start.

[@vampolascott36]

I got about 10 PKD novels in a cardboard box when I was 16. I became obsessed with him and read most of his stuff by the time I graduated high school. He was still alive then.

[@DamnableReverend]

Star of the Unborn sounds awesome. That feeling of discovering an unknown treasure, and being able to share it, is incredible. Will definitely be looking for taht one.

[@rangerartemis9579]

Congratulations on being (about) a third of the way through your challenge! After realizing that last year I only read 29 books out of my physical backlog, you have inspired me to focus on reading books I already own. The library is such a tempestuous place but my shelves are sorely neglected

[@ButchArgus]

The struggle is all too real

[@ArnieStein]

Wow, I can't believe someone is finally calling attention to Star of the Unborn. I read it years ago, and re-read it years later. It is indeed a masterpiece, and nobody knows about it. Yes, at times, I found it difficult to get through, but once the story kicks in, hold on for a great ride. It is very hard to find, I'm assuming out of print (shame). Thank you so much.

[@therealjojo6139]

Unlike many other BookTubers, you have very specific criticisms which makes me respect your reviews even if we don't always have the same opinion. I have picked up a few classic Sci-fis because you've raved about them and I'm so glad I did! I'm halfway through Hyperion and its quickly becoming a favourite. Science Fiction is a genre that I thought I always hated but turns out I just can't stand Star Wars lol. Keep up the great work!

[@maitlandbowen5969]

I’ve been a lifetime devotee to science fiction and, although my interests in this genre continue to change, my main stronger and traditional interests have always been in what is now called ‘hard science fiction’. Myself, I would also add the description of ‘ideas’ or ‘logically-based novel ideas’ to further define my interests. So, like you, Star Wars and the like stand completely apart. I’ve intensively disliked Star Wars. To me these kind of stories are not science fiction at all. Rather, they are merely ‘battles in space’ - a transposition and representation of the mundanity and unevolved problems of humanity that we still refuse to address adequately, despite the adequacy of our existing understandings and capabilities of living the human condition. In other words, Star Wars is both offensive and so boring to me!

[@8020Alive]

He's also not placing blinders or limitations on his own perceptions within the sci-fi book 📚 tube community. It's well known that Moid isn't big on cyberpunk or Gibson for example - but that isn't clouding his own personal dive into that genre. Cheers 🥂

[@MicahMicahel]

Star Wars falls under the 'space opera' genre. It's basically a western in space. Watch Outland from 1977. It's High Noon in space with Sean Connery instead of Gary Cooper. Dick's novels can't be changed into westernns.

[@planetdisco4821]

Hyperion is glorious…

[@nnvsnu]

For 1940s intellectually meaty literary science fiction to sit on the shelf beside Werfel's Star of the Unborn, Hermann Hesse's Magister Ludi / Glass Bead Game / Das Glasperlenspiel won Hesse the Nobel Prize in Literature for 1946. First published (in German, in Switzerland) in 1943. I see Magister Ludi was awarded a retroacrive Hugo for best SF novel of 1944. Thanks for keeping us creaky old SF fans on our toes! It's such a treat watching you recount your adventures discovering all this gold for the first time, just brilliant.

[@BomageMinimart]

Another excellent video; thanks! My PKD recommendations for people new to him are always TMITHC, Ubik, A Scanner Darkly and Radio Free Albemuth. All are well-written and don't have that pulp-y pounded-out-in-a-frenzy feel that so many of his works have. ETA: I'm a big Silverberg fan too; my personal fav is The Book of Skulls.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Agree. 'The Book of Skulls' is my preferred Silverbob out of a number of masterpieces.

[@LickorishAllsorts]

John Brunner's 1968 dystopian SF novel "Stand On Zanzibar" is well worth the read.

[@theoldman2821]

I believe he's read it. Or I could be wrong.

[@shadowrun4375]

It was a bit dry but very unique to me I muscled through the dryness to be pleased

[@Veganrevwithzombies]

I consider it the best SF novel ever.

[@4CardsMan]

I read it in 1969 and recommend it highly.

[@elliotwalton6159]

I have found in my reading of PKD over the years that both personal maturity and familiarity with Dick's and Bishop's Pike's lives made an instrumental difference in my appreciation of the Valis trilogy. PKD is one of those authors who rewards in proportion to what the reader brings. The more familiarity you have with Gnosticism and early church history, or the facts surrounding the strange life of Bishop Pike (let alone PKD), the more the novels open up. At least that was the way it was for me. Both VALIS and Transmigration have two of the best closing sentences of any novels I've read, and Valis' "I kept my commission" shook me close to tears when it finally clicked. I have read both novels several times and have not read better. Equal, perhaps, but not better.

[@waltera13]

I agree. People hear about what important, or "great works" the Valis trilogy make up, but it really needs to be built up to. It's a mistake to jump at it as if his 50 other books have nothing to offer. I really feel his more bizarre, more paranoid books gain from having read his less groundbreaking but really brilliant,well structured middle-works, as well as a survey of his short stories (hit or miss) where his themes are boiled down to their essence.

[@nickwest9039]

Agree. I loved valis. However I’m into the exegesis and mysticism anyway .

[@paulperkins1615]

Yeah, the final VALIS, Divine Invasion, Transmigration trilogy are concerned with religious belief as a phenomenon, and someone jumping in unprepared is likely to misunderstand them and think Dick had turned into a True Believer in mystical clap-trap.

[@fmellish71]

@@nickwest9039 Yeah, I was going to say. Valis is one for people who are into esoteric studies. It was my first read and I was already into that stuff, so it became a favorite very quickly.

[@donaldb1]

For all it is far from perfect, I think _Valis_ is one of the most astonishing books I have read. But you do have to be already familiar with and sympathetic to Dick's themes and concerns, to get a lot out of it. What impresses me the most is the extent to which Dick manages a distanced, critical reflection on himself. I also like the dry humour and the plain humanity of the narrator when facing the madness.

[@salty-walt]

Hear Hear.

[@bunkie2100]

This is the truth. I had already read about half of PKD’s novels by the time I first tried to read VALIS. I got halfway through it. By the time I got back to it, I had read almost all of the other novels and really loved it.

[@CMDR_Verm]

I could not have put it better. Valis assumes some knowledge of Dick and his life story. It is a book I always find very moving and I re-read it frequently.

[@bunkie2100]

What I so dearly love about PKD’s books is the way that he lets us in to his experiences, both real and imagined. Few writers have, so effectively, communicated the human condition. When I read Martian Time Slip, the journey into the mind of of someone suffering from schizophrenia had a profound effect upon me, eliciting an empathic response that is still with me almost 40 years later. With VALIS, he *validates* his experience so effectively that one has no choice but to question the natural skepticism of the seemingly obvious delusions and accept them as an alternate reality that may, or may not, reveal some important truths. It’s powerful stuff and, he remains, one of my favorite writers.

[@MicahMicahel]

If I remember Valis properly, the backstory you need to relate to is the New Testament. After a certain period, Dick's work became a sort of mystical Christian writing. I remember being disappointed in The Man in the High Castle but loving most other novels he wrote. The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch is one I want to reread. It seems quite relevant to today's virtual reality ambitions. I think Ubik is the Dick Novel that should maybe be read first because it's really fun and has many of his themes.

[@misanthropos6211]

You and The Library Ladder are easily the two most interesting Book Tube channels out there. Always look forward to the next video.

[@patr5902]

PKD tends to be hit or miss to all but the most ardent of fans. Based on this and other reviews of yours Martian Time-Slip seems like one you’d enjoy.

[@eyeroll-encore]

Had the same thought about Martian Time-Slip.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

I agree with Robert and Trik, 'Martian Time-Slip' is one of Dick's least read and yet most important novels.

[@jonasvanmaldeghem688]

Martian Time-Slip is the book of PKD I enjoy the most. And I've read all his science fiction, multiple books more than once. I've read Martian Time-Slip the most of all

[@razumijinatreides4691]

I'm a big fan of Dick, but I have to recognize that he's very hit or miss. VALIS to me it's a great novel, but it's not a novel to begin with PKD: "Ubik" or "Martian Time Slip" are a lot more accessible to new readers. I would add "Eye in the sky" (one of his first novels) or "Time out of joint" to the list. "Three stigmata..." it's one of his best novels, but it's a bit crazy to recommend as a first read.

[@mduffy6637]

This has become one of my favorite KZbin channels. Past Masters is one of my favorites. Had to pick up Star of the Unborn after your comparison. Thanks for bringing obscure titles to light. I think I have pick up a half dozen books since discovering your channel.

[@jerrytracey6602]

The Robert Silverberg book at the end is in the form of what is known as a "Trade Paperback". This is basically a hardback print put into paperback covers, and originated as a way of circulating a new book to reviewers in a cheap format, back in the day when the paperback edition would only come out when the hardback sales had run out of steam. They originally had very plain covers with simply the author and title and no artwork. In the late 1970s and early '80s publishers started to see a demand for this format which offered the full hardback page size but in a paperback "perfect" binding, at a price point higher than a paperback but lower than a hardback.

[@keithdixon6595]

I seem to remember finding trade paperbacks in airport or travel bookshops, too, at prices closer to hardbacks than paperbacks and ahead of the paperback publication. I bought John Fowles' The French Lieutenant's Woman in this format way back in 1969/70.

[@groovinhooves]

With paperbacks, it's all about how the pages are held together. Stitching? That is perfect binding. A mesh glued to the spine? Thermal binding. They both have their pros and cons. A perfect bound book, because it's pages are sewn in groups will probably not fall apart very soon, but the cover may detach with time (the glue becomes too brittle - climate dependent). Thermal bindings (most small format paperbacks and some in the trade size), if broken open too widely, eventually the mesh having been repeatedly creased, will part along the divide between two pages somewhere around the middle of the sheaf.

[@groovinhooves]

Really cheapo thermal bound paperbacks (most of them) dispense with the mesh entirely which is why they are cheap (to produce) and soon fit for burning if you handle them roughly, leave them in direct sunlight, alternate hot and cold, moisture.

[@wtk6069]

The TPB format was (and still is, in some circles) popular for large print editions because the Mass-Market Paperback format is simply too small for the larger text.

[@DaBIONICLEFan]

I'm glad you ended up liking The Man in the High Castle. I gave it a proper read again recently and found its ideas quite thought-provoking. I think a lot of people expect an alt-history thriller or tons of action if they've come from the TV show first and are therefore disappointed. The book does something far different than that and more interesting in my opinion.

[@MartiniBlankontherest]

Your video structure and quick-and-to-the-point reviews are such a gem. No excess, so calming🙏

[@waltera13]

Dick Recommendation: Martian Time Slip - is cohesive, accessible, and has some complex ideas in a mundane enough frame to let you grasp them. Highly Recommend. Have I ever steered you wrong?

[@brockgrace7470]

I've been a scifi fan and avid reader, all my life.There is so much I have missed.Thank you for turning me onto the good stuff.

[@christophergreenDP]

Excellent picks and analysis as always! Wow, Dreamsnake takes me right back to the ninth grade (in a good way ;-), thanks for that! Man in the high castle and the Valis Trio are excellent examples of PKDs early and late styles (forgive the over simplification but I only have a few minutes to explain). The Valis trio is exegetical and introverted while MITHCastle is an exemplar of many of his best and delightful narrative, and tropes, going back to the beginning-psychotropic drug induced dimension shifting to name a fave of mine (see Our Friends from Frolix 8 for a delicious LSD crowd control scene). Other gems in this category might be Ubik, Now Wait for Last Year, Flow my Tears the Policeman Said, Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldrich, Maze of Death, and I could go on…while A Scanner Darkly would fall in the latter (protagonist is PKD but not named, whereas in Valis the protagonist is named PKD…but I digress). Btw, Radio Free Albemuth is an interesting working draft of the Valis Trio and shows PKD working out his transition to his later style which he later expands into Valis, The Transmigration of Timothy Archer, and The Divine Invasion. Also worth noting is Albemuth‘s protagonist has not yet been named PKD. I’m so excited whenever somebody discovers PKD, and I am happy for you (and your subscribers)! Cheers! CG (-a fellow Gibson Head; and speaking of The Trinity, Neuromancer, Count Zero, Burning Chrome)!

[@bodan1196]

The Gap Cycle, by Stephen R. Donaldson, which consists of five books, is a work that I really enjoyed reading in my late twenties*. *) The books do have some scenes of abuse that... while part of the story and context, would otherwise be troubling.

[@doublestarships646]

Neuromamcer is the definitive Science Fiction experience. It's to the point that every new piece of media in the cyberpunk genre always uses the same paint that was used to create Gibson's work. You can even release it today and it will seem like an amazing new book for the genre. A lot of writers will have muddy moments in their books like with Philip K. Dick's random tangents he'll go on because of his drug use but Gibson writes in such a crystal clear way that mimics freshly clean glass windows lol.

[@DeAnnaG_KissingFrogsMedia]

I ❤ Gibson. I first read Neuromancer when I was 11 or 12. At that point a lot of it went over my head. I’ve read it again a few times over the years and its like a deeper conversation with an old friend each time. It’s also been very interesting to see a few parallels in tech that have played out over the years. I also like Gibson’s writing style and agree with @DoubleStarships, there is a certain clarity to his writing and it has had a profound influence on the genre. Honestly, I’m slightly surprised that “The Sprawl” stories haven’t been overtly turned (bastardized) into a movie or series by now.

[@ericepperson8409]

Gibson is one of my favorite writers and Nueromancer changed my idea of what Sci Fi could be as a young man. That said, I think he really gained his voice and perfected his craft in stories that came after this book. The Virtual Light series is compelling and The whole series starting with Pattern Recognition is criminally underrated.

[@douglasreynolds7903]

I am always impressed by the clarity of expression and satisfactory summary of the books reviewed. I often have to have Google up on another tab just to be sure I understood the meaning of an obscure word so casually and fittingly dispersed among the comments. I look to this channel as an authoritative voice and unbiased view on science fiction.

[@alexp3462]

"Crazy guy at a bus-stop" still isn't far wrong with PKD lol. I'd echo the Martian Time-Slip rec from others, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch is another personal fave. Star of the Unborn is one I've not heard of but will keep an eye out for.

[@rickkearn7100]

Thank you for the Werfel presentation. I am certainly going to read Star of the Unborn based solely on your description of his writing. I learn about someone new to my experience every time I watch your posts. As always, great content, production and presentation. Last Castle was my first Philip K. Dick, soon followed by UBIK. Great stuff. Cheers.

[@jasonbucher9883]

Really glad I discovered your content. The straightforward approach to your videos is very appreciated.

[@DaliLllama]

"Attempted to read Valis" so interesting different people's responses to various novels. I read Valis in a single sitting. Love PK Dick. Love your content, be blessed and keep reading!

[@krelly90277]

I thought he said "Phallus" not Valis. Seemed ironic that Dick would write Phallus; too bad it was Valis.

[@chaoticsequence]

I loved Valis but by the time I read it I'd read "Scanner Darkly," "Do Androids Dream...", "Man in the High Castle" and a bunch of other Dick. I would never recommend it as a first Dick novel for someone - you have to already be on his wavelength I think. But if you're there it's amazing.

[@RussellFlowers]

Dick's short stories, especially the ones they've adapted into movies, are generally more grounded and accessible. High concept paired with action.

[@MicahMicahel]

his short stories were maybe the most fun too.

[@dmbfreak123]

Your channel is a breath of fresh air. Actual intellectual reviews and insight. Not, “this book was good, it was fun and stuff”. You have inspired me to search for a copy of Star of the Unborn. Thank you.

[@dmbfreak123]

Just an update. I found a copy of Star of the Unborn! Can’t wait to read it.

[@Kjt853]

I read “Star of the Unborn” in the mid-70s, when the edition you show at the beginning of your review was released (by Bantam, I think). I found it staggering and have read it at least twice since then. Werfel also wrote “The Song of Bernadette,” which was made into a well-known film in the ‘40s.

[@MrDickerson4321]

So glad to see another fan of Gibson's "Hinterlands." I have reread that particular short story numerous times and keep thinking that there needs to be a novel!

[@planetdisco4821]

My favourite short stories from Burning Chrome were “The belonging kind” (its been a Really long time since I read it btw) about a guy with no fashion sense that turns out to be a sort of larval alien and that one about the guy that photographs art deco buildings and gets transported into a sort of Flash Gordon alternative reality. Loved them! Neuromancer is one of the all time greats. I remember the first time I read it there’s this one scene where Case gets a phone call in Turkey and you finally work out what’s really going on and it’s like a bomb going off in your mind.

[@matthewtaranto8340]

fragments of a hologram rose, gibsons first i think, is in burning chrome. it is my favorite short story ever, it packs so many ideas and so much backstory into such a tiny word count, and manages to be hugely wonderful prose at the same time, it blows me away every time i re-read it

[@Verlopil]

I think Dreamsnake's popularity had a lot to do with the time that it came out, and the fact that it was based upon an excellent award-winning novella. I remember there being little in the way of sff books centered around a woman with agency, especially that talked about women's issues the way that one did. It was considered a feminist novel and remarkable for the time. I read it when it came out and all I remember is the impact it had, and very little of the book itself.

[@paulallison6418]

Hello Mr book pilled, loved the subtitle here, it's really interesting to me when lovers of Science Fiction discover forgotten or less well known classic works. I started reading Science Fiction at age 8 over 50 years ago, I cut my teeth on the novels of Hugh Walters with great titles such as "Spaceship to Saturn" and "Mission to Mercury". Then I discovered Clarke via the juvenile Islands in the Sky and the rest is history .... I still read the classics recently reading Silverbergs' superb "Man in the Maze" and only read a smattering of contemporary SF.

[@kevy1967]

Thank you! One of your videos popped up in my recommendations. I haven’t read any SF since I was a teenager (a long time ago) but after your video I started reading it again and it’s been great. So, thank you for reintroducing me to the genre.

[@skengels]

Try Alfred Bester's "The Stars my Destination." I think it's got truly the most beautifully written first chapter I've ever read. "The Demolished Man" is very cool too!

[@JackMyersPhotography]

I was surprised to see that “Cakesnake” wasn’t a better novel. I’m definitely going to find “…Unborn” based on that glowing review. No surprise, I love lusty bawdy stories, so it looks like I’m going to be book-poor again! Thanks!

[@67_GT_Kai]

First off...Love your channel. What an old little duck of viewing pleasure. KZbin truly has something for everyone. Dick was one of my favorite authors in High School. Started with Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep 'cause Blade Runner had just come out. Even though different, I was really taken by his style. Then I tried VALIS. Ugh. TOO MUCH STYLE! Gave up, read The Divine Invasion and Man in the High Castle. Faith restored. Then UBIK, Confessions of a Crap Artist, Time out of Joint, etc with a lot of short stories (most are familiar with the movie versions of these) and just realized he was a heavily drugged, depressed, paranoid and spiritual guy that actually had FANTASTIC ideas. I get you on the I-Ching. I tend to not like too much spirituality / mysticism in my SCI-FI. I threw Stranger from a Strange Land across the room when I finished it. I have since accepted it and it has expanded my boundries in my SCIFI menu. (Still think Hyperion by Simmons is bleh...)

[@AStrang3r]

I keep saying it, but, I love your reviews. Most of the time they'll inspire me to put a book or two on my TBR if it isn't there already. Even if I'm not interested in the books though, your reviews are great to listen to - keep up the awesome work - and hopefully the random picks turn up more gold. 🙂

[@jeeed6390]

For Man In The High Castle, I enthusiastically agree with your synopsis. I especially remember the Japanese businessman’s appreciation of older American music lost on the American. Now I have to re-read it.

[@michaelsamerdyke108]

I've read "40 Days of Musa Dagh." Had no idea that Werfel had written anything in the fantasy/SF realm.

[@krjames203]

Terrific overview of Star of the Unborn. On the basis of your discussion of the book, I found a copy online and ordered it.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

One of your best videos, Matt! I'd read everything published by Dick by the late eighties and everything that has emerged since then, including letters etc- apart from one volume of selected letters I never got around to. I think he's essential on every level, despite flaws and even the bad books are worth reading. Although I've been saying for decades that other American SF writers that came in his wake (Silverberg, Disch, Delany) are underrated compared to him, his body of work as a whole is incredibly important. No reader can begin to judge him properly until they have at least six to eight of the major works under their belt - I'd cite (chronologically, more or less) 'Time Out of Joint', 'High Castle', 'Martian Time-Slip', 'Ubik', 'Three Stigmata' and 'Do Androids Dream...' as focal points in his 60s work (sans 'Time', which is earlier) ...but we could go on and on! Gibson made such an impact back in the 80s - I've read all of his books as they were published and re-read the early ones many times. He shook things up in American SF at exactly the time they needed shaking up. I'd urge multiple re-readings of the original trilogy and related stories- but for a full understanding of Cyberpunk early Sterling and Shirley complete the picture and K.W. Jeter's 'Dr Adder' shows what could have been ten years earlier had any publisher the nerve to publish it. I'd say to any reader under fifty 'forget what's happened in the last 30 years in SF, as although there is good stuff, the real period of innovation was 1950-1990,'. A lot of the key authors of that time can't be fully appreciated without reading of whole swathes of their oeuvres. It's very hard now that there is almost 100 years of genre SF that one's reading can get very scattershot. Well done for pulling a real obscurity out of the hat there too - notice the Dante thing in it? My feeling is that NYRB Classics will reissue the Werfel at some point in the not too distant future.

[@Bookpilled]

I did notice the Dante motif, yes. I recall you saying you hadn't read Star of the Unborn - have you read it since? I hope NYRB does republish it, seems like a good fit. Dick is on a short (medium?) list of Important Authors with whom I have a lot of catchup work to do. I own the majority of the titles you list and may set aside a chunk of time to read them uninterrupted. I read DADOES when I was a teenager, which means I realistically haven't read it. Have been looking for Dr. Adder but it is a rare one, as you know.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

@@Bookpilled No, I've not been able to read 'Star' but read up on it a while ago- and his Armenian genocide novel is in print in the UK. It's interesting looking back on how as a teenager I circled around a handful of writers working through their oeuvres before exploding into others in my early twenties- it is much harder now, I think, with so much out there! Hope you manage to get the Jeter- try and pick up 'City Come A' Walkin'' by Shirley and 'Involution Ocean' by Sterling for the nascent Punk attitude that they lined up for Cyberpunk before it really got going. I noticed the other day that someone bought Moid the Shirley the other day - that man needs to come bookshopping with me, one day...

[@Bookpilled]

@@outlawbookselleroriginal I have only managed to find one Jeter book - Seeklight, which I have yet to read. I've been on the look for Involution Ocean since you mentioned it in a video but no luck so far. Wasn't familiar with City Come A' Walkin, will add it to the list.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

@@Bookpilled 'Seeklight' is one of the very early ones. Put it aside for now. Pick up 'Wolf Flow' and 'Madlands' if you come across them, they're more representative. But any Jeter is worth owning, sans the 'Bladerunner' sequels - but even they have their charm. He really is quite special.

[@Thrivinginthespotlight]

Whew! I like how you went straight into showing us what book you were referring to in the title. Valis is pkd's most harrowing and difficult work. In fact, he meant valis to be read after all his other works. Cheers, excited to watch this one

[@nikto-ky4kx]

I am pumped for the Rendezvous With Rama movie coming out. Read the book as a kid 40 years ago. The Practice Effect by David Brin is also very very good.

[@chucklitka2503]

For 1940's fantasy-ish novels, maybe try Islandia by Austin Tappan Wright, if you come across it.

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Agreed. I included that one in my book '100 Must Read Fantasy Novels' to try and raise it's low profile.

[@SuperCarioca2005]

Absolutely! Islandia’s world building is up there with Lord of the Rings minus the magic and magical creatures. Such a vivid pastoral dream-scape that offers an attractive fictional alternative to industrial modernity.

[@chucklitka2503]

@@SuperCarioca2005 Yes, after reading Islandia you feel like you've been someplace real. I still have fond memories of reading it decades ago.

[@brainsqueegee2]

Hinterlands is my favorite work of Gibson and in my top 10 short stories. Glad to hear it get some praise!

[@user-zs1gg8wj2u]

Solid synchronicity..I picked up Burning Chrome for £1 at a charity shop yesterday, then return home to find you made a video on it..well played, universe. Great channel mate.

[@mike-williams]

Your description of the Werfel immediately brought to mind some of Olaf Stapledon's Star Maker, First and Last Men etc which were written in the 1930s. Also LOTR was written from the late 1930s through 40s, but didn't get published until the mid 50s. It was always supposed to be one big book, but the publishers split it up to handle binding issues.

[@UteChewb]

I regard Stapledon's Star Maker as the greatest work of science fiction. It's transcendent to the point that I think I shouldn't compare it to other stories. First and Last Men was a lot less impressive.

[@salty-walt]

I'm glad you finally got to Burning Chrome. I know I pushed it and Mirrorshades at you as definitive. I **AM** on that list of those who prefer it to Neuromancer, but no fight. Let's save that for a talk over beers someday.😉 One of my personal favorites is " Fragments of a Hologram Rose." It poetically captures that strung-out dependency on a broken relationship and the loss of dreams (a theme of this collection.) For those of us around at the time "Dogfight" and "The Gernsback Continuum" were the game changers. Those stories landed with a psychic - sympathetic impact: for a generation obsessed with video games and arcades, "Dogfight" was a dog whistle that there was a new science-fiction author who would be predicting the future, even if what he wrote in this story wasn't going to come true, he was definitely looking ahead and telling us the world that really could be , in a way that New Wave Writers weren't. And the Gernsback Continuum, although is simple vignette, it was like an extrapolation, a prose poem based upon Lawrence Ferlinghetti's "Pictures of the Gone World." And of course "Burning Chrome" does a better job of describing the world of the sprawl than Neuromancer did (IMHO). In fact, for that matter, I kind of think one of those stories set on space stations or asteroids did a great job of describing the world of "The Expanse."

[@thatolderitalianlady184]

hello. I read this a few years ago.... and remembered it being very good. It turns out all the scifi movies I have enjoyed the most are based on his stories. a few months ago I read his anthology...we can remember it for wholesale & other classics. great channel you have!

[@christine4223]

The first time I read Gibson, I couldn't get into him but you have inspired me to give him another try. Of course, I will also look for Star of the Unborn. Thanks for another thoughtful video.

[@KevinsDisobedience]

Been away for a minute, glad to come back and see Big Dick novels being slung around like Roman salutes. #PraiseDick 😊

[@keithdixon6595]

Just dropping in - having recently discovered your channel - to say how much I'm enjoying your appreciation of this classic SF. As for the Man in the High Castle, I know it won awards but for me it's inferior to The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch and Ubik, though of course Electric Sheep also gets some plaudits. I've tried to find the Werfel book online but can't - but I'm currently reading Blindsight as a result of one of your previous lists. I'm going to say again here what I said in my comment on that 'best 15 SF books' video - if you don't know him, try Thomas M. Disch, especially Camp Concentration and 334. He was masterful, a brilliant writer of prose and in Camp Concentration, a brilliant plotter. I can't praise him highly enough as a writer and an SF seer. Thanks for your work!

[@keithdixon6595]

I forgot to mention Vonnegut's The Sirens of Titan and Cat's Cradle, too ...

[@mateosimon4237]

In a way, Philip K. Dick is also a very underrated author, usually cornered in the sci fi genre, as sort of a dreamer, or a visionary, but he is much more than that. Specially now, his ouvre gathers solid prescience. In a way, he is to us now (lost creatures of the matrix) what Kafka was to the late 70's 80's and 90's

[@MisterNiles]

He's like Nick Drake. Becoming more relevant and appreciated with each year that passes since his death.

[@jeroenadmiraal8714]

Thanks for this review, dude. I've never heard of Star of the Unborn but the way you describe it and compare it to Past Master makes me very interested. I thought Past Master was an intriguing, cryptic work, and I liked hearing about this old book. I will keep an eye out but it is likely that I will never find it in the outside world, so I will have to think hard about buying it but I want to do some more research first, because a 600 page book from the 1940s is not something to pick up lightly.

[@onurcaksu3145]

Great video

[@durwoodmaccool890]

Thanks. I grabbed Burning Chrome from our local library. I remember reading Chrome back when it was published in Omni and at least a couple of the others. Good old 80s cyberpunk. Hinterland was good too, kind of Lovecraftian a bit. All these various civilizations poking at the unknown in the hopes of finding something useful and not caring so much what it cost. Or maybe an inside out Roadside Picnic. I'm getting a bunch of stuff on my reading list. Keep up the good work.

[@SiqueScarface]

The most influential Sci Fi book I've ever read was Solaris by Stanislaw Lem. Apparently, this book is virtually unknown in the English speaking world. PS: Don't mention the movie by Steven Soderbergh of the same name. Stanislaw Lem once commented: The topic of my novel was not the sexual problems of humans in Space.

[@shenanigans3710]

Yes, but have you seen the Tarkovsky original... wow

[@helvete_ingres4717]

@@shenanigans3710 well it's not the 'original' as it's an adaptation of the novel, 'original' would imply the newer movie is a remake of the old one when it's not, it is an adaptation of the same novel. Anyway, the comment from the author was referring to both film adaptations of the novel, he didn't see a difference between them and disliked them both for having focused on human relationships. Not everyone has this worship of Tarkovsky that online film circles will tell you to observe, Stanislaw Lem didn't and I don't (actual unpopular opinion: the one with George Clooney was better)

[@SiqueScarface]

@@shenanigans3710 Even Andrei Tarkovsky's movie is not original in the sense that it captures the ideas of the novel. It's just the first attempt at turning the novel in a movie, albeit a much better one than Steven Soderbergh's. Differently than the last one, it is a master piece by itself.

[@MFDOOOOM]

​​ Tarkovsky's version is a 100 times better

[@paulperkins1615]

I share the experience of first encountering Phillip Dick's writing when I was not ready for it and being unimpressed. Since then I've become almost a fanatic about him though. I'd recommend "Martian Time-Slip" for your next PKD read. It uses a vast number of classic SF elements, and also comments on a lot of the same themes as Man in the High Castle but from a different angle.

[@dustyoldhat]

Since you did live in LA you might enjoy A Scanner Darkly

[@ryanthornton1629]

I was in my favorite local bookshop today and just happened upon Star of the Unborn in that beautiful paperback print you have. What a lucky find! Btw: I finished blindsight last night and am now in the process of persuading some of my friends to read it so I have someone to talk to about it. Wow what a great book. I started re-reading almost immediately. Thanks so much for the great recommendation!

[@Bookpilled]

Congrats, crazy find

[@hootbaez6185]

I read "Man in the High Castle" in a college "philosophy in science fiction" course 30+ years ago. I recall it being very good, but maybe I should go back and look at it again.

[@toddwebb6216]

Wonderful to hear someone's interpretation of Philip K. Dicks novella, I've read every book I could find, from this author. He was a short story, absolute genius!

[@joebrooks4448]

Werfel sounds interesting. I looked up Star Of The Uborn online, Internet Archive has it. 664 pages will take some time. Currently rereading James H. Schmitz personal masterpiece, The Witches of Karres - 394 pages.

[@micdavey]

I liked and agree with your review of Gibson. I really need to get back to reading more of him, it's been years.

[@dpattn12]

Dream snake is on my TBR from B0B’s book channel, so I was happy to see it here, too. These books sound interesting and worth a read! Thank you

[@b3an581]

As a kid I got into sci-fi movies thanks to Total Recall - The original with Arnold. When I looked into the back story of the movie I discovered it was inspired by a short story by Philip K Dick - We can remember if for your wholesale. I started reading sci-fi by reading a few of PKD books, so he holds a special place in my mind. My faves were A Maze of Death, A Scanner Darkly and The Penultimate Truth. Been reading Sci-fi ever since. Love the new book ideas!

[@Yergs]

Hey, really enjoying your discoveries and commentary in this and other of your vids. Many thanks.

[@marocat4749]

probably most impressive of star of the unborn is that he never got to polish it, which might explain flaws and a lower pace. Ther is an audiobook on youtube too with a really good narator who wants to have a relaxing audiobook read, he really has a meditative style thats still fun.

[@Babysitteronacid]

Stern der Ungeborenen should be fairly easy to find here in Berlin in the original language. So I’ll give it a go in german. It sounds interesting. The Man in the High Castle I found underwhelming and though the premise was great and some of the characters were well drawn, I didn’t click with the ending. There was a set of books by Len Deighton (from the 70ies?) called SS GB - which had a similar premise but placed in England. I remember enjoying them back in the day.

[@troygaspard6732]

It is a brilliant novel, I love how the I Ching is used,and how creation and imagination are crucial.

[@stpnwlf9]

Your views of Dreamsnake match my experiences with other Vonda McIntire books. There is something in her prose style that is kind of pared down and simplistic, even with sophisticated concepts.

[@awldune]

I do not watch vlogs, ever. But your 15 Best video sucked me in. You are so thoughtful and eloquent in discussing the books. I wonder what your day job is and hope it involves writing and/or speaking! Your books are also usually a great mix of books I have read, books I've heard of, and books I have never heard of and sound fascinating (or humorously awful)

[@klingonsexy]

As a lifelong snake lover in a family of haters, I absolutely loved Dreamsnake! I felt Snake's anguish when the stupid, superstitious villagers reacted as they usually do, but the ending was excellent. Glad you included that book!

[@blueblood8658]

The Man in the High Castle was very interesting. Alternate history can be pretty weird in general... Recently I've read Guns of the South by Harry Turtledove and in the middle of my read I was like wtf am I reading here 😂 it was fun though

[@MrVvulf]

I gave the Amazon show a few episodes to see how it was...but it was just another interminably long melodrama. Hollywood is just so bad at adapting fiction. They always do the same thing they did with "House of Cards" - take a great story, stretch it out, and cram it full of irrelevant detritus. The Brits did "House of Cards" in less than a full season, and it was great. The American version was ten times longer and unrecognizable from the original book.

[@juanaq]

@@MrVvulf can't stand series. some of them start very well, but the format calls for ethernal and futile novelty. as bookpilled mention, in the man in the high castle there's non of the silly and lame resistance guerrilla tryng to be patriotic, and that's one of the powerful things that makes the book so unique. they literally killed the story in the show, as much as they did with Asimov's Foundation

[@salty-walt]

Hey, I thought *I* recommended Martian Time Slip. . .

[@annoyingmorlock]

Hey Matt, congratulations on reaching 25k subscribers. This is a great opportunity that could be celebrated with a review of Phillip Mann's "Master of Paxwax" that I've been so eagerly waiting for :D

[@angrymoosekf]

I love Philip K Dick. Hope you get time to try some of his other works. UBIK is one of my all time favorites!

[@dmjohnso]

You know the reviews are serious business when you put on a jacket. Always a pleasure to hear your insights.

[@viktoriaberg8706]

I couldn´t find an e-book version of Werfels book that wasn´t in German. I haven´t read German since highschool, which was 40 years ago. Well, I bought it! 😃 Thanks for inspiring me to rekindle my love for sf and even push myself towards German again! Love your channel.

[@AndDiracisHisProphet]

Viel Erfolg

[@michaelmacdonell4834]

Speaking as that crazy guy at the Bus Stop, I have had to revisit several writers or works. I started reading sci-fi when I was 10, and with folk like Dick, Niven, Vonnegut, and moved onto Asimov with an obsessiveness that slightly scared my family. I also read a bunch of history and Boy's Own Yarns. Books are amazing. I am really happy to see Burning Chrome in here. It's one that I go back to and find new stuff. I haven't heard of Werfel, so I'm off to hunt this down.

[@alexanderduncan3347]

Hi. I would recommend to you and your viewers Doris Lessing,s 'Canopus In Argos; Archives' (5 volumes). These are not easy reading and should be read slowly but they are the most memorable and rewarding SF books that I have read. On an easier (and cuter) level you could try 'Startide Rising' by David Brin - a star ship piloted by dolphins. Keep up the good reviews.

[@RCSVirginia]

When I think of Franz Werfel, I cannot help but think of Tom Lehrer's song about his wife Alma with the lines: "While married to Walt she'd met Werfel And he too was caught in her net He married her, but he was carefell 'Cause Alma was no Bernadette."

[@maitlandbowen5969]

My attention is piqued again by your spirited and descriptive references to William Gibson. I’ve attempted a few times, some years back now, Neuromancer. Never finished it (or read enough to inspire me to finish). So, time to try again, hopefully successfully this time around. I think indirectly though, via a look at some of the short stories of Burning Chrome, particularly the three you highlighted.

[@Painter19]

Another excellent review session. Looking forward to you reviewing some Charles Sheffield and Richard Phillips.

[@YourQueerGreatAuntie]

So glad you gave The Man In The High Castle a go! Can be hard to return to authors who just didn't click with you at first. I haven't read a whole lot of PKD, but I found The Maze of Death (also relatively short!) had the same sense of pay-off. If everyone on this channel gets Star of the Unborn trending, I might get it on audio some day! Sound like a real treasure.

[@dimitrispapadimitriou5622]

The Maze of Death has a totally unexpected ending. Not one of the best P.K. Dick novels, but it still has some great chilling moments.

[@beermarshal2070]

Glad to come across this channel! The YT algorithm sometimes works I guess. Anyway, Star of the Unborn - amazing to find someone talking about this. I haven't read it but I do have that mass-market paperback edition (Bantam?) that you show, and it's been on my list forever. I came across Werfel through reading about Mahler, because he was Mahler's widow Alma. And I've read a couple of reviews, and now seeing yours, really makes me excited. I also have Dreamsnake, and have read Man in the High Castle and loved it (20+ years ago, don't remember it too well).

[@beermarshal2070]

oops, should have said "married to Mahler's widow Alma".

[@brettrobson5739]

Valis is a hard start. Castle is a masterpiece. There are others, even the speed/meth books have their moments. Haven't heard of Star of the Unborn - going to look it up RIGHT NOW! Thank you. Dreamscape is another example of an almost perfect short work being turned into a "servicable" longer work. When will people learn?

[@Jason_Quinn]

Even Castle is a tough place to begin. I'm so glad I fell in love with him from his short stories.

[@thgeremilrivera-thorsen9556]

Mate, I just read this book that I think you might find interesting: The Egghead Republic by Arno Schmidt. It's weird, with strong notes of Vonnegut, Dick, Farmer, but also something really unique. I'd love to see your reaction to it!

[@mikecimerian6913]

Did you mention A. A. Attanasio's Radix in a previous review? I believe this book stands up there along The Book of the New Sun series for strangeness and timelessness. I read Dick's final trilogy, Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Valis and the Divine Invasion. These novels are troubling to say the least and extremely creative at speculative theology. I remember having leant Valis to the dean of our education research dean and he was furious at this book as his son suffered from schizophrenia and he took the book as an indecent play on mental disease. One way or another Dick's books do turn us up on our head.

[@jerrytracey6602]

I absolutely agree with you that you have to concentrate when reading anything by William Gibson. Given that most of his works are broadly mysteries of some kind it is very easy to get distracted by all the tech and design fanboy stuff, and the associated product placement, and miss vital clues under the narrative, forcing the reader to go back a page or even restart a chapter to work out what just happened...

[@moderskeppets]

Im adding to the rest. No bullshit only straight to the point. Your opinion helps. Finds so much new stuff in sweden that i wouldnt know about otherwise. Keep it up!

[@thekeywitness]

If you want to read more PKD, I recommend Ubik and Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch

[@jasonsantiago6308]

I was about 10 years old when I first heard of Shadowrun, which led me to Neuromancer, which led me to Burning Chrome, which became my Bible as a young lad obsessed with cyber everything

[@ericepperson8409]

My first edition copy of Burning Chrome is one of the most prized elements in my book shelf. The cover art is not compelling, but the stories reward rereading.

[@cucamongaphilips]

Seeing the title of this video made me immediately leap to Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper. I thought at first it was a list of criminally forgotten sci-fi/fantasy books. Having watched the video, I'm not certain you'd actually like it, as it's pretty light and fluffy. You seem to gravitate toward darker and more serious. But I'll still recommend it to go on your list of books to randomly pick from. Great video. Thanks.

[@obviouslyurnotagolfer148]

"The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch." Is his best book/story!

[@jameswight6259]

Just discovered your channel. Really good stuff! Definitely subscribing! Thanks!

[@silverbladeTE]

"Hiero's Journey" by Sterling E Lanier is a true classic of scifi I highly recommend, and some versions have amazing covers! It was a major inspiration for Dungeons & Dragon's (specifically the psionic telepathic combat) (usually UK covers of the 60s to 80s were much better than US ones)