The Game Players of Titan

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I love this new series of covers.
The Game Players of Titan, by Philip K. Dick

It's turning out to be a very PKD and Bester-heavy month for me!  This time I read The Game-Players of Titan which, in classic PKD fashion, involves an awful future scenario, much questioning of reality, and lots and lots of drugs.

After a devastating world war and fight with slug-like aliens from Titan, there are not a lot of people left and fertility is nearly gone.  The alien vugs dictate a lot, and they make people play the game of Bluff to trade property and spouses.  Pete Garden has just lost his home base of Berkeley (and his wife, but no big deal) and he's determined to get it back, but this particular loss sets off a chain of events that lead to a murder, an unexpected trip to Titan, and a game of Bluff against the expert and telepathic vugs.

This was a great read.  Part scary SF scenario, part murder mystery--but then it goes way off the rails.  The second half is just nuts, but if I tell you about it, it will just spoil the story.  So I'm not quite sure how to tell you much at all, but it's a great example of PKD's writing and would be a reasonable
choice for a first try.



I have just one more SF title that I'm thinking of reading this month.  Dune.  Would you believe I've never read Dune?  I'm not sure I'll really get to it, or at least finish it before the end of January, but it does seem like it's about time I read it.

Comments

  1. ArenelJanuary 20, 2014 at 9:10 AM

    READ DUNE!!! It took me two days, so don't worry about not being able to finish it :) You will rather not be able to eat, sleep and do other stuff :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. JeanJanuary 20, 2014 at 2:00 PM

    Ha! Just what I need. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. CleoJanuary 20, 2014 at 2:58 PM

    I haven't read much Sci-Fi so I really appreciate your comments on the books you're reading for this challenge, Jean.

    Thanks for the glowing recommendation, Ekaterina …… I'm going to put it on my list right now!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJanuary 24, 2014 at 5:43 PM

    'The second half is just nuts'. Haha, dear old PKD.

    And yes, read Dune!

    ReplyDelete
  5. JeanJanuary 24, 2014 at 7:56 PM

    I am pleased to tell you that I am over halfway through Dune and finding it good. :)

    ReplyDelete

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