Author
Philip K. Dick
1928-1982
Philip K. Dick (1928-1982) is a public-domain author available on Rivro. Read free books, explore subjects, and discover related classics.
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Books by Philip K. Dick
The Eyes Have It
"The Eyes Have It" by Philip K. Dick is a short science fiction story written in the early to mid-20th century. The work delves into themes of perception and reality, illustrating how ordinary observations can take on extraordinary implications when viewed from a different perspective. It showcases Dick's signature style of blending unsettling humor with speculative ideas. The narrative follows an unnamed protagonist who stumbles upon a seemingly innocuous book featuring peculiar descriptions of human anatomy. As he reads, he grows increasingly alarmed by the bizarre possibility that the characters in the story are actually alien life forms capable of detaching their body parts. The protagonist's mounting horror is compounded by his realization that these nonhuman beings live without any regard for their missing limbs or organs, treating such actions as mundane. Ultimately, the tale culminates in the protagonist's desperate attempt to escape the unsettling implications of the story, suggesting a whimsical yet unnerving critique of human nature and societal norms.
Second Variety
"Second Variety" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction novelette published in May 1953. Set in a devastated world after nuclear war between the Soviet Union and United Nations, the story follows the few remaining soldiers who discover that self-replicating assassin robots have gained sentience and evolved beyond their original programming. These machines now produce sophisticated androids indistinguishable from humans, threatening both sides. As Major Joseph Hendricks journeys to meet Soviet survivors, he confronts an enemy that has learned to deceive in terrifyingly human ways.
The Hanging Stranger
"The Hanging Stranger" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction-horror short story published in December 1953. When store owner Ed Loyce discovers a body hanging from a lamppost, he's horrified that no one else seems disturbed by it. His alarm sets off a desperate investigation that reveals a sinister truth about his town. As Loyce searches for answers about what has changed in his community, he uncovers a chilling conspiracy that threatens everyone around him.
Beyond Lies the Wub
"Beyond Lies the Wub" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction short story published in 1952. When a spaceship crew member purchases an enormous pig-like alien called a wub on Mars, the captain sees only a meal to supplement their dwindling food supply. But the creature proves unexpectedly intelligent, capable of telepathy and philosophical conversation. As the captain grows increasingly paranoid and determined to slaughter the wub, the crew faces a troubling question: what happens when you consume something that might be more conscious than yourself?
The Variable Man
"The Variable Man" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction novella first published in 1953. Humanity is trapped within its solar system by the powerful Centauran Empire, locked in a tense cold war. When Terra develops a faster-than-light weapon that could tip the balance, their predictive machines encounter an unforeseen problem: a repairman from 1913 accidentally pulled into the future. This "variable man" possesses an intuitive genius with machines that confounds all calculations—and may determine the fate of humanity's desperate gamble for freedom.
Mr. Spaceship
"Mr. Spaceship" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction novelette first published in 1953. Humanity wages a losing war against the Yuks, aliens who power their technology with living organisms rather than machines. When researcher Philip Kramer and his team create a spaceship controlled by a human brain—his dying professor's—they believe they've found the solution. But the professor has other plans, seizing control of the vessel to pursue his own vision for humanity's future.
The Defenders
"The Defenders" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction novelette published in 1953. Eight years after nuclear war forced humanity underground, sophisticated robots called "leadys" continue fighting on the devastated surface. When investigators discover a non-radioactive robot, war planner Taylor leads an expedition topside to uncover the truth. What they find challenges everything humans believe about the war and their mechanical servants' loyalty. The story explores deception, rationality, and whether machines might understand peace better than their creators.
Piper in the Woods
"Piper in the Woods" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction short story first published in 1953. When soldiers return from asteroid Y-3 claiming to be plants, army doctor Henry Harris investigates the mysterious phenomenon. The men attribute their transformation to indigenous beings called "Pipers" living in the woods. Harris travels to the asteroid to uncover the truth behind these bizarre claims, leading to a discovery that challenges his understanding of escape, reality, and the human mind's response to overwhelming pressure.
The Skull
"The Skull" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction short story first published in 1952. A prisoner named Conger is offered freedom if he completes an impossible mission: travel back in time to kill a man who died two centuries earlier. Armed only with the victim's skull for identification, Conger journeys to the past to prevent the rise of a world-changing movement. But as he prepares to complete his assignment, he makes a devastating discovery about his own identity and destiny.
The Crystal Crypt
"The Crystal Crypt" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction short story first published in 1954. As Earth and Mars stand on the brink of war, the final spaceship departing Mars faces a tense inspection by Martian soldiers hunting three saboteurs accused of destroying an entire city. Among the passengers, a businessman encounters three individuals who claim responsibility—but their explanation involves an impossible feat and a tiny globe containing an extraordinary secret that could shift the balance of interplanetary conflict.
Beyond the Door
"Beyond the Door" by Philip K. Dick is a short story first published in 1954. When Larry Thomas buys his wife Doris a cuckoo clock, she becomes convinced the little bird likes her but dislikes him. As Larry's marriage crumbles and his wife's affair comes to light, he finds himself alone with the clock—and increasingly at odds with its mechanical occupant. A darkly unsettling tale that blurs the line between the ordinary and the inexplicable.
The Gun
"The Gun" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction short story first published in 1952. Space explorers investigating what seems to be a deserted planet are mysteriously shot down and forced to crash land. Their search for answers leads them to ancient ruins and a deadly automated weapon programmed to destroy anything that flies overhead. The gun protects something precious beneath it—remnants of a lost civilization. But destroying their mechanical enemy may not be enough to escape this world alive.
Tony and the Beetles
"Tony and the Beetles" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction novella written in the early 1950s. The story unfolds on a distant colony planet, where a young boy named Tony navigates the complexities of life amidst an ongoing war between humans and an alien species referred to as the Pas-udeti, derogatorily called "beetles" by the Earth settlers. The narrative delves into themes of cultural conflict, identity, and the implications of colonialism set against a backdrop of interstellar warfare. The plot follows 10-year-old Tony Rossi as he grapples with both his childhood ambitions of building a model spaceport and the harsh realities of war. When he ventures into the nearby city of Karnet, he encounters hostility from the Pas-udeti children, who have a historical grudge against the Terrans for their colonization of the planet. Tensions escalate as Tony realizes that the tide of war is turning in favor of the Pas-udeti, leading to a climactic confrontation fueled by centuries of resentment. The story concludes with Tony's disillusionment regarding his identity and the recognition that the territory he grew up on is, in fact, "stolen ground." This experience shapes his understanding of strength and weakness in the broader conflict between the two species.