Dick, Philip K. Beyond Lies the Wub: The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick. Underwood-Miller, 1987.
Overall: 8/10
The volumes of Philip K. Dick's Collected Stories reprint his short stories and novelettes chronologically as of their time of composition, and Volume One, Beyond Lies the Wub, contains his earliest stories, most published between 1952-53. Since Dick's writing improves with experience, the latter volumes are likely better as a whole, but there are nonetheless a good number of strong stories in here. The ideas are fresh, and many of the themes that are today associated with his work are present in many of the early stories. Alongside them are experiments he abandoned early, thankfully. Such as the character Dr. Rupert Labyrinth and whatever humour Dick tried to infuse in these stories.
Though these are his early works, a few of his better and oft read stories are found here. My favourites are the standards "The Variable Man" and "Paycheck," along with the outright sci-fi horror "The Colony," and the predictable but compelling "The Skull." Really, all the stories are good, with the exception of the little humourous ones. My least favourite is the forgettable "The Short Happy Life of the Oxford Brown."
Stability 7/10
The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick Volume One: Beyond Lies the Wub, Columbia: Underwood/Miller, 1987.
In a distant future society, Robert Benton is called to see the Controller, who informs him that the invention he has submitted has been rejected, as it threatens the stability of society. Benton is confused, however, since despite confirming that it is his handwriting on the submission forms, he does not recall having submitted any invention.
According to the notes in the book, "Stability" was written around 1947, but was not published until it was included in this first volume of his collected short stories in 1987. In the story, Dick presents us with two visions of authoritarian society. In the first, Benton lives a leisurely life while many others appear to serve government, feeding machines with data cards, attempting to halt progress as it is believed humans have gone as far as they were meant to. In the other, humans are slaves to machines in a more industrial society. Little is given of this world, but we can imagine either a leisure class that benefits from what is essentially human slavery, or a world entirely controlled by machines.
Dick does not give preference to either of these worlds, presenting two dystopic visions of humanity. Though famously known for abhorring extreme forms of government, and there is much in the first society to indicate the utter control which government holds, he also wrote much about humanity's subservience to machines and technology. In both these worlds humans, or at least some classes of humans, are subservient to machines, but in the former world, protagonist Benton does live a comfortable life and appears capable of free thought, if not free action, whereas in the latter he appears entirely brainwashed.
Roog 7/10
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, February 1953.
The world seen through the eyes of a loyal dog, who tries to guard the valuable trash bin from the invading garbage collectors. Amusing and kind of sweet.
According to the notes section from The Collected Works of PKD Volume 1, "Roog" was Dick's first sale, though not his first publication. Those same notes, written by Dick himself, indicate that it was among his personal favourite stories.
The Little Movement 7/10
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, November 1952.
A vendor manages to sell a wind-up toy soldier to a passing boy and his father. At the house, the toy soldier immediately puts his plan into motion: to conquer the world by controlling children. It turns out a number of sentient toys have been unleashed on the world seeking dominion, but many have been lost or destroyed, and the little soldier tries to rally the remaining toys in order to execute their goal.
Beyond Lies the Wub 7/10
During a re-supply stop at a space station, crewman Peterson purchases a porcine alien known as a wub. He is ridiculed for the purchase, and Captain Franco, who is displeased with the extra weight aboard and the ship's food shortage, wants the wub served up for dinner. But the wub proves to be an intelligent, talkative creature, who quickly befriends Peterson and grows to be liked by the crew. Captain Franco, however, fears the animal, and orders it to be cooked.
A highly enjoyable story with a great ending. I've re-read this story a few times and it continues to delight. I believe this was the first Dick I read, from the anthology First Voyages, edited by Martin H. Greenberg, Damon Knight and Joseph D. Olander, Avon, 1981.
The Gun 7/10
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, February 1953.
In the hope of encountering intelligent life, a ship seeks the source of a distant bright light. However, when they reach the planet from which the light emanated, they are shot down. They soon discover that the inhabitants of the planet have annihilated one another, and a gun was erected over a tomb which contains the relics of their civilization. The crew stranded on the planet need to discover a way to leave the planet without again getting shot down.
A powerful anti-war piece, one of many written by Dick.
The Skull 8/10
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, February 1953.
In the distant future, prisoner Congden is sent back in time to kill the founder of the First Church, a group that is believed to have altered the course of civilization for the worse. He is handed the founder's skull as a tool to help recognize the man.
An excellent time travel story that holds up well, despite an obvious ending.
The Defenders 6/10
Galaxy Science Fiction, January 1953.
A good concept, more idealistic and less defeatist than much of Dick's other work. The enemy again is Russia, as the story links the move underground to the latter stages of the Cold War. Elements of this story were used in his 1964 novel, The Penultimate Truth.
Mr. Spaceship 6/10
Imagination, January 1953.
In an ongoing battle against a race near Alpha Proxima, humans are at a standstill as they cannot breach the defenses set up by thinking mines. So in order to fight against intelligent weapons, the humans develop an experimental ship controlled by a disembodied human mind.
A slow start, the story does manage to become quite interesting as it plods along. I can only imagine how great some of these earlier stories would have been had a good editor been available to help remove some of the awkward clunkiness in Dick's writing. Yet given his financial situation throughout his life, Dick was always in a hurry to publish.
Piper in the Woods 6/10
Imagination, February 1953.
A soldier at an asteroid garrison returns believing he is a plant. A psychologist begins to investigate the belief, as more people stationed at the asteroid become infected with the same belief.
Published one month after "Mr. Spaceship" in the same publication, this one replaces the clunkiness of its predecessor with much charm.
The Infinites 6/10
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, February 1953.
Near the end of their mission scouting for asteroids, a three-person crew lands on an odd piece of rock to investigate, but are struck by intense radiation. On their way back to Earth, they begin quickly to transform physically, then mentally.
An interesting idea, though not entirely new, on rapid evolution. Some poor characterization and awkward writing and dialogue unfortunately drag this story down. Particularly the 1950s depiction of a distant future where women continue to be characterized and emphasized by their appearance. The single female in this story, though a competent scientist, loses her competency when she loses her hair.
The Preserving Machine 6/10
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, February 1953.
The first Dr. Rupert Labyrinth story, in which he creates a machine to help preserve music after suffering a nightmare where music is destroyed during wartime. The music, however, is stored in some unique living creatures. The creatures are neat and Dick's play with creating creatures that capture the essence of popular composers is the best part of the story.
Expendable 5/10
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, July 1953.
A man displays intense paranoia when he believes he can listen in on the conversations of insects. Another interesting idea with much potential for horror, particularly the build-up near the end, which is lessened by some weak writing and a last line that I found to be just awkward.
The Variable Man 7/10
Space Science Fiction, September 1953.
In the year 2136, at the culmination of a century-long war between Earth and Proxima Centauri, humans wait for their machines to send predictions of who would win the war. As the prediction begins to favour Terra, and they prepare to launch a major assault, a man is brought back from 1912, and the machines can no longer give their predictions. This is the variable man.
The Indefatigable Frog 7/10
Fantastic Story Magazine, July 1953.
A pair of college professors, Hardy and Grote, argue over Zeno's paradox of the frog and the well. This paradox proposes that a frog tries to hop out of a well, but each of its jumps is half the previous one, so will he be able to reach the top of the well? Prof. Hardy lectures that a small margin will always remain and the frog will never reach the top of the well, whereas Prof. Grote insists that even with each jump being reduced by half its length, it would eventually make its way to the top. To settle the argument, the two create an experiment using a frog and a tube, and shrink the frog's size to half with each jump.
An interesting concept and a good story.
The Crystal Crypt 7/10
Planet Stories, January 1954.
Structured as a triptych, with the first third presenting the Martians questioning the passengers of a stalled ship to find their perpetrators, the second being the story of the trio who allegedly destroy the city, and the third being the brief denouement. My favourite is the first, as it is genuinely suspenseful and Dick does a good job at set-up. The finale is expected, because there really only is one way the story, as it is presented, can end.
The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford 5/10
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, January 1954.
Dr. Rupert Labyrinth has built an agitator, a machine that makes inanimate objects come to life. Believing he has failed, he gives the machine to the narrator, who stores a pair of wet shoes in the machine overnight. Lo and Behold! the shoes come to life. The story is more of a joke, missing the interesting elements of the previous Dr. Labyrinth tale that made that one, at least, a little interesting. This one is, sadly, just plain bad.
The Builder 7/10
Amazing Stories, December 1953-January 1954.
An average suburban man is obsessed with building a boat in his yard, to the ridicule of his neighbours and the detriment to his marriage; even his older son mocks him. The story focuses on his obsession and mounting self-doubt.
Meddler 7/10
Future Science Fiction, October 1954.
An expert in history is brought into a secret government mission. A "digger" was sent into the future to take images in order to evaluate current government policy, and while the photos indicated prosperity for the future, soon the images changed to war and seemingly annihilation. The belief is that sending the digger to the future is what brought this on, and the historian is sent forward to investigate the root cause.
Highly suspenseful and again a wonderful idea from Dick. Yet again the ending is predictable, but this form of time travel ending (I won't spoil it) has become familiar to contemporary readers. It may have been familiar in the 1950s as well, since it was only first reprinted in Dick's 1980 collection, The Golden Man (Berkley).
Paycheck 8/10
Imagination, June 1953.
Following a two-year involvement in a secret corporate venture, Jennings awakens with no memory of those two years. This was pre-arranged between himself and his employer, all for a hefty paycheck. Yet Jennings trades in his pay for a bag of trinkets he had prepared for himself a few days prior to awakening, and with the aid of these items, he begins to piece together the events of the last two years.
An excellent concept and a great story. The piecing together seems a little too easy, though, but I guess for length it had to be simplified. With more complex plotting and wider world building, "Paycheck" could have been a novel. However, the ending, as is, works with a short piece, as it would be a let-down in book-length.
Avoid that awful John Woo adaptation.
The Great C 7/10
Cosmos Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine, September 1953.
The Great C is a super-computer that many generations ago grew too powerful, and wreaked nuclear wreckage on humanity, an event known as the "Smash." Since the Smash, a tribe of surviving humans must each year send one of its members to the Great C to ask it three questions. If the computer is able to answer the questions, the tribe member will be sacrificed, whereas if it is unable to answer, it will free humanity.
A strong story, with added weight in the age of AI.
Out in the Garden 7/10
Fantasy Fiction, August 1953.
Robert Nye complains to his friend Lindquist that his wife Peggy is always in the yard with Sir Francis, her pet duck. Lindquist is reminded of Yeats's poem "Leda and the Swan," which recounts the story of Zeus impregnating Leda while in the form of a swan. When Peggy gives birth to a boy, Robert begins to question if the child is his.
A good story with a great, horrible ending.
The King of the Elves 6/10
Beyond Fantasy Fiction, September 1953.
Gas station owner Shadrach Jones is visited by elves. It appears their kind has died in the old man's bed, and has commanded his subjects to make Jones their new king.
Among the weaker stories of the bunch.
Colony 8/10
Galaxy Science Fiction, June 1953.
An exploration team on the "Blue Planet" believe they have discovered paradise. However, when Major Lawrence Hall's microscope tries to strangle him and other items begin attacking the crew, they learn that this perfectly safe planet houses the most dangerous life form, one that can perfectly imitate any inanimate object.
Among my favourite stories of the collection. A great example of science-fiction horror, as well as Dick's fascination with paranoia.
Prize Ship 7/10
Thrilling Wonder Stories, Winter 1954.
Centuries in the future, inhabitants of the nine planets use "cradles" to warp to outer colonies. Aliens from Ganymede have hijacked the cradles and threaten to destroy them if the solar system alliance refuses to pay them a tax for every shipment sent out. On the cusp of giving in to the Ganys, the alliance manages to capture an experimental Gany ship, and tries to use it to get to the outer colonies. Only it is an odd vessel, and the first flight takes them to a strange world.
The build-up and complication of the plot are more complex than the denouement deserves, since the details of the alliance and the Gany's and their technology is pushed aside as focus in the latter part of the story is primarily on the strange world and a bit of PKD humour.
Nanny 7/10
Startling Stories, Spring 1955.
Tom and Mary Fields rely heavily on their robotic nanny. Nanny, though, is an older model, and gets into a scuffle with a newer model that leaves her in need of repairs. It seems it is common for robot nannies to get into scuffles, with the newer models destroying the older ones, while the industry profits, as they encourage consumers to purchase the newer ones rather than repair the damaged nannies.
There isn't much by way of story here, but the idea is excellent, and while Mr. Fields figures out the consumer aspect of the racket, he is nonetheless driven emotionally to purchase something he can barely afford, and is essentially part of a pattern, or even a pandemic or consumerism.
For more of this week's Wednesday short stories, please visit Patti Abbott's blog.
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