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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
La sinopsis del libro me spoileó gran parte de la trama del libro, tal vez por eso fue que no me causó gran impresión cuando el personaje principal empieza a sospechar. Me pareció que no había tantas pruebas o evidencias para saltar a tales conclusiones. De igual manera, el libro me mantuvo enganchada todo el tiempo intentando descubrir y queriendo saber qué era lo que pasaba en ese lugar y el por qué... Los benditos por qué.
Como todos los finales de Dick, me pareció un poco apresurado y como cortado a la mitad. Como si faltaran cosas por decir, por hacer, pero ya no había más tiempo.
Esta vez me pasó que sentí que la historia se enfocó muchísimo más en el misterio y en resolverlo que en "filosofar" sobre lo que se planteaba.
Como todos los finales de Dick, me pareció un poco apresurado y como cortado a la mitad. Como si faltaran cosas por decir, por hacer, pero ya no había más tiempo.
Esta vez me pasó que sentí que la historia se enfocó muchísimo más en el misterio y en resolverlo que en "filosofar" sobre lo que se planteaba.
While the rest of the world toils at their jobs, Ragle Gumm stays at home, his sole source of income a daily newspaper contest called "Where will the little green man appear next?" When odd things start happening, Ragle thinks he may be having a nervous breakdown. Is he or is it something much more sinister?
Of course it is something more sinister. This is a Philip K. Dick novel.
A Dickhead at work has been after me for years to read this. After mindbending reads like [b:The Great Forgetting|23847931|The Great Forgetting|James Renner|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1428639037s/23847931.jpg|43457961], [b:Dark Matter|27833670|Dark Matter|Blake Crouch|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1455056936s/27833670.jpg|43161998], and [b:The Mirage|12067161|The Mirage|Matt Ruff|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442342064s/12067161.jpg|17034630], the road I was on was leading to Dick anyway so I gave this a shot.
First off, the things I didn't care for: The prose was really bland and the pace was a little slow for a 250 page book with huge type. As for the rest of it, I liked it quite a bit. I wish the Goodreads summary and the back cover blurb hadn't spoiled the big twist, though.
Time out of Joint reads like an exceptionally paranoid Twilight Zone episode. Most aspects of Ragle Gumm's life are staged in order to keep him pacified and focused on "Where will the little green man appear next?" It's a conspiracy of massive proportions that safeguards America at the cost of Ragle Gum's day to day life.
When I picked up the book, I had no idea it would wind up being about a war between Earth and its colonies on the moon. Ragle Gum gradually pieces together what's really going on and tries to get the hell out of town. A lot of reviewers mention the Truman Show and it is about like that, only much crazier.
While I didn't think it was awesome, I did enjoy Time out of Joint. It's a literary ancestor to books like [b:The Great Forgetting|23847931|The Great Forgetting|James Renner|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1428639037s/23847931.jpg|43457961] and [b:Pines|15034320|Pines (Wayward Pines, #1)|Blake Crouch|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1350740525s/15034320.jpg|20688937]. Three out of five stars.
Of course it is something more sinister. This is a Philip K. Dick novel.
A Dickhead at work has been after me for years to read this. After mindbending reads like [b:The Great Forgetting|23847931|The Great Forgetting|James Renner|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1428639037s/23847931.jpg|43457961], [b:Dark Matter|27833670|Dark Matter|Blake Crouch|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1455056936s/27833670.jpg|43161998], and [b:The Mirage|12067161|The Mirage|Matt Ruff|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442342064s/12067161.jpg|17034630], the road I was on was leading to Dick anyway so I gave this a shot.
First off, the things I didn't care for: The prose was really bland and the pace was a little slow for a 250 page book with huge type. As for the rest of it, I liked it quite a bit. I wish the Goodreads summary and the back cover blurb hadn't spoiled the big twist, though.
Spoiler
Time out of Joint reads like an exceptionally paranoid Twilight Zone episode. Most aspects of Ragle Gumm's life are staged in order to keep him pacified and focused on "Where will the little green man appear next?" It's a conspiracy of massive proportions that safeguards America at the cost of Ragle Gum's day to day life.
When I picked up the book, I had no idea it would wind up being about a war between Earth and its colonies on the moon. Ragle Gum gradually pieces together what's really going on and tries to get the hell out of town. A lot of reviewers mention the Truman Show and it is about like that, only much crazier.
While I didn't think it was awesome, I did enjoy Time out of Joint. It's a literary ancestor to books like [b:The Great Forgetting|23847931|The Great Forgetting|James Renner|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1428639037s/23847931.jpg|43457961] and [b:Pines|15034320|Pines (Wayward Pines, #1)|Blake Crouch|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1350740525s/15034320.jpg|20688937]. Three out of five stars.
I liked it, but it was disappointing to figure out the reality Ragle Gumm was looking for, I imagined something more sci-fi, more trippy and imaginative. Perhaps because I know how little close he was guessing what 1998 would be like? However, it's a definite page-turner, the characters are mildly entertaining and likable and the story is intriguing (that wears off in the last 60 pages with the revealing of the so called reality).
This one is quite early PKD and one of his forays outside pulpy Sci-Fi. It relies heavily on an idea that was exploited by The Truman Show. What if one mans world is completely fake - an illusion created and maintained by outsiders. The revelation and subsequent unravelling of Ragle Gumm's world is heavily criticised in the Afterforward of my edition but I thought it worked quite well.
An enjoyable, light and easy to read PKD.
An enjoyable, light and easy to read PKD.
I really enjoyed this novel. It is a prime-example of PKD's philosophical musings on reality and object. That pink light and his visions seem more the imputes behind this, compared to the Orwellian Nixon.
Additionally, (as I read here: https://www.jazzcomputer.org/images/PDF/TOJ-USLETTER.pdf) there is a modicum of PKD's preponderances with free-will.
It is, however a touch dry. I had this preconceived notion of this having time-travel, and I was rather surprised when it wasn't there. Well, I suppose you could make the argument that nostalgia is some insidious time-travel; that it transports you to the past and arrests one's development.
A horror-show Truman Show with visions of a Cold War cum Civil War. Those of us who want to see us in the stars to propagate our species. And those who'd rather take the time to respect the planet we have. In the end, how would you decide?
Additionally, (as I read here: https://www.jazzcomputer.org/images/PDF/TOJ-USLETTER.pdf) there is a modicum of PKD's preponderances with free-will.
It is, however a touch dry. I had this preconceived notion of this having time-travel, and I was rather surprised when it wasn't there. Well, I suppose you could make the argument that nostalgia is some insidious time-travel; that it transports you to the past and arrests one's development.
A horror-show Truman Show with visions of a Cold War cum Civil War. Those of us who want to see us in the stars to propagate our species. And those who'd rather take the time to respect the planet we have. In the end, how would you decide?
I read this originally in college, but that wasn't a serious read. I appreciated this book a lot more this time around.
While reading it, I couldn't get The Truman Show out of my head. The parallels are daunting.
The only thing I don't like so much are the descriptions and speech of the One Worlders. It's a little silly.
The slips of paper, too, aren't really explained in a way that makes sense. I get that there's a psychological component to it--this falsely constructed world--but this part seems like a good, entertaining idea that wasn't fully fleshed.
Despite these flaws, I do enjoy this book. It's fast-paced, the language is purposeful, and it offers some introductory philosophical ideas/dilemmas. I think it's generally a good introduction to Dick's work.
While reading it, I couldn't get The Truman Show out of my head. The parallels are daunting.
The only thing I don't like so much are the descriptions and speech of the One Worlders. It's a little silly.
The slips of paper, too, aren't really explained in a way that makes sense. I get that there's a psychological component to it--this falsely constructed world--but this part seems like a good, entertaining idea that wasn't fully fleshed.
Despite these flaws, I do enjoy this book. It's fast-paced, the language is purposeful, and it offers some introductory philosophical ideas/dilemmas. I think it's generally a good introduction to Dick's work.
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes