Reviews

Clans of the Alphane Moon by Philip K. Dick

chloekg's review against another edition

3.0

Gripping, human, comic, and critique, Clans of the Alphane Moon is a rollicking, paranoid space adventure in classic Dick style. It is a coherent whole, unlike other of his novels, and an interesting exploration of post-DSM-5 defunct schizophrenic subtypes. There's probably a good Foucauldian analysis to be had about pathologizing the mind, but I'm content with "this book was very fun."

trilbynorton's review against another edition

2.0

This was a frustrating read. I mean, all of Dick's pre-Palmer Eldritch works are frustrating merely by virtue of having been written before his best work, but this one had a good idea that Dick could have really gotten his teeth into later in his career. A society made up of the mentally ill, with a caste system based on each individual's disorder? That deserves a better book than this.

matkin's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

gavgav's review against another edition

dark funny tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

savshelfinger's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t a really fun read for me but I have some Complaints:

I find the entire portrayal of “Ghanditown” (never mind just lifting the caste thing) terminally racist 

This book was very obviously written in the 60s and I don’t like the conclusions about mental illness or colonization

PKD: he’s more of an ideas guy 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Ableism

killedian's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

porkbutt's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

rocketiza's review against another edition

3.0

Could not put this down. Just check out that teaser summary - shut up and take my money, right? But then I'm reading it, and going holy guacamole, I was not expecting all the head games going on... in a book about a planet of mental patients. Exactly. Go read it.

tankard's review

4.0

7/10

williamarmour's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0