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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
brettpet's review against another edition
2.0
What a slog of a book. Philip K. Dick's masterwork Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? coasts off it's compelling protagonist and inventive themes, but Clans was massively lacking. I hit page 60 and was stuck there for a number of days, not wanting to progress any further until angrily reading my way through the last 120 pages in two sittings.
Clans has a major plot problem-too many ideas without any being executed particularly well. The stylistic mismatch is tedious too-the book is part sci fi utopia, part espionage, part marriage counseling, but none of it feels fleshed out enough. The main draw of the book, the settlement of different factions based off of mental disorders, is underdeveloped and feels like a backdrop to the majority of the plot. The protagonist, Chuck Rittersdorf, is clumsily shoved around the book's many locations for the sole purpose of having exposition dumped on him (the most egregious scene being the Alphane reveal on page 82). A particularly annoying thing with characters in this book is the constant double-crossing. Every side character in this book seems to have an alterior motive-but when a betrayal/misdirection happens every 15 pages the idea loses all weight. 3/10 for me.
Clans has a major plot problem-too many ideas without any being executed particularly well. The stylistic mismatch is tedious too-the book is part sci fi utopia, part espionage, part marriage counseling, but none of it feels fleshed out enough. The main draw of the book, the settlement of different factions based off of mental disorders, is underdeveloped and feels like a backdrop to the majority of the plot. The protagonist, Chuck Rittersdorf, is clumsily shoved around the book's many locations for the sole purpose of having exposition dumped on him (the most egregious scene being the Alphane reveal on page 82). A particularly annoying thing with characters in this book is the constant double-crossing. Every side character in this book seems to have an alterior motive-but when a betrayal/misdirection happens every 15 pages the idea loses all weight. 3/10 for me.
woolfen's review against another edition
4.0
3.5-4 Stars.
Needed to turn my brain off and this was the answer. Drugs, robots, integrated alien society and a distinctly 20th-century view on human relations in the far future. Fun and original concept of a colony that has been formed by mentally ill patients and the society they form - dividing up into their five (or six?) major diagnoses.
A fun little book, classic Dick. I imagine a lot of himself went into this novel. I enjoyed the reflections on writers and writing on a drug-fuelled binge, plus the messy divorce that facilitated everything and ultimately ended up with them getting back together.
Definitely not sure about the extended and violent rape scene that was kind of brushed off?
Needed to turn my brain off and this was the answer. Drugs, robots, integrated alien society and a distinctly 20th-century view on human relations in the far future. Fun and original concept of a colony that has been formed by mentally ill patients and the society they form - dividing up into their five (or six?) major diagnoses.
A fun little book, classic Dick. I imagine a lot of himself went into this novel. I enjoyed the reflections on writers and writing on a drug-fuelled binge, plus the messy divorce that facilitated everything and ultimately ended up with them getting back together.
Definitely not sure about the extended and violent rape scene that was kind of brushed off?
kosmi's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
1.75
This book didn't age well (sexism, outdated psychology). The only likable character is a blob of slime. This book is kind of interesting as a historical artefact though. The sexism in it could be either annoying or amusing in its ridiculousness depending of reader's mood.
mattrabpc's review against another edition
4.0
One of the better PKD books. Despite a few outdated concepts regarding mental health and a poorly written marital situation the other PKD concepts are here and well executed.
zachbrumaire's review against another edition
2.0
pros: the slime mold, the holy triumvirate, the post hospital society (Madness and Civilization anyone?) the incompetent cia guys
cons: its PKD so of course there are some pretty noxious r/menwritingwomen moments. some of the world building gets short shafted by the lazy 1 to 1 with the Indian caste system. the last 10 percent or so was weak tea, you can really see how he struggles with conclusions on these rushed books.
somewhere around 2.2 stars i think
cons: its PKD so of course there are some pretty noxious r/menwritingwomen moments. some of the world building gets short shafted by the lazy 1 to 1 with the Indian caste system. the last 10 percent or so was weak tea, you can really see how he struggles with conclusions on these rushed books.
somewhere around 2.2 stars i think
aluflower's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
wynter's review against another edition
3.0
A great premise that would have been even more impactful if I didn't read the blurb first. The way PKD invisioned a society of the Alphane moon and its subclasses was really creative. I almost wish we, as readers, spent more time on this moon, rather than Terra, where a majority of the story takes place.
What some people might find problematic are some mysogenistic descriptions and rather outdated explanations of mental illness, but there are also a few instances where the author flips these notions upside down. I mean, there is a scene where a potential rapist is quite savagely violated himself, in a scene that is both darkly humorous and grotesque. Other questionable moments include a comment on the size and shape of boobs on every female character as she enters the scene. What is this society, where the pinnacle of sexism is surgical nipple dilation? That's downright hilarious. Who can possibly take this serious enough to get offended? Not me.
The finale is when things became a bit shaky for me. I couldn't quite get on board with the logic behind the trail of events or the characters' motivations. It kind of sucks when an author resorts to letting all of the revelations be explained by an all-knowing character, rather than gradually allowing the reader to learn them through action. It sort of creates a sense of rashly tying all the loose ends because the said author got bored. I am yet to see if that's something PKD does out of habit, but I am not letting an underperforming ending ruin my overall enjoyment of this novel.
What some people might find problematic are some mysogenistic descriptions and rather outdated explanations of mental illness, but there are also a few instances where the author flips these notions upside down. I mean, there is a scene where a potential rapist is quite savagely violated himself, in a scene that is both darkly humorous and grotesque. Other questionable moments include a comment on the size and shape of boobs on every female character as she enters the scene. What is this society, where the pinnacle of sexism is surgical nipple dilation? That's downright hilarious. Who can possibly take this serious enough to get offended? Not me.
The finale is when things became a bit shaky for me. I couldn't quite get on board with the logic behind the trail of events or the characters' motivations. It kind of sucks when an author resorts to letting all of the revelations be explained by an all-knowing character, rather than gradually allowing the reader to learn them through action. It sort of creates a sense of rashly tying all the loose ends because the said author got bored. I am yet to see if that's something PKD does out of habit, but I am not letting an underperforming ending ruin my overall enjoyment of this novel.