The Man in the High Castle

by

Paperback, 229 pages

Published Sept. 6, 2001 by Penguin Random House.

ISBN:
978-0-14-118667-2
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The Man in the High Castle is an alternate history novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. Published and set in 1962, the novel takes place fifteen years after an alternative ending to World War II, and concerns intrigues between the victorious Axis Powers—primarily, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany—as they rule over the former United States, as well as daily life under the resulting totalitarian rule. The Man in the High Castle won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1963. Beginning in 2015, the book was adapted as a multi-season TV series, with Dick's daughter, Isa Dick Hackett, serving as one of the show's producers.

Reported inspirations include Ward Moore's alternate Civil War history, Bring the Jubilee (1953), various classic World War II histories, and the I Ching (referred to in the novel). The novel features a "novel within the novel" comprising an alternate history within this alternate history …

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reviewed The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick OG

I'm Not Sure

I didn't dislike it, but I also don't feel like I connected with it? I liked the initial structure of it feeling like multiple vignettes that had all connected somewhat to the same book. And while I understand what was happening, I felt like it wasn't quite hitting the right notes for certain characters or even the overall theme. In a lot of ways, it felt like it kept fumbling some of them. (Edit: Upon reflection, it isn't actually true that the stories were woven around the same book because three of the characters never actually engage with the book in any capacity and their stories don't even mention it from the background.)

It was fine. Not my favourite book, but it was okay.

reviewed The man in the high castle by Philip K. Dick OG

Recommended

No rating

I love this book; this and Ubik are my favorite PKD books, and I'm nearly a completist.

Dick takes an idea which is becoming commonplace - multiple universes - but pioneers it and give it his own unique spin. Essentially, the people in the book are living a post WWII tragedy, where the bad guys won - and to them, our universe is the good one, they'd much rather be in. From this premise PKD weaves in multiple characters and storylines from when he was essentially at the top of his game. Excellent book.

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