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'The Game Players of Titan' - book review
I suspect Philip K Dick is one of those love him or hate him writers and I suspect I'm going to fall into the latter category.
On the evidence of this book, he appears to like the weird for the sake of it being weird and not to worry too much about making it all hang together rationally.
One of the central concepts of the book is who is human and who is alien, but the writer appears to be very inconsistent as to whether humans are being replaced by aliens or simply shifting their allegiance to be aligned with aliens, or are being telepathically controlled by aliens. The mish-mash leads to confusion on the reader's part.
My other main complaint is that the book focuses on the game that is played by the Titanians and is central to their culture and is played avidly by many humans as well. Now, I know this book was written back in 1963 back before the modern revolution in board games, but I'm still vastly disappointed by futuristic board game that is on the level of "A roll of seven lands you on 'Your rich grandmother dies and leaves you $20,000'". The only skill element in the game is the option to bluff about you die roll.
As games go, even for that period, this is greatly lacking in both imagination and playability. It hasn't got anything approaching the tactical/skill level of bridge or poker, both of which were around at the time (and still are, precisely because they are interesting games).
On the evidence of this book, he appears to like the weird for the sake of it being weird and not to worry too much about making it all hang together rationally.
One of the central concepts of the book is who is human and who is alien, but the writer appears to be very inconsistent as to whether humans are being replaced by aliens or simply shifting their allegiance to be aligned with aliens, or are being telepathically controlled by aliens. The mish-mash leads to confusion on the reader's part.
My other main complaint is that the book focuses on the game that is played by the Titanians and is central to their culture and is played avidly by many humans as well. Now, I know this book was written back in 1963 back before the modern revolution in board games, but I'm still vastly disappointed by futuristic board game that is on the level of "A roll of seven lands you on 'Your rich grandmother dies and leaves you $20,000'". The only skill element in the game is the option to bluff about you die roll.
As games go, even for that period, this is greatly lacking in both imagination and playability. It hasn't got anything approaching the tactical/skill level of bridge or poker, both of which were around at the time (and still are, precisely because they are interesting games).