The Cosmic Puppets

Creo que Phillip K. Dick se ha convertido en un autor de culto gracias a su capacidad de entregar historias de ciencia ficción tan raras como extrañas y al mismo tiempo con tanto sentido que deslumbra.

En esta obra pone sobre la mesa uno de los temas más conocidos y antiguos, la lucha del bien contra el mal, pero hacer algo tan trillado de tal manera que resulte en algo original es donde está el verdadero talento.

Los muñecos cósmicos son algún tipo de deidades que toman como campo de batalla un pequeño pueblo, hacen de él uno de esos pueblos fantasmas que están ahí, pero nadie puede ver.

Cuando comencé esta lectura estaba totalmente perdida, tengo que decir que no entendía una jota de lo que estaba pasando, no es que sea show more confuso, pero tampoco es nada claro, como lector solo te queda sentarte a esperar a ver si en algún momento el autor decide darte las respuestas.

Debo decir que las respuestas no eran lo que me esperaba y el mismo protagonista de este libro también es sorprendido enterándose que lo que él piensa que será su cometido dentro del pueblo resulta en algo que no lo es.

Me ha encantado y me ha sorprendido mucho, no era para nada lo que me esperaba y más allá de una historia original, entretenida y tan loca como caótica en partes, también tiene mucho sentido cuando terminas de leerlo.

El bien, el mal, la lucha y el saber que todo eso siempre está ahí, donde mires, en un animalito, en una planta, en el cielo y dentro de ti mismo.

Uno nunca sabe cuándo será utilizado por unos muñecos cósmicos para establecer una lucha final, hay que esperar, que en cualquier momento podrán venir pon nosotros show less

This is not a science fiction novel. Unless you count metaphysics and religion as science. I'd say that falls more under the heading of philosophy. So maybe... phi-fi? If that were an established genre, I'm pretty sure PKD would be considered a phi-fi writer, even if a lot of his stories do involve robots and aliens. But I digress.

This one would be a 4.5 for me if that were possible, but I went ahead and gave it the 5 since the subject matter he tackled with this one was so mind-bogglingly ambitious. It was similar in a lot of ways to The Divine Invasion, and I actually felt this earlier work was more successful. Sort of a supernatural horror/mystery story. And unlike some of his later phi-fi, this one was an accessible story with a show more real plot and everything. I feel like he could have made up his own names for the Zoroastrian deities, but overall, not bad at all. show less

This is a true oddball of a book from Philip K. Dick. One of his earlier, minor works, it manages to cram into its short span a truly wild ride of a tale. The story starts with Ted Barton, driving through Baltimore on vacation, deciding to make a quick visit to the small town in the Appalachian mountains where he grew up. except when he gets there he finds that it is a town he has never been to before - nothing is as he remembers it. A quick check of old newspapers tells him that the Ted Barton who was born in this town died at age 9 of scarlet fever. So does this mean he is not really Ted Barton and his memories are false, or is something even stranger going on?

So far we are in fairly standard PKD territory, its when odd kids with show more magical powers, ghostly apparitions drifting through town and a cosmic battle between Ahura-Mazda and his eternal adversary, Ahriman get thrown into the mix that the book acquires a breathless, breakneck, schlocky B-movie flavour. Its entertaining, if unexpected, though would probably not be everyone's cup of tea. Its probably also not the best place to start if you want are making a first acquaintance with PKD. show less

This is classic Twilight Zone material (with all the latest in special effects/digital enhancement required for the Manichaean mayhem that concludes the book). Dick was never known as a prose stylist and, this being an early work, the "pulp" seemed even more apparent here than in some other works. When theology is thrown into this mix, you come up with a wonderful--though flawed and sometimes cringe-worthy in its descriptions of women--ride in pursuit of reality. If it truly is the journey (as opposed to the destination), then Dick is a worthy traveling companion.

Ted Barton decides on a whim to return and visit the town of his birth, Millgate. When he gets there he finds it it completely different to how he remembered it.Non of the streets have the same name, the shops are different, and no one remembers him. A little further investigation reveals that some one of his name died of scarlet fever around the time he left the town. It is all very strange, and when he tries to leave, he finds that he can't.

As he reluctantly stays in the town, he see ghostlike figures wandering past, and meets people who also seem to remember the town as it once was. As he learns more he realises that it is a focal point for two cosmological giants.

PKD has a way of taking a reality that you know and are familiar with show more and twisting it. In this book the twist is a full 180 degrees, as the reality he conjures up is familiar and utterly different. He manages to bring a touch of gothic horror into the book too. The writing is a little dated, but then it was published in 1957. show less

I put this effort right up there with VALIS. I love philosophy and theology and the theme of Good versus Evil runs through this book and reminds me that is the battle we all find our selves in. And Good is going to triumph and everything will be fine and dandy at the end.

A fully thrilling and worthwhile novel by the Sci-Fi master Philip K. Dick. This one touches on the regular themes, especially dealing with the distortion of space and time. The plot is action packed and full of twists and turns that keep the reader intrigued throughout its duration. The characters are strong here, as is the writing, and the villains are set with just the right tone. Overall, a great book.

4 stars- fully earned.