Dick, Philip K - Collected Stories: Vol 1 The King Of The Elves
After being disappointed by writers that tried hard to impress, yet seemed incapable of “storytelling,” I pulled out a thick tome from a master.
The earliest stories shine forth on a gleaming future, as humankind builds perfection.
Across this initial collection, however, Dick’s output darkened and SciFi utopia became dystopia.
“The Little Movement” catches a diminutive, would-be dictator before the reign.
An assassin is sent back in time to liquidate a future problem in “Expendable.” To his peril, he slowly sees rifts in the ordinary world.
“The Variable Man” is accidentally brought to a future of deadly conflict, and his presence upsets the space/time continuum.
The title story finds one Shadrach James as he befriends the weary king of the elves and his battered entourage and army. In gratitude, the king bequeaths honors and burdens.
“Colony” is a black gem of colonists and a perfect world.