# Reccomend Me Authors Similar to Philip K. Dick **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2014, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340 "2014-05-13T12:55:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cartesian\_Rationalist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Cartesian\_Rationalist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartesian_Rationalist)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/1 "2014-05-13T12:55:47Z")
I recently discovered Philip K. Dick and have read him voraciously. Novels like Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldrich, A Maze of Death, Valis, Now Wait for Last Year, Flow my Tears the Policeman Said, Time out of Joint, Dr. Bloodmoney, A Scanner Darkly, Martian Time Slip and The Game Players of Titan are examples of his novels that I really liked. Since I love his type of fiction, particularly the aspects of the distorted nature of reality, hallucinations, drugs and paranoia; I am now looking for a similar-ish author with similar themes. Whom do you have in mind that more or less resembles PKD? The single complaint I have about his books is that they are so good but end too quickly, so if possible I’d like a 350+ page-ish recommendation(s). Also they don’t HAVE to be Science Fiction, but I would prefer if it were Sci-Fi. I am already familiar with Pynchon, Foster Wallace, Borroughs et al. Any suggestions would be much appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/2 "2014-05-13T13:04:48Z")
Jonathan Lethem’s early work. He is or was such a fan of PKD that he has a Ubik tattoo. I particularly recommend “Gun, With Occasional Music.” Unfortunately, he was sort of discovered by the end of the literary crowd that cooed over PKD for a while, and now writes Terribly Serious stuff, not that skiffy stuff fer kids. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/3 "2014-05-13T13:52:18Z")
Maybe some **Keith Laumer** like _Night of Derlusions_ (1972) What I said elsewhere (it was in an omnibus volume called The Long Twilight, with a dreadful cover) > [@](#): > > The other long piece is \Night of Delusions\ from 1972 and is a man’s nightmare journey through layers of realities as he tries to work out what reality is, and why he’s been sent on a mission he doesn’t understand. Very strange, as reality continually changes and his repeated encounters with the same people and situations only lead to more confusion! Or _Resonance_ (2007) by **Chris Dolley** is quite long and quite weird. Initially it starts with a postroom assistant with OCD but you soon realise that there’s a reason he has such a rigid structure to his life… More recently, _The Beautiful Land_ by **Alan Averill** > [@](#): > > Weird, apocalyptic parallel worlds! As I read it, I was thinking that Max Barry or Matt Ruff could have written it maybe… > > And **Rudy Rucker**. Definitely Rucker. > > Taq is an adventurer, lured into checking out parallel timestreams for a megaCorp, or at least for a would-be megaCorp. They want to explore and exploit the other lines to their advantage. The scientific genius at the heart of the scheme has other ideas of how to best use his invention though! > He’s seeking the Beautiful Land. > Taq and his childhood friend Samira, a military translator cracking up after her tours of duty in Iraq, battle against them and the giant forces they’ve created to destroy other lines and prevent reversion. > Engrossing, high adventure! or [Afterparty](http://www.amazon.com/Afterparty-Daryl-Gregory/dp/0765336928) by **Daryl Gregory** , which I’ve just finished. Or you could check out **William Browning Spencer**. If you like comics, **Matt Howarth** is seriously weird; try the _Post Brothers_ or _Savage Henry._. It’s all small press b&w stuff. And there’s a new graphic novel out in the UK called _Transreality_ by **Chris Lackey** , which I finished last night and is maybe something to look at. It has a $ price on the back, so hopefully it’s got some sort of distribution in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/4 "2014-05-13T14:24:21Z")
I don’t think most of the works by those authors comes very close to PKD - PKD is not just “weird” the way about half of _Heavy Metal_’s content is “weird.” Dick wrote about some deeply disturbing notions with terrifying insight… you don’t \*want \*to know how he thought of that stuff. Most of the authors above are more in a generic “Whoa, dude, betcha I can blow yer mind” mold. Not the same thing at all. Ellison is in the middle: he had the insight and twist of PKD, but wrote at a more nakedly BYM level. ---
**Author:** ![Cartesian\_Rationalist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Cartesian\_Rationalist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartesian_Rationalist)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/5 "2014-05-13T15:42:00Z")
Good suggestions, thanks and keep them coming if possible! **Amateur Barbarian** , of course PKD is weird in that way, that’s what makes him who he is, but even if the authors only have a loose family resemblance, if you think it’s in the same ball park, even if its located on the outfield or even in the stands, I’ll take a look! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/6 "2014-05-13T15:52:09Z")
It’s a fine shading, but I object to seeing Dick classified with lesser authors whose only ability was to be deliberately weird - kind of like classifying Stephen King at his “I can climb into the dark corners of your mind, hee hee hee” best with R.L. Stine. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/7 "2014-05-13T16:03:24Z")
If you’re looking for hallucination and paranoia, try [_Dhalgren_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhalgren) (Warning: spoilers), by Samuel R. Delany. Stephen King’s _Insomnia_ has a world-behind-the-world plot that recalls one of Dick’s frequent themes. Heinlein’s _Stranger In A Strange Land_ shares much of the same vibe as Dick’s _Transmigration of Timothy Archer_. This is going to sound snarkier than I mean it to, but if you like Dick’s outlandish ideas and have been able to tolerate the limitations in dialogue and characterization that plague much of his work, consider also reading Philip Jose Farmer. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/8 "2014-05-13T16:10:53Z")
I agree with those who say Phillip K. Dick is unique. I don’t read much science fiction anymore, but I don’t remember substantial similarities from any other author. At best you will find other creative authors with their own styles. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/9 "2014-05-13T22:26:08Z")
Given how the question was phrased, I think all my suggestions were reasonable. Some are obviously less serious works than others but they all meet at least some of the requirements of the OP. I suppose I might have said Kief Llama instead of Savage Henry though. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2014, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/10 "2014-05-13T23:26:05Z")
PKD apparently based a character in _Valis_ on K W Jeter. Jeter was a pioneer in Steampunk, along with his friends Tim Powers & James P Blaylock. His most “Dickian” novel is _Dr Adder_ which is strong stuff indeed. He’s also written _Star Wars_ novels, \*Star Trek \*novels & 3 sequels to _Bladerunner_. I haven’t read all his stuff but he might be worth investigating. There aren’t many “like” PKD… (You didn’t list his _The Man In The High Castle_; it’s one of PKD’s best & somewhat different from the others. Only 2 of his novels ever had a real editor–it was one.) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/11 "2014-05-14T00:19:48Z")
The thing about PKD is that he married his weird plots to some really deep insights into the human condition, returning to the idea that empathy is what makes us truly human. As mentioned above, other writers may match his weirdness, but few capture the humanity at the heart of even his most poorly written novels. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2014, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/12 "2014-05-14T09:30:09Z")
I thought of **Michael Bishop** (who after all, wrote a novel subtitled _Philip K. Dick Is Dead, Alas_) and **James Tiptree, Jr.** But I’m a bad one to ask. The New Wave SF writers I remember best from when I read SF are **Harlan Ellison** , Tiptree, **J. G. Ballard** , and (on the basis of one deeply emotional novel) **Joanna Russ**. And after that bunch, I guess I was in no hurry to let yet another such loon in my head. I really only know PKD from the movie adaptations and references in others’ writing. . . . As for Matt Howarth, yeah, it’s not PKD, and it’s mainly thin little comic-book stuff, but don’t completely knock him. His stuff with really alien aliens is brilliant. I like the “Harvest” arc in **Albedo Anthropomorphics** a lot. And Howarth’s weird guitarist Savage Henry is kind of a stoner cousin to PKD, in his way. (Maybe an anti-Dick. I don’t know.) Not that you can find any of this stuff now. Can you? I have no idea. ETA: Screw it, I’m going to mention **Parke Godwin** , and stop. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/13 "2014-05-14T14:52:11Z")
I recommend Cordwainer Smith. I think his short stories (and his novel **Norstrilia** ) are what you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/14 "2014-05-14T15:59:06Z")
I second J G Ballard, especially the disaster books like _The Drowned World_ and _The Wind from Nowhere._ Zelazny’s Amber series might be good, since the universe is very malleable in them, kind of like in PKD books. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/15 "2014-05-14T16:08:49Z")
I put forth another vote for **Harlan Ellison** , as one of the best authors of our time, combining nicely twisted plots with a fluid writing style that makes them fun to read. Cordwainer Smith is amusing stuff, but nowhere near the raw weirdness of Dick. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2014, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/16 "2014-05-14T22:55:22Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > I recommend Cordwainer Smith. I think his short stories (and his novel **Norstrilia** ) are what you’re looking for. I would second Smith, not really like Dick, but as another great author playing hi own game alone in his own playground. William Gibson is a bit like _some_ Dick. And Harry Harrison also comes to mind, as a rather comically bitter author. Allow me to suggest B_ill the Galactic Hero_. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/17 "2014-05-14T23:03:26Z")
If you do get in the mood for short fiction, any collection of Charles Beaumont stories would probably please you. Beaumont is best known for his work for the screen (including quite a few _Twilight Zone_ episodes), but some of his story collections are still available. “The Howling Man,” for example, has some great mind-bending stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2014, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/18 "2014-05-14T23:15:00Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > And Harry Harrison also comes to mind, as a rather comically bitter author. Allow me to suggest B_ill the Galactic Hero_. Harrison at his best (mostly short stories, especially the transfer-gate series, and the Deathworld trilogy) is pretty good. At his worst you have to wonder what his editor and publisher were thinking. _BTGH_ and all the sequels have an interesting feature in that if you read the first letter of each paragraph, it spells out F-U-C-K-Y-O-U-B-O-B-H-E-I-N-L-E-I-N over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/19 "2014-05-19T23:03:11Z")
If you don’t know him, you might enjoy Robert Heinline. It seems to me that most people who would ask the question would either like him very much or not like him at all. You just never know. But, here is his Wiki link. When I was younger, I really loved reading him. Now that I’m older, I don’t think I’d enjoy him as much. But I sure did love him back in the day. If you don’t know his work, I guess you’ll just have to try it and see. > **[Robert A. Heinlein](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Heinlein)** > > Robert Anson Heinlein (/ˈhaɪnlaɪn/; July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction, and was thus a pioneer of the subgenre of hard science fiction. His published works, both fiction and non-fiction, express admiration for competence and emphasize the value of critical thinking. His plots often p Heinlein be... ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340/20 "2014-05-19T23:28:51Z")
Heinlein only wrote one or two stories that might remind the reader of PKD - the short story “They” is the only real candidate that comes to mind. Maybe one or two of the other early “weird” stories. Anyone might like or dislike Heinlein on his own merits, but as far as this thread goes, he’s not a very good match for “writers like Dick.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-authors-similar-to-philip-k-dick/688340.md?page=2)