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 a different end to World War II, and depicts intrigues between the victorious Axis Powers—primarily, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany—as they rule over the Southern and Western United States.
The Man in the High Castle won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1963. Reported inspirations include Ward Moore's alternate Civil War history, Bring the Jubilee (1953), classic World War II histories and the I Ching (referred to in the novel). There is a "novel within the novel", an alternate history within the alternate history where the Allies defeat the Axis (though in a manner distinct from the real-life events of the war).
In 2015, the book was adapted as a multi-season TV series, with Dick's daughter, Isa Dick Hackett, as …
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 a different end to World War II, and depicts intrigues between the victorious Axis Powers—primarily, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany—as they rule over the Southern and Western United States.
The Man in the High Castle won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1963. Reported inspirations include Ward Moore's alternate Civil War history, Bring the Jubilee (1953), classic World War II histories and the I Ching (referred to in the novel). There is a "novel within the novel", an alternate history within the alternate history where the Allies defeat the Axis (though in a manner distinct from the real-life events of the war).
In 2015, the book was adapted as a multi-season TV series, with Dick's daughter, Isa Dick Hackett, as a producer.
Review of 'The Man in the High Castle' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Life would have gone on even when German and Japan would have won the war. People cope and adapt.
Provoked the thoughts: where would I be? Would I have accepted the status quo? Would I have joined or worked with the powers that be? Would it be logical to not do so with history told by nazi's and a different moral compass? I'm afraid of the answers.
Review of 'The man in the high castle' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
This was a very clever book. I'm not convinced however that all the plots came together to make a whole story but perhaps it was just too clever for me.
Review of 'The man in the high castle' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Philip K Dick puts an interesting twist on a well-known moment in history. Instead of the Allies winning WWII, the Axis has split the world among themselves.
Dick is a fantastic writer and the book was a great look at a world that could have been.
Review of 'The Man in the High Castle' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
Not what I expected out of a PKD novel but it offered some interesting points in to what our world may have been. The meta novel within a novel was a nice touch and I liked how that story had a cult following. I would have enjoyed this more if additional pages were added to some character plots, as it were I only got a glimpse in to this would be world and there was no resolution to any of it.
Review of 'The Man in the High Castle' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Interesting book! The alternative history premise was set up nicely throughout the stories of individual characters. Enjoyable, leaves the reader wanting more. It's interesting to read a 60s novel fifty years later. When written in 1962, WWII was still very fresh in everyone's mind. International crises, diplomacy, and military actions were in the forefront of the news, with the Cold War actions of the US and Soviet Union. When the possibility that the real-world great powers could destroy the world, even an alternate world where the Nazis dominate looks acceptable.
Looking forward to seeing the television interpretation via Amazon.
Review of 'The man in the high castle' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Excellent alternate history story. I saw the pilot episode of Amazon's TV adaptation, and was intrigued. The book is much better, and raises some interesting issues.
Review of 'The man in the high castle' on 'GoodReads'
4 stars
Really interesting piece of alternate history. This book, by far, is one of Phillip K. Dick's least sci-fi themed works, instead it builds a credible world based on what would have happened if Germany and Japan had won WWII. Very unique and interesting characters fill the book and drive the story at different times. The story focuses on the different things each character believes about reality, and how each character is able to cope living in a totalitarian society. As per usual PKD, the story starts to go off the rails a bit toward the end, however it is definitely still worth a read. I think the overall meaning of theme of the book is that reality is both always plural and always mutable.
Review of 'The Man in the High Castle' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
This is a great book. Very scary. Throughout the book I was quite worried that I would be disappointed in the end. But the final revelations were well worth it.
I did not like that the book is actually telling two stories that are only very loosely related. It is a lot about showing what the world would be like if the premise was true.
Review of 'The Man in the High Castle' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I prefer to wait just some more days to wait for the powder to sit down before I say something about this book... The World as it is depicted in "The Man in the High Castle" .source: Wikipedia.
Review of 'The Man In The High Castle' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
For those who haven’t read this month’s Book club book, the alternate reality classic The Man in the High Castle by Philip K Dick, I will try not to give away too much of the story. Most of you are aware of the basic plot outline, but I will just give you a quick overview before talking about the interesting concepts I found within the book. Set in 1962, 14 years after a longer World War II, life is under totalitarian Fascist imperialism as the war was won by Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany. Having divided the world the Axis Powers are now conducting intrigues against each other in North America.
Alternate Reality With Japan and Germany being in power, the world is a much different place; more of a dystopian society, where everyone is considered racially superior to the Americans. The last remaining Jews are in hiding and continually …
For those who haven’t read this month’s Book club book, the alternate reality classic The Man in the High Castle by Philip K Dick, I will try not to give away too much of the story. Most of you are aware of the basic plot outline, but I will just give you a quick overview before talking about the interesting concepts I found within the book. Set in 1962, 14 years after a longer World War II, life is under totalitarian Fascist imperialism as the war was won by Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany. Having divided the world the Axis Powers are now conducting intrigues against each other in North America.
Alternate Reality With Japan and Germany being in power, the world is a much different place; more of a dystopian society, where everyone is considered racially superior to the Americans. The last remaining Jews are in hiding and continually being hunted down. The book actually deals with justice and injustice; gender and power; the shame of cultural inferiority and identity; and the effects of fascism and racism upon culture.
Metafiction The Man in the High Castle focuses the story around a popular and banned novel written by Hawthorne Abendsen (The Man in the High Castle). The book entitled The Grasshopper Lies Heavy portrays an alternate reality where Japan and Germany lost the war and America and England become the victors. Changing racialist-cultural tensions and creating a liberal, democratic, capitalist society.
I Ching In this novel the I Ching (Book of Changes) is often consulted by the characters as an oracle. I Ching is an ancient Chinese book of divination and was used by Philip K Dick to determine the plot particulars. In two separate interviews Philip K Dick has said;
“I started with nothing but the name, Mister Tagomi, written on a scrap of paper, no other notes. I had been reading a lot of Oriental philosophy, reading a lot of Zen Buddhism, reading the I Ching. That was the Marin County zeitgeist, at that point; Zen Buddhism and the I Ching. I just started right out and kept on trucking.”
“In the event, he blamed the I Ching for plot incidents he disliked: "When it came to close down the novel, the I Ching had no more to say. So, there's no real ending on it. I like to regard it as an open ending.”
Philip K Dick’s classic science fiction novel has a lot of interesting aspects to it. I think it could easily be one of those books you could spend hours discussing all the little characteristics to it. Another book that challenges your views on society by showing what life could be like if the war turned out differently. Reflected above were just the major aspects to this book.
