science fiction

The Penultimate Truth - Philip K. Dick Book Review

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Review Summary
Fifteen years ago, governments of the Earth, fearing a nuclear apocalypse, have agreed to send the entire population under ground. Fortunetely no major bombing happened and peace reigns again on Earth. But people are still hidden.

A technical aristocracy has decided to let the population unaware of the real situation on earth by using false broadcasts about a nuclear war still going on between the United States and Soviet Union.

Nicholas Saint-James, the man in charge for the Tom Mix group, must take the chance to come back to the surface in order to search for medicaments. There, he is going to witness a fight for the power between the wealthy Runcible, the actual leader Stanton Brose, protected by the army, and a third contender who comes from the past with far right wing political ideas.

Daniel Staebler, Resident Scholar


Detailed literary breakdown of The Penultimate Truth
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Political power play Yes
Political plotlets - factions fight within govt for control - preventing/managing clash/war between govts/kingdoms
Repressive society story Yes
Repressive because: - controls your mind - strict rationing of freedoms/goods
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Who's a slave/repressed? - humans are slaves of other humans

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - slave
Age: - 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - none

Setting
Terrain - Domed/Underground City
Earth setting: - near future (later in 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Accounts of torture and death? - explicit references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only) - a moderate amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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