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| Review Summary |
In 1992, the two power blocs on Earth, West-Bloc and Peep-East, achieved an uneasy balance in which they spent most of their time fooling their own citizens into thinking they were constantly developing new weapons of war and defense, while actually converting all their weapons stocks into useful consumer goods and technology (a process known as "plowsharing"). Now it is 2004, and Lars Powderdry is a mental adept who envisions these new peaceful uses for weapons while going along with the public fiction that they are new weapons. Suddenly, satellites unknown to either bloc begin to circle the planet, and whole urban populations start disappearing due to an alien invasion. Powderdry teams up with his counterpart from Peep-East, a young woman named Lilo Topchev, to see if they can come up with a real weapon to defeat the invaders. Part of the answer lies with an aged veteran who mumbles about his participation in the great battle that took place "63 years ago, in 2005"; somehow, he's traveled back in time from 2067, and they must find out what he knows about how to defeat the aliens. This 1965 novel offers a great critique of Cold War politics but peters out in the last third.
David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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This sci-fi novel was written in 1965 by american sci-fi novelist Philip K. Dick.
In 2004, the East is still communist but lives in peace with the Western part of the world lead by the former U.S.A. Suddenly strange satellites appear in the sky and begin to "suck" entire cities from the planet Earth. Lars Powderdry and Lilo Toptchev, two mediums with stunning mental abilities, must find a way to discover THE gun that may break the alien attack.
An over-average novel of Philip K. Dick .
Daniel Staebler, Resident Scholar
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30%
Tone of book
- cynical or dry-wit
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- science fiction story
Political power play
Yes
Political plotlets
- preventing/managing clash/war between govts/kingdoms
Tech./$$$/Info hunt
Yes
Stealing/recovering/destroying
- weapon
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Inventing-of-item story?
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- small businessman
- business executive
Age:
- 20's-30's
Has magical/special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- mind reading
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:
- an entire race
Has magical powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist:
- teleportation
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Setting
Terrain
- Domed/Underground City
Earth setting:
- near future (later in 21st century)
- current (early 21st century)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
- very explicit references to deaths and torture
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- a moderate amount of scientific explanation
- a significant amount of technical jargon
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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