Can You Feel Anything When I Do This? - Robert Sheckley Book Review

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Review Summary

Sheckley has a reputation in science fiction as a humorous writer. There's plenty to amuse in this 1971 collection, but many of the stories also center around issues of perception: What's real? What is truth? Can we change our perception or character? There's the hugely entertaining "Cordle To Onion To Carrot," in which a milquetoast turns aggressive and rude on overseas trips, to "The Mnemone," a bittersweet tale set in a repressive near-future with little culture or history, and a man who remembers snatches of literature and ideas can sell them to people on the street while avoiding the law. A restaurateur, waiter, and their single regular client take turns telling their story of the relationship's growth and collapse. In the title story, a mechanical appliance strives to meet ALL a human female's needs. A human explorer tries every way he can to outwit a simple robot who is barring him from re-entry to a base camp because he doesn't know the new password. A marvelous collection of stories.
David Loftus, Resident Scholar

Detailed literary breakdown of Can You Feel Anything When I Do This?

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - part earth & part fantasy world
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - stranded on alien planet, fighting aliens to survive
Romance Yes
Robots, Computers, VR Yes
Robot, PC, VR Plotlets: - good robot(s)
Inner Struggle Yes
Plotlet: - search for identity/new understanding
War or Invasion Yes
Major kinds of combat: - hand to hand
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
Terrain - Desert
Earth setting: - 20th century - near future (later in 21st century) - medium future 22-24th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes
Planet outside solar system? Yes
Takes place in spaceship? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 1st - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only - doing it with a robot/computer
How much dialogue? - little dialog

Most similar books to Can You Feel Anything When I Do This?
Ring of Destiny by Jane S. Fancher
Ily's Dream by Edward F. Stack
I Sing The Body Electric! by Ray Bradbury
Triplet by Timothy Zahn
Plumage by Nancy Springer

Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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