Published : 1964Pages : 191
Overall Mark : 7/10
World War III is raging - or so the millions of people crammed in their underground tanks believe. For fifteen years, subterranean humanity has been fed on daily broadcasts of a never-ending nuclear destruction, sustained by a belief in the all powerful Protector. But up on Earth's surface, a different kind of reality reigns. East and West are at peace. And across the planet, an elite corps of expert hoaxers preserve the lie.
PHILIP K. DICK (1928-1982)
'One of the two or three most important figures in 20th century US SF' (The Encyclopedia Of Science Fiction). Born one of twins - his sister died in infancy - he lived most of his life in California, and wrote more than fifty books in a career of prodigious productivity and achievement. The films Blade Runner and Minority Report are both based on his stories.
VERDICT
Definitely not the usual novel you'd expect from Dick, this is a very political tale of a conspiracy to keep those protected underground during World War III working on amassing wealth for those left above ground in the new found peace. A clever conceit, though not as fun or character driven as many of Dick's other works.
