tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004347419191387667.post8563910655321586405..comments2023-10-17T10:30:17.729+01:00Comments on L1 Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club: Martian Time-Slip by Philip K. DickUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004347419191387667.post-5333204044407004932010-02-15T13:25:28.039+00:002010-02-15T13:25:28.039+00:00i do agree that the main segment of the story was ...i do agree that the main segment of the story was substantial enough to carry it, and that the overall effect was quite good, needing more interest from the main characters and the realtionship between them. the lack of anything from the bleekmen could have been utilised better to explain their own background thus filling out the story on more related ground, in this i do belive that dick could have used the manfred aspect more to emphasise that which he hinted at, the earthmen would all leave, the bleekmen needed manfred, for what i can not put my finger on, but they did in effect allow the rest of humanity to develop there aware of their eventual failure on marsanthonycomer1964https://www.blogger.com/profile/09142644584202890814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004347419191387667.post-85958975077293695522010-02-13T00:14:43.053+00:002010-02-13T00:14:43.053+00:00The more I think about it the more it does seem a ...The more I think about it the more it does seem a bit like a frayed rope. A central core story with several other pieces fraying away from it, the smuggling operation/ wheeler dealer womaniser as you Anthony points out. I suppose most of those threads could have been cut without affecting the main story in any real way. To extend the metaphor, I found the body of the rope still able to hold the weight of the narrative, but can certainly understand other people's frustrations with the sub-plots. If it's any explanation it might interest you to know that Martian Time-Slip is actually an expanded version of a novella "All We Marsmen" and so many of those subplots were probably added purely to bulk up what is otherwise a very slim volume. What would you suggest he do instead? Characterise secondary, or even tertiary, characters?! That's not the Dick way! :-PGlynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18103619880414774039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5004347419191387667.post-45055608495358084292010-02-09T10:32:11.754+00:002010-02-09T10:32:11.754+00:00not one of dick's better novels, though i noti...not one of dick's better novels, though i notice the high portion of 8's. the characters where indeed flawed, but this is better than being one dimensional, and allows for change of direction when required. the female characters, two dimensional? the wife i could see no apparent reason for her being there apart from a side story; and the smuggler also, are used as a story filler. the mistress could have been more involved but her character is one of resignation rather than two dimensional, she had the scope to be more but never did. story filler 2, the school robots, a good idea but in this context no reason for being there, apart from a comedic approach as he gave them more character than the humans. the setting, think i had missed this one, as thought it would have fitted very nicely into outback australia with the fdr mountains a referal to eyers rock, and the aboriginies the natural inhabitants, bleekmen, with the use of myth and mystique, the ending enjoyed it though he does contradict himself,if manfred never escaped his destiny of being bedbound, a lot of purple prose in this story, hence scored it a 5anthonycomer1964https://www.blogger.com/profile/09142644584202890814noreply@blogger.com