{"id":4197,"date":"2011-08-19T15:12:43","date_gmt":"2011-08-19T20:12:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.scifisaturdaynight.com\/?p=4197"},"modified":"2011-08-19T15:12:46","modified_gmt":"2011-08-19T20:12:46","slug":"fiction-friday-%e2%80%93-philip-k-dick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/scifisaturdaynight.com\/?p=4197","title":{"rendered":"Fiction Friday \u2013 Philip K Dick"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Philip K. Dick <\/a>was known as a dystopian writer. Born in 1928, his life was as dystopian as his stories. Many of his finest works have been converted to movies<\/a>, among them Bladerunner<\/em> and Minority Report<\/em>. What most people don\u2019t know is that he wrote many short stories.<\/p>\n

\u00a0His writing style in these short stories varied significantly from his novels. Many stories were a drawn out thought, never fully realized; an essence or tone poem. “The Skull” is one such example. In this short story, a man is given his chance at redemption, however the cost of this is the Devil’s dilemma.\u00a0 Join him on his journey into darkness:<\/p>\n

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What is this opportunity?” Conger asked. “Go on. I’m interested.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The room was silent; all faces were fixed on Conger\u2014still in the drab prison uniform. The Speaker leaned forward slowly.<\/em><\/p>\n

“Before you went to prison your trading business was paying well\u2014all illegal\u2014all very profitable. Now you have nothing, except the prospect of another six years in a cell.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Conger scowled.<\/em><\/p>\n

“There is a certain situation, very important to this Council, that requires your peculiar abilities. Also, it is a situation you might find interesting. You were a hunter, were you not? You’ve done a great deal of trapping, hiding in the bushes, waiting at night for the game? I imagine hunting must be a source of satisfaction to you, the chase, the stalking\u2014”<\/em><\/p>\n

Conger sighed. His lips twisted. “All right,” he said. “Leave that out. Get to the point. Who do you want me to kill?”<\/em><\/p>\n

The Speaker smiled. “All in proper sequence,” he said softly.<\/em><\/p>\n

The rest of this story can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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