"The Variable Man" by Philip K. Dick is a science fiction story set in a future world on the brink of war with the Centauran Empire. Security Commissioner Reinhart and others rely on advanced machines to predict the outcome, until Thomas Cole, an ordinary man from the past, unexpectedly appears. Cole's very existence throws off these calculated predictions, making him a key figure in the upcoming conflict. As the war looms, the story looks at ideas about fate, human choice, and how unpredictable people can be when faced with systems trying to control everything. Cole, an unassuming fixer from the 20th century, ends up challenging the power of technology with his simple skills, which raises questions about whether destiny can truly be predicted.
The Variable Man
By Philip K. Dick
A man from the past becomes the wild card in a future war, his unpredictable nature disrupting the perfect predictions of advanced machines.
Summary
About the AuthorPhilip Kindred Dick, often referred to by his initials PKD, was an American science fiction writer and novelist. He wrote 44 novels and about 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his lifetime. His fiction explored varied philosophical and social questions such as the nature of reality, perception, human nature, and identity, and commonly featured characters struggling against elements such as alternate realities, illusory environments, monopolistic corporations, drug abuse, authoritarian governments, and altered states of consciousness. He is considered one of the most important figures in 20th-century science fiction.
Philip Kindred Dick, often referred to by his initials PKD, was an American science fiction writer and novelist. He wrote 44 novels and about 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his lifetime. His fiction explored varied philosophical and social questions such as the nature of reality, perception, human nature, and identity, and commonly featured characters struggling against elements such as alternate realities, illusory environments, monopolistic corporations, drug abuse, authoritarian governments, and altered states of consciousness. He is considered one of the most important figures in 20th-century science fiction.
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