So - written in 1953 - I still cannot get my head around contemporary science fiction which often seems heavily fantasy.This was written, or published anyway, when I was 9 years old. The story is a good one and the drama a traditional one of the time using - consistanly creditable deviations from scientific reality to make a normal story more varied and interesting.Here a common man with 20th century values encounters more powerful corrupt forces trying to run a world, a solar system, a galaxy, to their will and how his non sophisticated methods of his work makes for changes that in this case lead to an unforseen result by the characters in place at the place he got to.Short - 84 pages - fast easy read. Much like sci-fi movies at the time of the writing, this story is imbued in fear and pervasiveness of war, and belief in the good-old American ways of ingenuity and sincerity. The narrative is thrilling and engaging, almost as if it was scripted for the screen or radio. The imagery is rich, as rich as only the sharpness and contrast of black and white film could deliver, both figuratively and literally.
What do You think about The Variable Man (2010)?
A free kindle short story, a man from the past sets the future of humanity.
—nicki2016
A quick and fun read. It packs more PKD ideas in than you'd expect.
—betty_777
