The Man in the High Castle
by Philip K. Dick · first published 1962
33% recommend58% neutral9% critical
Why HN recommends it
Alternate-history novel in a world where the Nazis won the war, with PKD's paranoia and questions about nearby realities. Seen as one of his more accessible books, good for newcomers and rereaders.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The Man in the High Castle is an alternate history novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. Published and set in 1962, the novel takes place fifteen years after an alternative ending to World War II, and concerns intrigues between the victorious Axis Powers—primarily, Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany—as they rule over the former United States, as well as daily life under the resulting totalitarian rule. The Man in the High Castle won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1963. Beginning in 2015, the book was adapted as a multi-season TV series, with Dick's daughter, Isa Dick Hackett, serving as one
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Philip K. Dick (Ubik, Man in the high castle, Flow my tears the police man said) Frederik Pohl (Gateway, the Space Merchants) Ursula K. Le Guin (The Dispossessed, Left Hand of Darkness) Iain M. Banks (Culture novels) You will find many Sci-Fi…
on “What are your favourite sci-fi books?” ↗The man in the high castle and Ubik by Philip K. Dick. They're next on my wishlist and I've already spent my book budget for this month. If that's not an option I'd donate it to the development of Mongrel2.
on “Ask HN: If I gave you $20.00 US, What would you buy?” ↗Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle is definitely worth a read. Valis [or is it VALIS?] is also an interesting read...in the psychotropic sense of "interesting". I found Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep worth a read for the way in which…
on “Sci-Fi Novels You Should Read” ↗What makes Man In the High Castle a classic is that the idea of an alternate history was a novel concept as the basis of a science fiction story...one that Roddenberry recycled unrepentantly a few years later. What is interesting is…
on “Sci-Fi Novels You Should Read” ↗Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - Philip K. Dick I, Robot - Isaac Asimov The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick 2001: A Space Odyssey - Arthur C. Clarke
on “Ask HN: What's your favorite sci-fi book?” ↗…Huckelberry Finn 2. Little, Big 3. Winter's Tale 4. Titus Groan 5. Gormenghast 6. Titus Alone 7. Dune 8. The manuscript found in saragossa 9. The Three Musketeers 10. A Scanner Darkly 11. The Man in the High Castle 12. Do Androids dream of Electronic Sheep 13. Ubik 14. Valis, basically almost every book by Phil Dick. 15. Life on the Mississippi. 16. The Garden of Forking Paths 17. Dhalgren 18. The Gods of…
on “Ask HN: What is your favorite fiction book?” ↗Quantum Field Theory by Peskin and Schroeder. There are many things in that book I could make into a standalone project that could occupy years at a time. Some other picks: The Man in The High Castle by Phil K. Dick. The Plague or The Outsider by Albert Camus. City of Thieves by David Benioff.
on “Ask HN: Which book would you pick to re-read for the rest of your life?” ↗…Starship Troopers / The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Alfred Bester - The Demolished Man / The Stars My Destination Jack Vance - The Dying Earth Philip K. Dick - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep / The Man in the High Castle Larry Niven - Ringworld etc. etc. A list of Hugo Award winners[1] might come in helpful. Another advantage of having read "the greats" is that if some critic says that new author X writes "in the…
on “Ask HN: What sci-fi books are you reading?” ↗…Roger Zelazny's This Immortal which is good enough to have shared the award with Dune in 1965. Lord of Light is also a great read and won a Hugo in 1968. Clifford Simak's Way Station, Phillip K. Dick's Man in the High Castle, and Walter Miller's Canticle for Leibowitz are other great Hugo novels from the early 1960's that tend to be overshadowed by more famous authors from that period such as Heinlein (not that I wouldn't…
on “Ask HN: What do you read?” ↗PKD has written so many great books its not surprising everyone has their own favourites. I personally prefer Man in the High Castle, Ubik, Time out of joint and Martian time-slip to Electric Sheep and Scanner. I'm surprised none of these managed it onto the list :(
on “The Best Science Fiction Books (According to Reddit)” ↗For me, reading sci-fi in the 80s and 90s, my pantheon was (in no particular order): Philip K. Dick (Man in the High Castle) William Gibson (Neuromancer) Neil Stephenson (Diamond Age) Vernor Vinge (Across Realtime) Greg Egan (Permutation City) Robert Reed (Sister Alice) John Varley (Eight Worlds series) I'm sure every…
on “Reading Neuromancer for the first time in 2025” ↗…HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- Douglas Adams - I, Robot -- Isaac Asimov - The Illuminatus! Trilogy -- Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson - The Left Hand of Darkness -- Ursula K Le Guin - The Man in the High Castle -- Philip K Dick - Microserfs -- Douglas Coupland - Neuromancer -- William Gibson - Nineteen Eighty-Four -- George Orwell - Orlando -- Virgina Woolf - The Shockwave Rider -- John Brunner - Snow…
on “Ask HN: What are you reading?” ↗…non-fiction, this could have been an excellent long-form article instead. Fiction: * The Mandibles: A Family, 2029–2047 by Lionel Shriver. A book with a high concept story and poor execution. * The Man In The High Castle by Philip K. Dick. Not my first time reading it, but just as enjoyable on this go-around. * QB VII by Leon Uris. Fiction, but based on some of Uris's own experiences as the defendant in a libel suit.…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2016?” ↗…basically the musical equivalent of PKD's paranoia. After that I spent years going through a big chunk of his catalog. Obviously, a classic like Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is worth your time. The Man in the High Castle is alternate history, and features what I still consider to be the best execution of a things-are-not-what-you-think-they-are ever. I've also been thinking of The Game Players of Titan recently, but that's…
on “Paranoid Android: The Divine Madness of Philip K Dick” ↗…best writers who has ever lived (of course hardcore PKD fans might disagree with the following, and I'd be happy to debate with them :-): STARTING POINT: - Ubik, Flow My Tears the Policeman Said, The Man In The High Castle, A Scanner Darkly, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - those are his most famous novels, self contained, and the most accessible. They're fantastic, and a great entry point into PKD's mind. Most of…
on “Philip K. Dick: A Visionary Among the Charlatans (1975)” ↗