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Alternate history (and I Ching symposium) about several people whose lives intersect in a post-World War II world dominated by the Germans and the Japanese. Sweeping the globe, however, even though banned by the Nazis, is a novel (written by the mostly unseen titular character) that posits a different ending to the war, one in which the United States and her allies won. In spite of the inclusion of action elements like spies, political intrigue, and mortal threats to civilians, Dick's book isn't really about any of that: it's an examination of culture and ethnicity -- Japanese, German, and American, roughly in that order -- each with its own strengths and weaknesses, and all of them subject to the forces of fate and chance, represented by the I Ching (which, being Chinese, stands apart). On that level, this is a fascinating book with a fully-realized setting and interesting and introspective characters. The plot, on the other hand...well, you may find yourself halfway through the book and still wondering where, exactly, it is all heading -- even if, by then, you will have gained some insight into why it has never been turned into a movie. (A TV series began last year, in 2015.) Winner of the Hugo award for Best Novel for 1963.
Alternate history (and I Ching symposium) about several people whose lives intersect in a post-World War II world dominated by the Germans and the Japanese. Sweeping the globe, however, even though banned by the Nazis, is a novel (written by the mostly unseen titular character) that posits a different ending to the war, one in which the United States and her allies won. In spite of the inclusion of action elements like spies, political intrigue, and mortal threats to civilians, Dick's book isn't really about any of that: it's an examination of culture and ethnicity -- Japanese, German, and American, roughly in that order -- each with its own strengths and weaknesses, and all of them subject to the forces of fate and chance, represented by the I Ching (which, being Chinese, stands apart). On that level, this is a fascinating book with a fully-realized setting and interesting and introspective characters. The plot, on the other hand...well, you may find yourself halfway through the book and still wondering where, exactly, it is all heading -- even if, by then, you will have gained some insight into why it has never been turned into a movie. (A TV series began last year, in 2015.) Winner of the Hugo award for Best Novel for 1963.
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