The World Jones Made. Philip K. Dick

No cover — Philip K. Dick, Dick: The World Jones Made. Philip K. Dick (2010, Gollancz)

208 pages

Published Oct. 1, 2010 by Gollancz.

ISBN:: 978-0-575-09898-5

(1 review)

The World Jones Made is a 1956 science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick, examining notions of precognition, humanity, and politics. It was first published by Ace Books as one half of Ace Double D-150, bound dos-à-dos with Agent of the Unknown by Margaret St. Clair.

The World Jones Made is set in the year 2002 AD. On a then-future post-apocalyptic Earth, there was a devastating conflict that involved the use of atomic weapons. Many American cities were targeted, and the People's Republic of China (and Soviet Union) also collapsed, leading to the imposition of a Federal World Government (Fedgov).

In this particular dystopia, Relativism (a political theory having little to do with Einstein) emerged as the governing political orthodoxy. Relativism is said to be a moral and ethical philosophy that states everyone is free to believe what they wish, as long as they don't make anyone else …

The World Jones Made is a 1956 science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick, examining notions of precognition, humanity, and politics. It was first published by Ace Books as one half of Ace Double D-150, bound dos-à-dos with Agent of the Unknown by Margaret St. Clair.

The World Jones Made is set in the year 2002 AD. On a then-future post-apocalyptic Earth, there was a devastating conflict that involved the use of atomic weapons. Many American cities were targeted, and the People's Republic of China (and Soviet Union) also collapsed, leading to the imposition of a Federal World Government (Fedgov).

In this particular dystopia, Relativism (a political theory having little to do with Einstein) emerged as the governing political orthodoxy. Relativism is said to be a moral and ethical philosophy that states everyone is free to believe what they wish, as long as they don't make anyone else try to follow that principle. Relativism has become established law after the destructiveness of the war unleashed by clashing ideologies. (However, dissidents from that orthodoxy do end up in forced labor camps). This sacrosanct principle is challenged by a man named Floyd Jones, whose assertions about the future prove correct.

Relativism enables legal consumption of drugs like heroin and marijuana, as well as watching live sex shows with hermaphrodite human mutants. Due to the mutagenic effects of radiation from wartime nuclear exchanges, mutants earn their living within the entertainment industry, although one group has been subjected to deliberate genetic engineering, which later enables them to settle (an inhabitable) Venus.

The novel addresses questions of Jones's agenda and trustworthiness as well as the decidedly ambiguous benefits of individual precognition.

15 editions

Stephanie Jane reviewed The World Jones Made. Philip K. Dick by Philip K. Dick

More book wanted!

3 stars

There's greatness in the book, but there's some seriously questionable moments too. As classic PKD goes, it's one of his earlier novels and I could see glimpses of the style which would mature so successfully later on. Here though, we have tons of ideas but, I thought, not enough book to hold them all! The World Jones Made is short yet combines three strong storylines - to which other authors would probably given a book apiece. The eponymous Jones is a fascinating character, Cassandra-like initially, but realising the satisfaction of actually being believed and venerated for his skill. PKD shows the global reaction to his leadership, scarily prescient given the current climate, with a good sense of human desire and fallibility.

I was intrigued by the extra-terrestrial elements, but felt these didn't stand so well especially against modern scientific knowledge. I do realise it isn't completely fair to judge a …

There's greatness in the book, but there's some seriously questionable moments too. As classic PKD goes, it's one of his earlier novels and I could see glimpses of the style which would mature so successfully later on. Here though, we have tons of ideas but, I thought, not enough book to hold them all! The World Jones Made is short yet combines three strong storylines - to which other authors would probably given a book apiece. The eponymous Jones is a fascinating character, Cassandra-like initially, but realising the satisfaction of actually being believed and venerated for his skill. PKD shows the global reaction to his leadership, scarily prescient given the current climate, with a good sense of human desire and fallibility.

I was intrigued by the extra-terrestrial elements, but felt these didn't stand so well especially against modern scientific knowledge. I do realise it isn't completely fair to judge a 1950s book against 21st century information! I won't mention specific instances here in order to avoid inadvertently giving away plot points, but readers should probably be prepared to gloss over a few hang-on-a-minute moments! Overall though, I just wanted this book to have been at least twice its length and to delve much more deeply into the questions it raises. I felt characters and setting were sketched rather than fully drawn so were ultimately unsatisfying. Such grand ideas deserve a Really Big Book!