The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories

By: Philip K. Dick

Narrated by: Ray Greenley

Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

What if...a machine could murder one person while implicating another for the crime? An alien being looked like livestock but spoke like a philosopher? Earth was ruined by war, and Mars was humanity's only hope? Robots were created to wage an unending war on the ravaged surface of Earth while man hid underground? Peeking into the future showed a worse result with each look?

In The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories by master of science fiction Philip K. Dick, reality is as thin as imagination. Trust in your senses, your experience, and your expectations if you must. But be warned. What you do not know can leave you - and your world - forever changed!

"The Unreconstructed M" (1957), "Beyond Lies the Wub" (1952), "Strange Eden" (1954), "Survey Team" (1954), "The Defenders" (1953), "Beyond the Door" (1954), "Shell Game" (1954), "Piper in the Woods" (1953), "Meddler" (1954), "Of Withered Apples" (1954), "Progeny" (1954), "Upon the Dull Earth" (1954), "Human Is" (1955).

Public Domain (P)2015 Ray Greenley

Great set of well read stories

What did you love best about The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories?

These are old SiFi stories that do not get the attention they deserve, It is surprising that stories written in the '50s can sill be relevant. Mars colonization, discrimination, and endless war all issues we continue to deal with in the 21st century. Great stories.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories?

Each story has it's moment. So far "Beyond Lies the Wup" is my favorite story. great ending.

What does Ray Greenley bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Ray has a great voice and is easy to listen to. He manages to add life to every thing he reads.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The totality of it. Again great stories that simply do not get the visibility they deserve.

Wubs, Martians, Bad Apples, & Fem Fatales

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, If they were a fan of Old School Sci-Fi

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Ray Greenley?

Maybe someone like Stephen Fry, Patrick Stewart, or Simon Pegg. I think a British accent would have sounded better.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Most likely; most of the stories have an interesting twist to them, which could translate well to the big screen

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast dot com

A Yes for Philip K. Dick fans . . . . 😱

5 is excellent.
4 is good.
This collection of stories has some truly unique plots and plot twists written well by a master story teller.
A few of the stories here are not up to this accolade and some details and descriptions are clearly dated.
A must for fans of P K Dick.
A recommended for fans of the genre.
Probably not for those not in these categories -- but, heh, see for yourself. 😱

A fun assortment of PKD short stories

Would you consider the audio edition of The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories to be better than the print version?

No. Many stories are filled with robotic characters described as having monotone, tinny voices. However having the narrator take this so literally can make some small portions of the audiobook a little grating.

What did you like best about this story?

I'm biased as I'm a fan of Phillip K Dick to begin with, but there is just something about his philosophic scifi noir, deeper, sometimes darker themes maybe, that I love. While there are other modern authors that strike similar tones, Phillip K Dick is still the godfather.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Ray Greenley?

I think it'd be fun to hear Simon Pegg or Andy Serkis's take on the stories.

Who was the most memorable character of The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories and why?

Leroy Beam was the most memorable character for me. So many other characters have these strong motivations driving them. Leroy, on the other hand, is searching for that motivation, unsure of what he wants. That just struck a cord with me.

Any additional comments?

This is an enjoyable collection of Phillip K Dick's short stories. Best in short bursts otherwise the womenizing men and femme fatales may overwhelm you. Never underestimate a book that makes you question owning a cuckoo clock.

I thoroughly enjoyed these short stories.

Where does The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It ranks pretty close to the top. I found each tale to be interesting in its own right and it reminded me of stories from the Outer Limits.

What did you like best about this story?

The science fiction aspect, whether it be based on pseudo-fact or pure imagination.

Which character – as performed by Ray Greenley – was your favorite?

I really like the way Ray Greenley had a different voice for each character. I was especially impressed by his variations of Russian and Irish accents.

Who was the most memorable character of The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories and why?

The bad thing about audio books is that I do not get to see the characters name in print, so they tend to escape me. I think it was Bentley, or Benson. It wasn't so much the character, but the situation itself.

Any additional comments?

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Twilight Zone or Outer Limits, or just science fiction enthusiasts who enjoy audio books.

Thought provoking short stories

TARGET AUDIENCE: Anyone who loves science fiction. These are a compilation of thought provoking short stories.

PROFANITY AND SEX: None, Thank you.

STORY LINE: A collection of short stories. Although a few years old these are terrific stories. They kept my attention and made my long commute a joy.

NARRATOR: The narrator was who really made these stories come alive. Terrific inflection, great accents, and good differentiation between characters.

OVERALL: I absolutely loved this book, and gave it a five-star rating. Would love to read more both from this author, and to listen from this narrator.

An Excellent Introduction into the Worlds of PKD

DISCLAIMER: I received this copy from the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast.

If you have never read any PKD, this is an excellent collection to start with! It provides a variety of short stories that range from supernatural horror to science fiction.

A word of caution, most of these stories are 60-odd years old, and feel dated both in social convention and reader impact. However, for many of these stories it was the first time a particular plot twist had been used! The collection is a very taut read and extremely entertaining.

The audio production is very clean, no muddy audio or obvious edits. Ray Greenley's narration is largely unobtrusive, allowing the listener to absorb each story without undue distraction. Occasionally the cadence sounded forced and stiff. I believe this was due primarily to Mr. Greenley's adherence to clear diction more that anything else, making it very difficult to fault. His characterizations are clear and distinct, and the dialogue, by and large, flows smoothly.

I recommend this collection to any avid reader of science fiction or horror, and will give special consideration to anything, regardless of genre, Mr. Greenley narrates.

As a retro sci-fi fan this really hit the spot

What did you like best about this story?

After finally getting the chance to get in some more PKD, I am very glad I did so. I enjoyed the variety in this collection. Some stories were sad, other raised very interesting questions.There is a definite “retro” feel to these stories (which I enjoy). This is of course because many of the stories were written many decades ago.I also came away with a bit of a “twilight zone” like feeling.

What about Ray Greenley’s performance did you like?

The narration itself was masterfully read by Ray Greenley, with clean and pure audio quality. Ray also does a wonderful job of making each character distinct, so you can better follow the story.

Any additional comments?

I am interested in hearing more PKD stories, especially if read by Ray Greenley.
Disclaimer: I received this title for free in exchange for an unbiased review.

Good collection

l love short stories. in this collection something are better then others, but non are bad and the reader does a great job on all of them

Great stories by one of the great sci-fi writers.

Would you listen to The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories again? Why?

Yes I found the stories to be a great mix of traditional sci-fi with a good mix of horror and supernatural elements thrown in.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories?

There were several stories I really enjoyed, but my favorite was "Beyond Lies the Wup." It presents some interesting moral questions and I love the ending.

Have you listened to any of Ray Greenley’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I have not.

Who was the most memorable character of The Unreconstructed M and Other Stories and why?

Peterson for certain.

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com.