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Number

Writing Date

Pub. Date

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72

<Dec 30, 1953

1954

Shell Game

Foster, You’re Dead!

8300 wds

FIRST PUBLICATION

HISTORY:

    Arriving at the SMLA just before the new year on Dec 30, 1953, "Upon The Dull Earth" was first published in Beyond #9 in 1954. Later, it was selected by Rich & Cowan for their 1955 collection A HANDFUL OF DARKNESS and was also included in the 1969 Ace collection, THE PRESERVING MACHINE.

    This is a fantasy story and one of PKD’s best. A witchy girl, Sylvia, invites alien ‘angels’ into her life using animal blood as an attractant. But when she inadvertently cuts herself one day she cannot stop the ‘angels’ from taking her with them. Her boyfriend doesn’t like it and decides to try and bring her back. This he does but things don’t turn out the way he hoped as now all the world seems to be nothing but Sylvia. And when he looks in the mirror…

    PKD’s biographer, Greg Rickman, in a fan poll run by the fanzine For Dickheads Only sees "Upon The Dull Earth" as PKD’s "most important story… More for its importance for Phil's future work and for understanding him, than in objective quality (though it's damn good)"

    If Phil ever wrote a horror story, this must be it. Outré and unsettling "Upon The Dull Earth" rates
ó ó ó ó ó


Other Magazine and Anthology appearances.         More Cover Pix here: aaaPKDickBooks.jpg (3234 bytes)

1955 A HANDFUL OF DARKNESS, Rich & Cowan, hb, ?,?,? (?)  
1969 tpm3a.jpg (4125 bytes) THE PRESERVING MACHINE And Other Stories Ace, pb, 67800, ?,? (?)       
1974   THE 2nd MAYFLOWER BOOK OF BLACK MAGIC STORIES, Mayflower, ?. ?,?, (?) {Ed. Parry}  
1987 csopkd3a.jpg (7120 bytes) THE COLLECTED STORIES OF PKD, Vol.3  
1988   FINE FRIGHTS, Tor, ?,?,?,? (?) {Ed. Campbell}  
??? Angels1.jpg (5946 bytes) ANGELS! Ace, pb, ?, 1995, 225pp, $4.99 (Den Beauvais) {Ed. Dann, Dozois} 0-441-00220-X,  
       

NOTES:

    Fan fave: Most Important Story: "Upon The Dull Earth". More for its importance for Phil's future work and for understanding him, than in objective quality (though it's damn good) -- Gregg Rickman, CA


Collector’s Notes

Ken Lopez: "Upon The Dull Earth" in Beyond #9, 1954 (1st). FAIR. . Signed by the author. Waterlogged; signature blurring. $85

Rudy’s Books: "Upon the Dull Earth" in Beyond #9, 1954 (1st). VG. $7


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