Philip K. Dick's 'The Rule of the Machines: 5 Sci-Fi Titles in One Edition' is a collection of five science fiction stories that delve into the consequences of a world dominated by machines. Dick's writing style is characterized by its introspective nature and thought-provoking themes, often exploring the blurred lines between reality and illusion. This collection showcases his ability to create intricate plots filled with ethical dilemmas and existential questions that challenge the reader's perception of the world. Set in futuristic settings, each story offers a unique perspective on humanity's relationship with technology and the potential dangers of relying too heavily on artificial intelligence. It is a must-read for fans of speculative fiction and philosophical inquiries into the impact of technology on society. Philip K. Dick's deep understanding of human nature and his ability to craft compelling narratives make this collection a thought-provoking exploration of the intersection between man and machine.

One of Bennett's most famous novel, Claimed, narrates the tale of a supernatural artifact which summons an ancient and powerful god to early 20th century New Jersey. Augustus T. Swift called the novel, "One of the strangest and most compelling science fantasy novels you will ever read"). Excerpt: "From where we stood the illusion of ruins was nearly perfect, and indeed — who knows? — we may to-day have looked upon the last surviving trace of some ancient city, flung up from the abyss that engulfed it ages before the brief history we have of the race of man began. I would have liked to investigate the "ruins" more closely, but thought best not to attempt it. From many fissures hot, ill-smelling, and probably poisonous vapor is still pouring up, and though the rock is sufficiently cool so that it is possible to walk on it, I deemed it safer to confine exploration to a comparatively small space near our landing-place."

Honath and his fellow arch-doubters did not believe in the Giants, and for this they were cast into Hell. And when survival depended upon unwavering faith in their beliefs, they saw that there were Giants, after all.... The Thing in the Attic To Pay the Piper One-Shot

A ship heading from Earth to Athena, a planet 500 light years away, is suddenly attacked by the Gerns, an alien empire in its expansion phase. People aboard are divided by the invaders into Acceptables and Rejects. The Acceptables would become slave labor for the Gerns on Athena, and the Rejects are forced ashore on the nearest 'Earth-like' planet, called Ragnarok. The Gerns say they will return for the Rejects, but the Rejects quickly realise that that isn't going to happen.

Adjustment Team – Don't like what you see? Leave it to the adjustment team to "fix" your reality. This story was also adapted into a successful movie featuring Matt Damon._x000D_ The Defenders – The USA and Soviet Union are engaged in a long nuclear war, but can the robots defend the humanity or be the end of it?_x000D_ The Unreconstructed M – An independent researcher uncovers a plot to falsify evidence in a world where the technology used to solve crimes has advanced..._x000D_ Breakfast at Twilight – A family strangely finds itself in the middle of a nuclear war but they have the option of going back to their own time-continuum or escape their fate altogether...

Baksidestext: "Welga Ramirez, executive bodyguard and ex-special forces, is about to retire early when her client is killed in front of her. It's, 2095 and people don't usually die from violence. Humanity is entirely dependent on pills that not only help them stay alive but allow them to compete with artificial intelligence in an increasingly competitive gig economy. Machinehood is a thrilling and thought-provoking novel that asks: if we won't see machines as human, will we instead see humans as machines?"

This carefully edited collection of Sci-Fi sotiries of Philip K. Dick has been designed and formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Table of Contents: Second Variety The Variable Man Adjustment Team The Hanging Stranger The Eyes Have It The Skull Mr. Spaceship Beyond the Door Beyond Lies the Wub The Golden Man The Gun The Defenders Tony and the Beetles The Crystal Crypt Upon the Dull Earth Piper in the Woods Of Withered Apples The Unreconstructed M The Turning Wheel The Last of the Masters James P. Crow Prominent Author Small Town Survey Team Sales Pitch Breakfast at Twilight The Crawlers Exhibit Piece Meddler Souvenir Progeny Strange Eden Human Is Foster, You're Dead

This carefully edited collection has been designed and formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Herbert George Wells (1866-1946), known as H. G. Wells, was a prolific English writer in many genres, including the novel, history, politics, and social commentary, and textbooks and rules for war games. His most notable science fiction works include The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, The Invisible Man, and The War of the Worlds. Table of Contents: The Time Machine The War of The Worlds The Island of Doctor Moreau The Invisible Man The First Men in the Moon When the Sleeper Wakes The Shape of Things to Come The Food of the Gods In the Days of the Comet A Modern Utopia The War in the Air The Chronic Argonauts In the Abyss The Star The Crystal Egg

A call-to-arms about the broken nature of artificial intelligence, and the powerful corporations that are turning the human-machine relationship on its head. We like to think that we are in control of the future of "artificial" intelligence. The reality, though, is that we -- the everyday people whose data powers AI -- aren't actually in control of anything. When, for example, we speak with Alexa, we contribute that data to a system we can't see and have no input into -- one largely free from regulation or oversight. The big nine corporations -- Amazon, Google, Facebook, Tencent, Baidu, Alibaba, Microsoft, IBM and Apple--are the new gods of AI and are short-changing our futures to reap immediate financial gain. In this book, Amy Webb reveals the pervasive, invisible ways in which the foundations of AI -- the people working on the system, their motivations, the technology itself -- is broken. Within our lifetimes, AI will, by design, begin to behave unpredictably, thinking and acting in ways which defy human logic. The big nine corporations may be inadvertently building and enabling vast arrays of intelligent systems that don't share our motivations, desires, or hopes for the future of humanity. Much more than a passionate, human-centered call-to-arms, this book delivers a strategy for changing course, and provides a path for liberating us from algorithmic decision-makers and powerful corporations.

Second Variety – A nuclear war between the Soviet Union and the West has reduced much of the world to a barren wasteland. The war continues, however, among the scattered remains of humanity. The Western forces have developed "claws", which are autonomous self-replicating robots to fight on their side... The Last of the Masters – An old and ageing robot is a benevolent dictator of the last remnants of humanity, but the Anarchists want him gone. Will the machines and humans never understand each other? The Defenders – The USA and Soviet Union are engaged in a long nuclear war, but can the robots defend the humanity or be the end of it? Sales Pitch – An unwanted sales-pitching robot is the sole company of his master on a long flight... James P. Crow – Robots have totally moved the society away from war and anarchism but the humans begrudge being inferior to them. It now remains up to James P. Crow to remove the robots from the earth and "de-integrate" the society...