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Quick TV Review: ‘The Man In the High Castle’

Intergalactic Expo wasn’t as enjoyable as it could have been. But that was mostly due to me. I went to bed too late the night before and so was tired. But you know, even though I turned down purchasing table space there for my books, one of the organizers came up to me and said my space was reserved. I didn’t believe her until I walked over to a corner on the second floor of West Sacramento’s City Hall, where part of the con was held, and lo and behold! Taped to the wall was a paper sign with my name written in marker! Just the space, no table which I’m glad because I’m not paying for a table I didn’t give my consent on. I didn’t have any of my books with me to present, anyway. But it was really nice that the organizers considered me, so I give them credit for that.

The Man In the High Castle: A Mini TV Review 

 
A vintage Sony portable television sits on a wooden surface.
Credit: Pixabay.com


For the first time in my life, I watched the very first episode of Amazon’s The Man In the High Castle a couple nights ago. It was really neat. The series is based on Philip K. Dick’s novel of the same name. It’s set in an alternative 1960s, after Nazi Germany and Japan won the second world war. It has plenty of suspense and great characters that you can actually sympathize with, unlike too many of these overly typical or stale TV characters in speculative programs today. Those seem to be based on some Hollywood violence exploitation action hero template. But not the characters in High Castle. This series’ characters are life-like and at least show potential to love humanity rather than just their own motives. Even the Axis Power characters show some of this potential as brutal as they are, a brutality that gives viewers the sense of just how horrible fascism can be. That level of realism can even serve as a warning for our own times.

Episode one of High Castle can be watched for free on Amazon’s YouTube channel.  If you are new to this series like me (I haven’t even read the book yet, as much of a Philip K. Dick fan that I am) then I strongly suggest you check it out there as soon as possible. It can disappear anytime (as with many YouTube videos).


A castle floats above clouds as a bird of prey flies by and a flying machine floats in the background.
Credit: Pixabay.com


Memorial Day Weekend Catch-Up


I’ve been trying to catch up with my fiction projects and even though I’ve been making some progress it’s not as much as I’d like. I’m going to try to get some more work done on them through this three day weekend since it will give me more time to get caught up. I hope to have more progress to report by next week. Enjoy the rest of the Memorial Day weekend.


Until next time . . .  
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