The Zap Gun
Encyclopedia
The Zap Gun is a 1967 science fiction
novel by Philip K. Dick
. The novel was expanded from his novella
Project Plowshare
, which was first published as a serial
in the November 1965 and January 1966 issues of Worlds Of Tomorrow magazine.
between the United States
and its allies and the Soviet Union
and its allies. At the elite governmental level, however, both "sides" have secretly come to an agreement. They have decided that, instead of continuing the ecologically and economically crippling nuclear and conventional arms race, they will pretend to be constantly developing new weapons, which are then "plowshared." This means that these items are transformed into novel but baroque consumer products. Most of these weapon designers are mediums
, who create their new designs in trance states.
One Wes-Bloc weapons designer, Lars Powderdry (Mr. Lars of Mr. Lars Incorporated) is the central character. He is depressed that his industry is little more than a fraud, as none of his "weapons" are functional, having become fashion items instead. His female Peep-East counterpart is Lilo Topchev, whom he knows nothing about. He also has a mistress, Maren Faine, head of the Paris branch of Mr. Lars, Incorporated.
Apart from the comic overtones of this deception, there is a subplot related to alien invasion
. Sirius-based aliens invade Earth, and are determined to enslave its populace. The aliens' first target is New Orleans, which is enshrouded in a "gray curtain of death." Earth has a problem, given the deceptive nature of its arms race and the absence of functional weapons technology. Lilo immediately tries to kill Lars, despite the intentions of their blocs otherwise, but eventually they collaborate. Neither can design functional weapons, however.
There is a further subplot about a conspiracy theorist, who is elected as an "average man" to the governing body of Wes-Bloc.
The conclusion involves an eclectic mixture of time travel, androids, drugs, toys, and comic books.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
. The novel was expanded from his novella
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
Project Plowshare
Project Plowshare
"Project Plowshare" is a novella by Philip K. Dick, first published as a serial, in the November 1965 and January 1966 issues of "Worlds Of Tomorrow" magazine, with illustrations by Gray Morrow. It was later expanded into the novel The Zap Gun....
, which was first published as a serial
Serial (literature)
In literature, a serial is a publishing format by which a single large work, most often a work of narrative fiction, is presented in contiguous installments—also known as numbers, parts, or fascicles—either issued as separate publications or appearing in sequential issues of a single periodical...
in the November 1965 and January 1966 issues of Worlds Of Tomorrow magazine.
Plot summary
This novel is set in a then-future 2004. There is still a (theoretical) Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and its allies and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and its allies. At the elite governmental level, however, both "sides" have secretly come to an agreement. They have decided that, instead of continuing the ecologically and economically crippling nuclear and conventional arms race, they will pretend to be constantly developing new weapons, which are then "plowshared." This means that these items are transformed into novel but baroque consumer products. Most of these weapon designers are mediums
Mediumship
Mediumship is described as a form of communication with spirits. It is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Voodoo and Umbanda.- Concept :...
, who create their new designs in trance states.
One Wes-Bloc weapons designer, Lars Powderdry (Mr. Lars of Mr. Lars Incorporated) is the central character. He is depressed that his industry is little more than a fraud, as none of his "weapons" are functional, having become fashion items instead. His female Peep-East counterpart is Lilo Topchev, whom he knows nothing about. He also has a mistress, Maren Faine, head of the Paris branch of Mr. Lars, Incorporated.
Apart from the comic overtones of this deception, there is a subplot related to alien invasion
Alien invasion
The alien invasion is a common theme in science fiction stories and film, in which extraterrestrial life invades Earth either to exterminate and supplant human life, enslave it under a colonial system, harvest humans for food, steal the planet's resources, or destroy the planet altogether.The...
. Sirius-based aliens invade Earth, and are determined to enslave its populace. The aliens' first target is New Orleans, which is enshrouded in a "gray curtain of death." Earth has a problem, given the deceptive nature of its arms race and the absence of functional weapons technology. Lilo immediately tries to kill Lars, despite the intentions of their blocs otherwise, but eventually they collaborate. Neither can design functional weapons, however.
There is a further subplot about a conspiracy theorist, who is elected as an "average man" to the governing body of Wes-Bloc.
The conclusion involves an eclectic mixture of time travel, androids, drugs, toys, and comic books.