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| Plot Summary of Can You Feel Anything When I Do This? |
"Sheckley has a reputation in science fiction as a humorous writer. There's plenty to amuse in this 1971 collection, but many of the stories also center around issues of perception: What's real? What is truth? Can we change our perception or character? There's the hugely entertaining "Cordle To Onion To Carrot," in which a milquetoast turns aggressive and rude on overseas trips, to "The Mnemone," a bittersweet tale set in a repressive near-future with little culture or history, and a man who remembers snatches of literature and ideas can sell them to people on the street while avoiding the law. A restaurateur, waiter, and their single regular client take turns telling their story of the relationship's growth and collapse. In the title story, a mechanical appliance strives to meet ALL a human female's needs. A human explorer tries every way he can to outwit a simple robot who is barring him from re-entry to a base camp because he doesn't know the new password. A marvelous collection of stories."
David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Can You Feel Anything When I Do This? |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book
- very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- part earth & part fantasy world
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story
Yes
Plotlets:
- stranded on alien planet, fighting aliens to survive
Romance
Yes
Robots, Computers, VR
Yes
Robot, PC, VR Plotlets:
- good robot(s)
Inner Struggle
Yes
Plotlet:
- search for identity/new understanding
War or Invasion
Yes
Major kinds of combat:
- hand to hand
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Terrain
- Desert
Earth setting:
- 20th century
- near future (later in 21st century)
- medium future 22-24th century
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Planet outside solar system?
Yes
Takes place in spaceship?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 1st
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- none/very little science jargon needed
Sex in book?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references only
- doing it with a robot/computer
How much dialogue?
- little dialog
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Click here for more information about this book
Robert Sheckley Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
Vladimir Kokorev 
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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