Sci-Fi Annotation:

Author: Philip K. Dick

Title: A Maze of Death

Genre: Sci-fi

Publication date: 1970

Number of pages: 190

Geographical setting: Fictional planets: Tekel Upharsin and Delmark-O

Time period: In the distant future after Earth is deemed uninhabitable. 

Plot summary: This book follows fourteen people who have been "reassigned" to a planet called Delmark-O. While each character seems integral to the story, the main character is Seth Morley, a marine biologist. Morley and his wife are reassigned to Delmark-O after Morley prays for a transfer. The prayer is processed by the Interprocessor (One part of a future religion founded by a man named Specktowsky who wrote a book called How I Rose From the Dead in My Spare Time and So Can You, the future Bible equivalent) and Morley and his wife make their way to their newly assigned planet. When they arrive they meet the others, people with various jobs and seemingly nothing in common. No one knows what they've all been reassigned to this planet to do. They have been waiting for everyone to arrive before contacting the satellite that will give them their instructions, but when they try this, the satellite malfunctions and everyone is left wondering what their purpose is. When anyone separates from the group for any extended period, they are mysteriously killed. The remaining inhabitants try to solve the murders and find their purpose amongst strange tiny robots that can seemingly be trained as well as "tenches" that replicate any object set in front of them. Are the 14 part of an experiment? Are they escaped mental patients with no memories? Or are they simply stranded until they're all killed, one by one? 

Subject headings: Sci-fi, Space, Aliens, Distant planets, Spacecraft, Space exploration, theology, religion

Appeal: This book appeals to sci-fi fans because it contains a variety of planets and beings, but also appeals to fans of mysterious tales because of its plot. 

Three terms that describe this book: Futuristic, mysterious, foreboding

Three relevant fiction works and authors:

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury: A book of stories all centering around space travel and exploration. Readers who enjoyed A Maze of Death will also enjoy journeying to other galaxies in this collection. 

2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke: A classic sci-fi novel that spans pre-human existence to the outer reaches of space. Sci-fi fans will appreciate the same notes of space exploration that are present in A Maze of Death. 

Dune by Frank Herbert: Another classic sci-fi novel that also takes place on a fictitious planet. Readers will be able to relate this book to A Maze of Death by drawing parallels of the planets and character perdicaments. 

Three relevant nonfiction works and authors:

Divine Invasions: A Life of Philip K. Dick by Lawrence Sutin: What better way to understand the author behind the book than to read a biography of their life? Readers will gain an understanding of how the author came to be the classic sci-fi writer. 

Mission to Mars by Buzz Aldrin: This book lays out Aldrin's mission to get humans to Mars by 2035. It also speaks to his passion for space exploration. Readers might like to read about a mission to a real planet after finishing A Maze of Death. 

The Smithsonian Atlas of Space Exploration by Roger D. Launius and Andrew K. Johnston: This work focuses on our fascination with space and a pictorial history of our missions to the skies. It contains high quality images from NASA.