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The Defenders Audiobook
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(3.26) - 364 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In The Defenders, the Soviet and American survivors of a nuclear holocaust have created vast underground tunnels, so as to continue the war on the surface via remote control robots. When a robot from the surface is found not to be radioactive, a team of American scientists returns topside to investigate this anomaly. Expecting to see massive devastation, the scientists are unprepared for the shocking truth that awaits them.
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"very predictable in places, but overall a story i quite liked, especially considering the socio-historical and political circumstances under which this has been written. Despite the cheesy ending (PATHOS!!) I'm rating this 4* because of the thought process it's stirred in me."
— Anna (4 out of 5 stars)
The Defenders Listener Reviews
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" Good tale by one of the masters. "
— Jeff, 2/18/2014 -
" Roughly written, but it works as a short story. "
— Angie, 1/29/2014 -
" Yeah but no. "Classic" science fiction story about world destruction via nuclear arms, Russia, robots, and moral lessons. Nothing intriguing now, and I can't imagine that the story was anything groundbreaking at its time of publication either. When people say PK Dick is hit or miss, they're using stories like this in the 'miss' category. "
— Kevin, 1/24/2014 -
" All right, a positive book about robots! Sure, they're against us, but it's for our collective good, really. A truly thought-provoking short story. "
— dejah_thoris, 1/10/2014 -
" 59/100 An average book, with average characters, with an average story. The book is about man living underground during a nuclear war. Robots, called "Leadys" go out on to the radioactive surface and wage war with the soviets. When a couple of leadys come back underground with no radiation particles on them, man begins to suspect something sinister is going on. I won't ruin the ending, but personally, I'd just give this story a miss. "
— Hayesy, 12/31/2013 -
" I like reading "classic" science-fiction, whatever people mean by classic. Some of it ages very well, and some doesn't. Unfortunately, most of the stories in this collection (The defenders and other stories) did not age well. Some of the heavy-handed tone gets boring quickly, and there is a bit too much of the "all-knowing" explaining the good and bad. Still, it's always interesting to read these tales now to get a better glimpse of what sci-fi writers and society were concerned about at the time. "
— Serge, 12/29/2013 -
" A clever story about atomic Armageddon. It could very well be turned into a very good movie. "
— Cristobal, 12/25/2013 -
" A fast read with an interesting plot. If you're into alternative futures you'll like this one. I read it as "The Defenders". "
— Alessandro, 12/3/2013 -
" My first short story by Dick. I'm excited, like I just discovered Asimov for the first time. "
— George, 11/4/2013 -
" Optimistic, but naive. Not a bad read, although it lacked some of the PKD humor I've come to associate with his work. "
— Velma, 7/9/2013 -
" Also very clever. This time, mankind builds robots to continue the war after a nuclear exchange makes the surface uninhabitable. Humanity retreats underground and the robots seal them there while they 'restore' the planet, realising that the war is pointless. "
— Peter, 5/2/2013 -
" Written about 10 years before The Penultimate Truth, which covers some similar ground, this one is worlds stronger. It does in 40 pages what that couldn't in 250. "
— James, 3/27/2013 -
" Another great fiction by a great author. I had high expectations for this one, but it was rather good. "
— Rakan, 12/29/2012 -
" A little long for the one-shot theme. And the librivox volunteer reader pronounces 'leady' as I would say 'Luddie.' Otherwise, though, she's fine, and if you're looking for fun classic SF, or easy & free audio shorts, be thankful with me for librivox and the readers! "
— Cheryl, 9/17/2012 -
" Love knocking out some short sci-fi now and then, he's one of the best "
— Nicholas, 9/11/2012 -
" Your good old basic sci-fi about war, east vs west. "
— Antti, 6/1/2012 -
" Good enough for short story. "
— Johan, 2/28/2012 -
" Good little short story. Predictable ending by the 5th page, like much of PKD's early works, but it is so well written that it does not detract from the reading experience. "
— Michael, 2/1/2012 -
" Great morality short story about man's inability to be civil unless trapped into it. "
— Jim, 5/30/2011 -
" A great utopia short story by a master. fun to read. "
— David, 5/8/2011 -
" My first short story by Dick. I'm excited, like I just discovered Asimov for the first time. "
— George, 4/4/2011 -
" My first short story by Dick. I'm excited, like I just discovered Asimov for the first time. "
— George, 4/4/2011 -
" Good enough for short story. "
— Johan, 12/15/2010 -
" A fast read with an interesting plot. If you're into alternative futures you'll like this one. I read it as "The Defenders". "
— Alessandro, 11/27/2009 -
" A fast read with an interesting plot. If you're into alternative futures you'll like this one. I read it as "The Defenders". "
— Alessandro, 11/27/2009
About Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick (1928–1982) published thirty-six science fiction novels and 121 short stories in which he explored the essence of what makes man human and the dangers of centralized power. Toward the end of his life, his work turned toward deeply personal, metaphysical questions concerning the nature of God. Eleven novels and short stories have been adapted to film, notably Blade Runner (based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), Total Recall, Minority Report, and A Scanner Darkly. The recipient of critical acclaim and numerous awards throughout his career, Dick was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2005, and in 2007 the Library of America published a selection of his novels in three volumes. His work has been translated into more than twenty-five languages.
About Chris Lutkin
Chris Lutkin has been in and around the business of acting for more than twenty-five years. A member of Ensemble Studio Theater for twenty years, his proud moments include being directed by Jerry Zaks in a play called Buddy-Pals and working with Horton Foote on his play Lily Dale playing Horace, and putting in more than four hundred off-Broadway performances in a Perfect Crime.