The Defenders by Philip K. Dick

SFFaudio Online Audio

Italian cover mirroring The Defenders

Did you know that Philip K. Dick’s fifth published story, The Defenders, is public domain? It is!

Like many of Dick’s tales The Defenders this is a post-atomic war story. The planet’s surface devastated, flushed with radioactivity, and has been abandoned. The population now lives in vast underground cities. In their place intelligent robots fight in their place.

I’ve put together a |PDF| from the original publication in Galaxy Science Fiction, which includes terrific illustrations by Ed Emshwiller. And there’s a complete ETEXT version available through Project Gutenberg. And LibriVox has the audiobook edition. Enjoy!

LibriVox - The Defenders by Philip K. DickThe Defenders
By Philip K. Dick; Read by Gregg Margarite
1 |MP3| – Approx. 50 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: May 21, 2009
No weapon has ever been frightful enough to put a stop to war—perhaps because we never before had any that thought for themselves! From Galaxy Science Fiction January 1953.

And here’s the radio drama adaptation:

X-Minus OneX Minus One – The Defenders
Based on the story by Philip K. Dick; Adapted by George Lefferts; Performed by a full cast
1 |MP3| – Approx. 28 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: NBC
Broadcast: May 22, 1956
Provider: Internet Archive
East and West make war above ground with robots while both sides live underground … or do they?

Cast:
Lydia Bruce
Warren Parker
Grant Richards
Mike Ingram
Stan Early

Galaxy January 1953 - The Defenders by Philip K. Dick - illustrated by Ed Emshwiller565

The Defenders by Philip K. Dick illustrated by Ed Emshwiller

The Defenders by Philip K. Dick illustrated by Ed Emshwiller

The Defenders by Philip K. Dick illustrated by Ed Emshwiller

Here’s the X Minus One adaptation that I’ve put together with the original art from its publication in the Galaxy Science Fiction, January 1953 issue:

Posted by Jesse Willis

One thought to “The Defenders by Philip K. Dick”

  1. Jesse,

    First off, I AM NOT A LAWYER AND COPYRIGHT LAW IN THE UNITED STATES IS VERY COMPLICATED. IT’S ALSO A RIGGED GAME.

    Did you make certain the artwork is public domain? If you read the copyright info for the scan of “Adjustment Team” you’ll see it documents both the story and the art are public domain. The copyright on the magazine wasn’t renewed and there wasn’t a renewal on the artwork by the magazine publisher, the artist or anyone else.

    I’m pretty sure the Table of Contents with copyright notice is fair use if it’s not publice domain. But the amount and size of the artwork may be excessive for fair use if it isn’t in the US public domain. I suggest you include more documentation of the public domain status of “The Defenders” to protect yourself from a DMCA takedown notice and possible suit. Since your server is in the US, US copyright law does apply you. NEVER IGNORE A D.M.C.A. NOTICE, RESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO PROTECT YOURSELF. You have to take DMCA notices and threats of lawsuits very seriously. The jurisdiction exists and so does US venue for a lawsuit. Jurisdiction basically refers to whether a law applies to a situation and who can enforce it. (That’s very badly worded. Visit Mr. Dictionary.) Venue basically refers to the physical location of court(s) where it is proper to file a civil suit or hold a criminal trial. If you ignore a suit, expect to lose by default. Repeat, IF YOU IGNORE A SUIT, EXPECT TO LOSE BY DEFAULT.

    If I remember right for a copyright infringement suit venue is the local US district court where the defendant resides in the US if the defendant does reside in the US, if the defendant lives outside the US the venue can be anywhere in the US but I couldn’t tell who got to choose it. I was planning to ask a certain lawyer about this and some other matters. I’ve got an email to you partly written but health problems and other things have delayed my finishing it and sending it to you. It’s more about Registration Renewal RE0000190631 and not something for me to write about in a public forum.

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