Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick Episode #56

Philip K. Dick | February 7, 2023

Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick Episode #56
Philip K. Dick

PROMINENT AUTHOR

Episode #56 · Written by Philip K. Dick · Narrated by Scott Miller

A daily commute through a futuristic teleportation tunnel turns one office worker into an unexpected god to a microscopic civilization living between dimensions. But when curiosity and pride collide with corporate oversight, the biggest danger may not be the tiny world he helps—but the one he lives in.

What if a commuter became a god by accident? In Prominent Author, Philip K. Dick introduces Henry Ellis, a perfectly ordinary man with a perfectly ordinary job—until the invention of the Jiffi-scuttler changes everything. The device is designed to eliminate travel time entirely, creating a tunnel through another dimension that allows instant transport between two points on Earth. For most people, it’s just a new convenience. For Henry, it becomes a doorway into something no one ever expected: a miniature civilization hidden inside the dimensional passage.

Each morning, inside the gray shimmering tunnel, Henry discovers new groups of tiny beings—no bigger than insects—watching him in awe. They see him as a giant, a god, a source of knowledge beyond comprehension. When they begin handing him microscopic notes written in an unknown language, he does what any bored, overlooked office worker might secretly do: he answers them. Through a translated exchange of questions and answers, Henry becomes their oracle, their leader, their prophet—without ever leaving for work late.

But every act of guidance has consequences, and Henry soon realizes that he is not simply helping a culture—he is altering it. What began as innocent curiosity turns into cultural transformation, religious ritual, and historical upheaval. And when Henry’s employer discovers that the Jiffi-scuttler has a “leak” into another world and that he’s been using company tech for unapproved interdimensional communication, everything collapses. Henry has to choose what matters more: the fragile civilization that sees him as divine—or the life and reputation he spent 25 years building.

Prominent Author is brilliant early Philip K. Dick: a story that starts with a joke and ends with a question so large it’s still relevant today—what happens when technology doesn’t just change our world, but someone else’s?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Philip K. Dick was a pioneer of psychological and philosophical science fiction. His work explores realities layered inside realities, the dangers of unchecked corporations, and the ways ordinary people stumble into extraordinary situations. His stories inspired films like Blade Runner, Total Recall, The Adjustment Bureau, and Minority Report, and his influence continues across literature, film, and television.

This story showcases the playfulness and bite of Dick’s 1950s fiction: fast-paced dialogue, dark humor, social critique, and a twist ending that reframes everything. It’s a small story about a small world—but it asks big questions about power, responsibility, and the human need to feel important.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to Prominent Author by Philip K. Dick — a vintage science fiction tale of teleportation, tiny civilizations, and one man who accidentally becomes a god.