Can't Remember the Name of the Story

[DaveNJ]

I've been trying to remember this story for a while now. The Earth has been dominated by semi-sentient nanotechnology that humans used in a war with each other. The only remaining vestige of humanity is a UN-operated moon base. The story takes place on the ground and is about the different models of machines, that have now taken on human appearance.

I keep thinking it's called "The Third Type" or "The Third Model".

[kibitzer]

Was this in print, or a graphic novel? Because that sounds naggingly familiar to me, as a graphic novel.

Actually no. Now I think about it, maybe it WAS print.

[Jason M]

Ah, that would be Screamers.  

[Jason M]

That's the movie title.  The print story was Version (?) I don't remember the number.

[kibitzer]

OK, it was from a Philip K Dick short story called "Second Variety." I recently read a whole bunch of Dick stuff which is why it sounded familiar.

[Jason M]

Kibitzer, that's the one.  I had read the story while in junior high or high school.  I didn't know that was what the movie was based on.  So while it was cool to have read the story, it was also upsetting, since I knew where it was heading.

[DaveNJ]

OK, it was from a Philip K Dick short story called "Second Variety." I recently read a whole bunch of Dick stuff which is why it sounded familiar.

Thank you! This thing's been tickling the back of my brain for months now. I've been burning through Dick's longer stuff, so I haven't looked at his short stories in a while.

Thanks so much.

[kibitzer]

You read Ubik, Dave? That's probably my fave.

[DaveNJ]

Not quite there yet. I'm going book by book, and I'm half done "Do Androids Dream..." in the four-novel collection, so "Ubik"'s next.

[stePH]

Not quite there yet. I'm going book by book, and I'm half done "Do Androids Dream..." in the four-novel collection, so "Ubik"'s next.

It's fun to read Dick stories after having seen the films they are "based on" (using the term extremely loosely there [unless the film is A Scanner Darkly]).  "The Minority Report", "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", "Paycheck", and Do Androids Dream ... are almost unrecognizable from their film versions (though I did read "Paycheck" first.) 

I haven't read "Second Variety" yet and only vaguely remember the movie Screamers, and I've neither seen the film Identity nor read the story of the same title.

* * *
Does anybody know which PKD story inspired Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? 

[kibitzer]

PKD and ESotSM? I think there is no connection there at all.

[lowky]

The basic premise borrows a page from Phillip K. Dick. On the heels of a devastating breakup with his girlfriend, sad sack Joel Barish discovers that his ex was so desperate to be rid of him that she visited a crackpot doctor who offered the chance to have Joel completely erased from her memory.

This was all I could find and mention that the screenplay writer has been influenced by him.

Another article just talks about how obsessed with memory PKD was and that his influence is seen everywhere now.  It also mentioned Truman show being an idea from a 1959 PKD story.

[stePH]

PKD and ESotSM? I think there is no connection there at all.

Which is why I added