The People Trap: Stories

The People Trap: Stories

by Robert Sheckley

4.3 (62)

4.3 stars from 62 reviews


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Last checked: Jul 3, 2026

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Fans of these authors will like this...

  • Douglas Adams
  • Terry Pratchett
  • Kurt Vonnegut

Fans of these books will like this...

  • The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
  • Slaughterhouse-Five
  • Catch-22

Perfect for you if...

  • You love science fiction that's clever and funny without being preachy, where the humour comes from ideas rather than jokes.
  • You appreciate short stories that can flip your perspective in a few pages, leaving you thinking about them long after you finish.
  • You're a Douglas Adams fan looking for his spiritual predecessor, someone who questions society through absurdist scenarios.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You want hard science fiction grounded in real physics and technical detail.
  • You prefer longer narratives where you can really sink into character development and emotional arcs.
  • You're looking for stories with clear heroes and villains rather than morally muddled situations played for irony.

About this book

A collection of fourteen science fiction stories by Robert Sheckley. "Diplomatic Immunity," one of the stories, was nominated for the Nebula Award. It explores what occurs when an unkillable alien ambassador arrives on Earth to inform its residents that they will join a galactic union regardless of their preference. The collection also includes thirteen additional stories: "The People Trap," "The Victim from Space," "Shall We Have a Little Talk?," "Restricted Area," "The Odor of Thought," "The Necessary Thing," "Redfern's Labyrinth," "Proof of the Pudding," "The Laxian Key," "The Last Weapon," "Fishing Season," "Dreamworld," and "Ghost V." Sheckley was recognized throughout his career by fans, reviewers, and fellow authors as a master storyteller and satirist in science fiction. The New York Times described him as "a precursor to Douglas Adams."

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

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Free$5.00$9.99Mar '21Oct '23Dec '24Feb '26
$1.99$9.99

Currently on sale at $1.99 — 80% off peak. Price has dropped 37 times over the last 5 years. Goes on sale roughly every 51 days. Typically stays discounted for 13 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

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#36,528#551,329#1,066,129Aug '18Aug '23Sep '24Jun '26

Currently around #48K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller.

Rating & Reviews

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3.5★4.3★5.0★Jun '23Nov '23May '24Dec '24Apr '26RatingReviews

Currently 4.3★ from 62 reviews

Review activity has been quiet recently. Rating has dipped slightly from 4.4 to 4.3.

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Free$5.00$9.99Mar '21Oct '23Dec '24Feb '26PredictedJul '26

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $1.99. It typically returns to around $9.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.

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Robert Sheckley

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