The People Trap: Stories

The People Trap: Stories

by Robert Sheckley

4.3 (62)

4.3 stars from 62 reviews


$1.99Deal80% off peak

Last checked: Jul 20, 2026

Price history: $1.99 $9.99

Buy now — this is the lowest price we've seen.

Price range: $1.99 $9.99

Buy on Amazon - $1.99

0 readers are tracking this book's price

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."

Get the best deal every time

We track price drops, sale patterns, and predict when this book will go on offer next.

Price History

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

Sign up to unlock
Free$5.00$9.99Mar '21Jan '24May '25Jul '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 14 days.

Sales Rank

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

Sign up to unlock
#36,528#551,329#1,066,129Aug '18Sep '23Nov '24Jul '26

Currently around #94K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Climbing the charts — 25% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Sign up to unlock
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.

Sale Prediction

Sign up to unlock
Free$5.00$9.99Mar '21Jan '24May '25Jul '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.

Curious how prices and deals move across the whole Kindle store? See the latest findings in The Kindle Report

Never miss a deal on this book

Create a free account to unlock full price history charts, sale predictions, and get notified instantly when the price drops.

Robert Sheckley

1 book on Vagrant Press

View all books →

More Literary Fiction books you might like

View all Literary Fictionbooks →

Today's Best Deals

View all deals →
Strange Sally Diamond
Strange Sally Diamond

by Liz Nugent

$1.99Deal
4.2 (40,088)
$1.99$14.99
What to Expect When You're Expecting: (Updated in 2025)
What to Expect When You're Expecting: (Updated in 2025)

by Heidi Murkoff

$8.99Deal
4.8 (30,761)
$2.99$11.99
Morning Star
Morning Star

by Newcomb, Kerry

$0.99DealHidden GemHighly rated but flying under the radar. Fewer readers have found this one yet.
4.6 (47)
Free$4.99
Before We Were Yours: A Novel
Before We Were Yours: A Novel

by Lisa Wingate

$1.99Deal
4.6 (158,897)
$1.99$13.99
Bared to You (Crossfire, Book 1)
Bared to You (Crossfire, Book 1)

by Sylvia Day

$3.99Deal
4.3 (37,968)
$1.99$9.99
Buy The People Trap: Stories on Amazon - $1.99

Affiliate link. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.