The Man in the High Castle is an award-winning novel by the science fiction writer, Philip K. Dick. The Allies lost World War II, leaving the Germans and Japanese to rule the world. The United States has been divided between these two powers, bringing slavery back to the South and imprisonment and death to the Jews. In San Francisco, a Jewish man lives in fear of discovery as he struggles to make a simple living in a city ruled by the very enemy he fought in the war. In Colorado, this man's wife hides from the disappointments of life, only to find herself forced to fight for what she believes is right. It is a world turned on its ear, where people as diverse as the country itself find themselves working together for the greater good.

Robert Childan owns the American Artisan Handicrafts, Inc, a shop designed to sell American history objects to Japanese collectors. Childan is forced to disappoint a Trade Mission official when he cannot find a poster the official has requested. Childan arranges to bring other objects, intent on pleasing his customers. Childan is very uncomfortable around the Japanese people, often afraid of making some sort of mistake that will ruin his reputation and his business. However, as Childan befriends a Japanese couple, he finds himself placed in a position where he must defend his culture or forever find himself bending under these people. Childan defends some handmade jewelry created by a couple Americans and not only finds a new confidence in himself, but gains the respect of this Japanese couple.

Frank Frink is a veteran of the war, who once hated the Japanese so much that he intended to kill as many as he could. However, Frank has softened over the years and is learning to get along with these people. Frank is simply trying to get by. Frank has lost his job because he spoke his mind to his boss. Frank goes to try to get his job back, but learns he has already been replaced. Frank speaks with his foreman, who suggests the two of them go into business together. Frank was making replica Colt .44's for sale in antique stores, but his foreman suggests that they make original jewelry. Frank consults the oracle and decides that this will be a good business.

Frank and his partner trick their ex-boss into giving them the money they need to start their business by informing Robert Childan that the Colt .44's their boss has been selling him are replicas. Frank and his partner take this money and make several pieces of jewelry. They try to sell the jewelry to Childan, but Childan is only interested in taking the jewelry on consignment. Frank becomes concerned, knowing that it is possible they will lose their investment. Frank thinks about leaving the business, but before he can decide, he is arrested. Frank is charged with being a Jew and is jailed to await transport back to Germany. However, the Trade Mission official decides not to give permission for this and orders Frank's immediate release.

Trade Mission official, Tacomi, is expecting a businessman from Sweden to come and speak to him about injection molds. Tacomi quickly discovers, however, that this man, Mr. Baynes, is not a Swede, but most likely a German. Not only this, but Mr. Baynes refuses to meet with Tacomi until an old man from Japan arrives. When this old man arrives, Tacomi recognizes him as a Japanese general and understands the nature of the meeting. Baynes is a German general, who informs both the Japanese general and Tacomi of an operation to bomb Japan. To stop Baynes, the German secret police send two men to arrest Baynes. Tacomi stops them by killing them with his Colt .44, an object he bought from Childan. Tacomi is depressed by his own actions, since they go against his spirituality, but overcomes this depression.

Juliana Frink is Frank's ex-wife. Juliana has met a man she believes to be Italian. This man introduces Juliana to a controversial book, The Grasshopper Lies Heavy and suggests they go to visit the writer. Juliana is excited because she finds the book, a fictional account of what the world would be like if the Allies had won the war, fascinating. However, when Juliana learns this man is really a German assassin sent to kill the writer, she kills him and then goes to warn the writer. Upon finishing the book, Juliana realizes the writer used the oracle to write the book and she wants to know why. Juliana learns that the book is the truth and that it is supposed to teach its readers about the reality of the world.