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Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? #1
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? 1
San Francisco lies under a cloud of radioactive dust. The World War has killed millions, driving entire species to extinction and sending mankind off-planet. Those who remained coveted any living creature, and for people who couldn’t afford one, companies built incredibly realistic fakes: horses, birds, cats, sheep . . . even humans. Rick Deckard is an officially sanctioned bounty hunter tasked to find six rogue androids—they’re machines, but look, sound, and think like humans—clever, and most of all, dangerous humans.
[Philip K. Dick’s award-winning Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? served as the basis for the film BLADE RUNNER. BOOM! Studios presents the complete novel transplanted into the comic book medium, mixing all-new panel-to-panel continuity with the actual text from the novel in an innovative, ground-breaking 24-issue maxi-series.]
[Philip K. Dick’s award-winning Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? served as the basis for the film BLADE RUNNER. BOOM! Studios presents the complete novel transplanted into the comic book medium, mixing all-new panel-to-panel continuity with the actual text from the novel in an innovative, ground-breaking 24-issue maxi-series.]
144 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2011
433 people are currently reading
4931 people want to read
About the author
Philip K. Dick
2,006 books22.4k followersPhilip Kindred Dick was a prolific American science fiction author whose work has had a lasting impact on literature, cinema, and popular culture. Known for his imaginative narratives and profound philosophical themes, Dick explored the nature of reality, the boundaries of human identity, and the impact of technology and authoritarianism on society. His stories often blurred the line between the real and the artificial, challenging readers to question their perceptions and beliefs.
Raised in California, Dick began writing professionally in the early 1950s, publishing short stories in various science fiction magazines. He quickly developed a distinctive voice within the genre, marked by a fusion of science fiction concepts with deep existential and psychological inquiry. Over his career, he authored 44 novels and more than 100 short stories, many of which have become classics in the field.
Recurring themes in Dick's work include alternate realities, simulations, corporate and government control, mental illness, and the nature of consciousness. His protagonists are frequently everyday individuals—often paranoid, uncertain, or troubled—caught in surreal and often dangerous circumstances that force them to question their environment and themselves. Works such as Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, and A Scanner Darkly reflect his fascination with perception and altered states of consciousness, often drawing from his own experiences with mental health struggles and drug use.
One of Dick’s most influential novels is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s iconic film Blade Runner. The novel deals with the distinction between humans and artificial beings and asks profound questions about empathy, identity, and what it means to be alive. Other adaptations of his work include Total Recall, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, and The Man in the High Castle, each reflecting key elements of his storytelling—uncertain realities, oppressive systems, and the search for truth. These adaptations have introduced his complex ideas to audiences well beyond the traditional readership of science fiction.
In the 1970s, Dick underwent a series of visionary and mystical experiences that had a significant influence on his later writings. He described receiving profound knowledge from an external, possibly divine, source and documented these events extensively in what became known as The Exegesis, a massive and often fragmented journal. These experiences inspired his later novels, most notably the VALIS trilogy, which mixes autobiography, theology, and metaphysics in a narrative that defies conventional structure and genre boundaries.
Throughout his life, Dick faced financial instability, health issues, and periods of personal turmoil, yet he remained a dedicated and relentless writer. Despite limited commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation grew steadily, and he came to be regarded as one of the most original voices in speculative fiction. His work has been celebrated for its ability to fuse philosophical depth with gripping storytelling and has influenced not only science fiction writers but also philosophers, filmmakers, and futurists.
Dick’s legacy continues to thrive in both literary and cinematic spheres. The themes he explored remain urgently relevant in the modern world, particularly as technology increasingly intersects with human identity and governance. The Philip K. Dick Award, named in his honor, is presented annually to distinguished works of science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. His writings have also inspired television series, academic studies, and countless homages across media.
Through his vivid imagination and unflinching inquiry into the nature of existence, Philip K. Dick redefined what science fiction could achieve. His work continues to challenge and inspire, offering timeless insights into the human condition a
Raised in California, Dick began writing professionally in the early 1950s, publishing short stories in various science fiction magazines. He quickly developed a distinctive voice within the genre, marked by a fusion of science fiction concepts with deep existential and psychological inquiry. Over his career, he authored 44 novels and more than 100 short stories, many of which have become classics in the field.
Recurring themes in Dick's work include alternate realities, simulations, corporate and government control, mental illness, and the nature of consciousness. His protagonists are frequently everyday individuals—often paranoid, uncertain, or troubled—caught in surreal and often dangerous circumstances that force them to question their environment and themselves. Works such as Ubik, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, and A Scanner Darkly reflect his fascination with perception and altered states of consciousness, often drawing from his own experiences with mental health struggles and drug use.
One of Dick’s most influential novels is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which served as the basis for Ridley Scott’s iconic film Blade Runner. The novel deals with the distinction between humans and artificial beings and asks profound questions about empathy, identity, and what it means to be alive. Other adaptations of his work include Total Recall, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, and The Man in the High Castle, each reflecting key elements of his storytelling—uncertain realities, oppressive systems, and the search for truth. These adaptations have introduced his complex ideas to audiences well beyond the traditional readership of science fiction.
In the 1970s, Dick underwent a series of visionary and mystical experiences that had a significant influence on his later writings. He described receiving profound knowledge from an external, possibly divine, source and documented these events extensively in what became known as The Exegesis, a massive and often fragmented journal. These experiences inspired his later novels, most notably the VALIS trilogy, which mixes autobiography, theology, and metaphysics in a narrative that defies conventional structure and genre boundaries.
Throughout his life, Dick faced financial instability, health issues, and periods of personal turmoil, yet he remained a dedicated and relentless writer. Despite limited commercial success during his lifetime, his reputation grew steadily, and he came to be regarded as one of the most original voices in speculative fiction. His work has been celebrated for its ability to fuse philosophical depth with gripping storytelling and has influenced not only science fiction writers but also philosophers, filmmakers, and futurists.
Dick’s legacy continues to thrive in both literary and cinematic spheres. The themes he explored remain urgently relevant in the modern world, particularly as technology increasingly intersects with human identity and governance. The Philip K. Dick Award, named in his honor, is presented annually to distinguished works of science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. His writings have also inspired television series, academic studies, and countless homages across media.
Through his vivid imagination and unflinching inquiry into the nature of existence, Philip K. Dick redefined what science fiction could achieve. His work continues to challenge and inspire, offering timeless insights into the human condition a
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 326 reviews
May 21, 2014
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is my favorite Philip K Dick novel. More than that, really. It's probably one of my favorite novels in general. One of the foundation stones of the genre.
So I was curious about this graphic novelization. I read an increasing number of comics these days. And I've been approached by people who wanted to adapt my books into graphic novels. I like to see how different adaptations are done, so that when I do decide to let someone adapt mine, I can do it in a smart way...
The interesting thing here is that this adaptation is using the full text of the novels. Which, technically, probably makes it an elaborately illustrated novel. Rather than a graphic novel adaptation.
In general, I think this was a mixed success.
Mind you, I'm not damming with faint praise here. It is interesting, and the thought of keeping the full text is an interesting one. It shows respect, even veneration for the original story. That's a good thing.
But the result is something that's neither fish nor fowl. It's not a comic and it's not a novel. And it suffers because of that. Chained to the original text, this adaptation couldn't take full advantage of the strengths of the comic medium. The text of what was a short, sharp, clever novel becomes a rather long, boggy, texty comic.
What's more, you're committing to buying six pricey comics to get the whole story that you could ordinarily buy in a 7 dollar paperback.
So. This adaptation is interesting, but not stunning. And it transforms what I consider a six-star book into a 3.5-4 star comic.
So I was curious about this graphic novelization. I read an increasing number of comics these days. And I've been approached by people who wanted to adapt my books into graphic novels. I like to see how different adaptations are done, so that when I do decide to let someone adapt mine, I can do it in a smart way...
The interesting thing here is that this adaptation is using the full text of the novels. Which, technically, probably makes it an elaborately illustrated novel. Rather than a graphic novel adaptation.
In general, I think this was a mixed success.
Mind you, I'm not damming with faint praise here. It is interesting, and the thought of keeping the full text is an interesting one. It shows respect, even veneration for the original story. That's a good thing.
But the result is something that's neither fish nor fowl. It's not a comic and it's not a novel. And it suffers because of that. Chained to the original text, this adaptation couldn't take full advantage of the strengths of the comic medium. The text of what was a short, sharp, clever novel becomes a rather long, boggy, texty comic.
What's more, you're committing to buying six pricey comics to get the whole story that you could ordinarily buy in a 7 dollar paperback.
So. This adaptation is interesting, but not stunning. And it transforms what I consider a six-star book into a 3.5-4 star comic.
March 13, 2018
This version of Dick's classic science fiction novel is a kind of illustrated novelization, not a graphic novel version. They don't even list who is doing the adaptation, but instead list two editors. The art, which just, as I said, illustrates the story, is done by Tony Parker. It is a deluxe hard cover edition with a collection of endnotes and letters to Dick, including one I read closely by Ed Brubaker, but they are writing about Dick's novel, not this novelization, of course.
I am at this reading slow (re-)reading with my spring 2018 cli-fi class the original novel, slow-viewing the 1982 film adaptation of Blade Runner by Ridley Scott as we go, and my mid-book, mid-film impression is that while the film is very good, it robs Deckard of most of the humanity and struggle Dick insists on in his book. (I will also see the new 2049 film at some point, too).
Like the film, this novelization is both slick and dark, but the film is a work of art that creates its own filmic images and action to respond to and enact Dick's narrative. The book has too many words to be an effective poetic rendition of the book or contemporary statement on the relevance of Dick's future to our present. And this is just the first of two volumes. Oh, yeah, I'll read the second half, sure. . .
I am at this reading slow (re-)reading with my spring 2018 cli-fi class the original novel, slow-viewing the 1982 film adaptation of Blade Runner by Ridley Scott as we go, and my mid-book, mid-film impression is that while the film is very good, it robs Deckard of most of the humanity and struggle Dick insists on in his book. (I will also see the new 2049 film at some point, too).
Like the film, this novelization is both slick and dark, but the film is a work of art that creates its own filmic images and action to respond to and enact Dick's narrative. The book has too many words to be an effective poetic rendition of the book or contemporary statement on the relevance of Dick's future to our present. And this is just the first of two volumes. Oh, yeah, I'll read the second half, sure. . .
May 6, 2023
09/2018
From 1968.
About animals real and fake. About longing for animals in a post nuclear world where most things are extinct. But also about humans and androids (andys). Can you love a fake animal? You shouldn't love an andy...
The part of this that lost me was Mercer, Mercerism. I get that it is a Jesus metaphor, but I don't get it.
I have read this once before, when I was thirty. That was twelve years ago.
From 1968.
About animals real and fake. About longing for animals in a post nuclear world where most things are extinct. But also about humans and androids (andys). Can you love a fake animal? You shouldn't love an andy...
The part of this that lost me was Mercer, Mercerism. I get that it is a Jesus metaphor, but I don't get it.
I have read this once before, when I was thirty. That was twelve years ago.
Read
February 12, 2024In our decaying "civilized" societies, we look almost human, but we're not exactly the real thing. What does it mean to "be Human"? who counts as human?
James Lovelock, in "Novacene: The Coming Age of Hyperintelligence" says that AI will be the future of mankind. If I understood him correctly, he states that the human species is condemned to disappear, but as the "Cosmos" needs some form of intelligence to be recognized and interpreted, that role will be up to the future Artificial Intelligence which will be much more powerful than the brain of the ape that we are. If Lovelock is right then the definition of "Being-Human" is much broader than what we imagine.
Hello, Rabbit,” he said, “Is that you?” “Let’s pretend it isn’t,” said Rabbit, “And see what happens. (Winnie-the-pooh)
What is the main theme of this story? what is the message? Some critics in several reviews and analyzes that I have read here and there argue that P. k. Dick wrote a story about "Empathy".
The novel explores the importance of empathy in an increasingly technological world where humans struggle for relevance.
And that is true, but for me, after having read this story countless times, I am more convinced that P.K. Dick has written a study on the fundamental nature of being and existing and the search for identity and its origin, and what our purpose is in space and time; of the relationship between the principles of self-consciousness and the origin of creation. And he wrote this "pamphlet" in the form of a science fiction novel, speculating about religious relationships and what it means to be "Human"; it is the story of the Creation seeking to find its Creator. As if Galatea, once having come to life, would seek out her sculptor to demand explanations and know why she was sculpted and brought to life, and what is her purpose now that she has gained awareness of herself and the Universe that surrounds her. But it is also about what happens when in that encounter it turns out that the Creator does not live up to the expectations. This part of the book is brilliantly highlighted by Ridley Scott's excellent film "Blade Runner" (the 1982 original where Rutger Hauer is fabulous, not the pathetic 2017 remake).
Philip K Dick is one of those writers that, like Harlan Ellison, you either love or hate and, unless you have the emotional depth of a cabbage, can't be ignored if you ever read them.
"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", written in 1968 is, in my opinion, a metaphysical reflection on certain aspects of religion and the consequences of the act of "Creation". We even manage to perceive hyperbolic references to the myth of the "Apple of Paradise" and to the process of becoming aware of the Universe that surrounds us and of ourselves.
My schedule for today lists: a six-hour self-accusatory depression.
Unfortunately, I am unable to write reviews like those of Fergus or s.penkevich here on Goodreads; Their production is extraordinary, both in quantity and quality. Anyone can write by-the-pound reviews, along the lines of "I love this book, 5 stars" or "I hated the book, I didn't even finish it." But writing 9 to 10 reviews, almost daily, that convey pertinent original thoughts and reflections on the books in question, is not within the reach of anyone (not mine at least, who only have 2 neurons and one is already "burning low").
A little aside: In all monotheistic religions we always refer to the Creator as "He"! Why not "She"? After all, life is always born of a woman. The man also participates in the "play", but it seems to me that it is a "secondary role". At the risk of arousing the rage of fundamentalist zealots, we should refer to the "Creator" with the pronoun "It".
Religion! Religion is the sumptuous development of a rudimentary instinct common to all brutes, terror. A dog licking the owner's hand, who feeds or punishes it is a primitive form of religion― Eça de Queirós, The City and the Mountains
For James Lovelock, the A.I. is the future of mankind because the most important feature of being human is the ability to understand the "Cosmos". And that is why we are here, we exist. If the A.I. becomes more capable than us of understanding the "Cosmos" then we, human beings, have become obsolete and can be discarded.
Computer AI passes the Turing test in 'world first.'
In June 2014, a computer AI called Eugene Goostman successfully passed the Turing test at an event organized by the University of Reading.
No wonder their human masters fear they'll become obsolete against such a superior species.
I believe that the closer we get to a true and independent AI, the closer we are to our extinction and the more and more relevant this little book by Philipe K. Dick becomes. And forget about Terminator and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the world won't end with an explosion, but with a sob.
James Lovelock, in "Novacene: The Coming Age of Hyperintelligence" says that AI will be the future of mankind. If I understood him correctly, he states that the human species is condemned to disappear, but as the "Cosmos" needs some form of intelligence to be recognized and interpreted, that role will be up to the future Artificial Intelligence which will be much more powerful than the brain of the ape that we are. If Lovelock is right then the definition of "Being-Human" is much broader than what we imagine.
Hello, Rabbit,” he said, “Is that you?” “Let’s pretend it isn’t,” said Rabbit, “And see what happens. (Winnie-the-pooh)
What is the main theme of this story? what is the message? Some critics in several reviews and analyzes that I have read here and there argue that P. k. Dick wrote a story about "Empathy".
The novel explores the importance of empathy in an increasingly technological world where humans struggle for relevance.
And that is true, but for me, after having read this story countless times, I am more convinced that P.K. Dick has written a study on the fundamental nature of being and existing and the search for identity and its origin, and what our purpose is in space and time; of the relationship between the principles of self-consciousness and the origin of creation. And he wrote this "pamphlet" in the form of a science fiction novel, speculating about religious relationships and what it means to be "Human"; it is the story of the Creation seeking to find its Creator. As if Galatea, once having come to life, would seek out her sculptor to demand explanations and know why she was sculpted and brought to life, and what is her purpose now that she has gained awareness of herself and the Universe that surrounds her. But it is also about what happens when in that encounter it turns out that the Creator does not live up to the expectations. This part of the book is brilliantly highlighted by Ridley Scott's excellent film "Blade Runner" (the 1982 original where Rutger Hauer is fabulous, not the pathetic 2017 remake).
Philip K Dick is one of those writers that, like Harlan Ellison, you either love or hate and, unless you have the emotional depth of a cabbage, can't be ignored if you ever read them.
"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", written in 1968 is, in my opinion, a metaphysical reflection on certain aspects of religion and the consequences of the act of "Creation". We even manage to perceive hyperbolic references to the myth of the "Apple of Paradise" and to the process of becoming aware of the Universe that surrounds us and of ourselves.
My schedule for today lists: a six-hour self-accusatory depression.
Unfortunately, I am unable to write reviews like those of Fergus or s.penkevich here on Goodreads; Their production is extraordinary, both in quantity and quality. Anyone can write by-the-pound reviews, along the lines of "I love this book, 5 stars" or "I hated the book, I didn't even finish it." But writing 9 to 10 reviews, almost daily, that convey pertinent original thoughts and reflections on the books in question, is not within the reach of anyone (not mine at least, who only have 2 neurons and one is already "burning low").
A little aside: In all monotheistic religions we always refer to the Creator as "He"! Why not "She"? After all, life is always born of a woman. The man also participates in the "play", but it seems to me that it is a "secondary role". At the risk of arousing the rage of fundamentalist zealots, we should refer to the "Creator" with the pronoun "It".
Religion! Religion is the sumptuous development of a rudimentary instinct common to all brutes, terror. A dog licking the owner's hand, who feeds or punishes it is a primitive form of religion― Eça de Queirós, The City and the Mountains
For James Lovelock, the A.I. is the future of mankind because the most important feature of being human is the ability to understand the "Cosmos". And that is why we are here, we exist. If the A.I. becomes more capable than us of understanding the "Cosmos" then we, human beings, have become obsolete and can be discarded.
Computer AI passes the Turing test in 'world first.'
In June 2014, a computer AI called Eugene Goostman successfully passed the Turing test at an event organized by the University of Reading.
No wonder their human masters fear they'll become obsolete against such a superior species.
I believe that the closer we get to a true and independent AI, the closer we are to our extinction and the more and more relevant this little book by Philipe K. Dick becomes. And forget about Terminator and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the world won't end with an explosion, but with a sob.
February 9, 2021
This wacko classic of bounty hunters, rogue androids, and a post-nuclear-war world almost devoid of animal life carries a somewhat unforgettable lesson. There's a test of empathy by which life is discerned. But strangely enough, if life doesn't care about non-life, then non-life doesn't care about life either.
not-reading
August 10, 2011I went into this expecting a comic adaptation. This isn't; it's an illustrated book.
For example:
[dialogue bubble] You're worse,
[exposition box] his wife said, her eyes still shut.
[dialogue bubble] You're a murderer hired by the cops.
[base of dialogue bubble points to image of wife, lying in bed with her eyes shut]
Or:
[exposition box] "Listen," he said, seating himself on his bed and taking hold of her hands to draw her down beside him.
[over image of man who has just taken hold of his wife's hands and drawn her down onto the bed beside him]
As someone who is accustomed to reading comic images for this sort of exposition, I find the constant doubling pointless and irritating. If you want pictures with the story but you can't bear to let any of the words go, illustrate the story; don't promise me a comic when you don't trust the artwork to be as meaningful as the words.
For example:
[dialogue bubble] You're worse,
[exposition box] his wife said, her eyes still shut.
[dialogue bubble] You're a murderer hired by the cops.
[base of dialogue bubble points to image of wife, lying in bed with her eyes shut]
Or:
[exposition box] "Listen," he said, seating himself on his bed and taking hold of her hands to draw her down beside him.
[over image of man who has just taken hold of his wife's hands and drawn her down onto the bed beside him]
As someone who is accustomed to reading comic images for this sort of exposition, I find the constant doubling pointless and irritating. If you want pictures with the story but you can't bear to let any of the words go, illustrate the story; don't promise me a comic when you don't trust the artwork to be as meaningful as the words.
March 10, 2025
Just about the worst title I can think of, but the story was great. The inventiveness of Dick in the 1960s is phenomenal. Machines that you can dial for any mood you desire. A machine you can touch and feel one with other people. And, of course, the androids who are, in general, indistinguishable from people, but who can be sussed out with a simple test.
The androids are just like humans with one glaring exception—they are, to a one, completely without empathy. At the time this novel was written, a lack of empathy must have been viewed as a very bad thing, and I would like to think a lack of empathy is still widely viewed so today. But of course, today we have people like Elon Musk and President Trump, who either speak of empathy as something bad (Musk) or show no signs of ever having had one iota of it (Trump).
In the story, empathy lacking androids were dangerous to humans and needed to be hunted and destroyed.
These days, the androids are in charge of the government.
How far we have fallen.
The androids are just like humans with one glaring exception—they are, to a one, completely without empathy. At the time this novel was written, a lack of empathy must have been viewed as a very bad thing, and I would like to think a lack of empathy is still widely viewed so today. But of course, today we have people like Elon Musk and President Trump, who either speak of empathy as something bad (Musk) or show no signs of ever having had one iota of it (Trump).
In the story, empathy lacking androids were dangerous to humans and needed to be hunted and destroyed.
These days, the androids are in charge of the government.
How far we have fallen.
March 13, 2018
I've seen the Blade Runner movie several times, and was curious to read the book the movie is based on. What I did not realize is that this is not a graphic novel in the classic sense of the word. It is really an illustrated novel; it contains the text of the novel in its entirely. As you might imagine, this leads to some clunky solutions as every descriptive word, scene setup, etc. are faithfully captured, while at the same time the art shows you what you are actually reading. It does not work well in my opinion. I quite like the art, and really like the story, but though I also read the next volume in this series, as I already had it in hand, I'm abandoning the comic series, and plan to finish up by reading the novel itself.
May 5, 2021
I've always known I'm special. Now, let's have a logic lesson! Given: 1) "Love is another name for sex." and 2) "If it's love toward a [human] or an android imitation, it's sex." and 3) "The thing about rabbits, sir, is that everybody has one." and 4) "As a long term investment we feel that the goat... offers unbeatable advantages..." CONCLUSION: Love toward a human, an android imitation, a goat, or rabbits is just sex. I knew it all along cause I'm special! P.S: There are lead-covered codpieces.
June 9, 2015
Earth as we know it now is nothing but a desolate, crumbling echo of what it once was. Most people emigrated to Mars when they had a chance and were given android servants as an arrival present.
Meanwhile, people back on Earth don't have much to live for. The rich have real authentic animals. What is left of the ones that did not go extinct anyway. Poor people can only afford electric animals that look real. They lie about them so that people won't look down upon them. It's considered rude to ask someone if their animal is real or electric, so their lies generally go unquestioned.
Having a bad day? Just dial up your trusty mood organ and readjust it something more satisfying.
(Although it could be argued that people do the same thing with pills day in and day out. So that idea isn't that far off.)
Rick Deckard has an angsty wife who sits around all day dialed to depressed, an electric sheep that just stares at him, forcing him to obsess over getting a real animal. He's a bounty hunter for a living. He kills androids that escape from Mars back to Earth, presumably by killing humans in the process.
What is a man to do when he begins having empathy for the androids? Most likely retire, but he has not one but six big catches before he can do that. Maybe then he can get that $30,000 ostrich he's been drooling over.
I loved the world building in this book. I found it amusing that it's set in 2021, six years from now, and our technology is no where near what people in the 1960s imagined it might be.
The characters were interesting but the only that I felt any real sympathy for was J.R. Izidore. He just wanted a goddamn legitimate friend!
December 6, 2017
La storia è quella del libro, nel senso che non c’è alcuna riduzione: Tony Parker ha illustrato il testo completo di Dick dando, in maniera magistrale secondo me, forma e colore alle atmosfere cupe e alla desolazione di Ma gli androidi sognano pecore elettriche? Per me, quindi, più che una rilettura si tratta di una lettura secondo un altro punto di vista.
La solitudine e il senso di vuoto sperimentato da tutti i personaggi è ciò che più mi ha colpito in questo primo volume, stati d’animo che non è possibile affrontare con le proprie risorse emotive: tutti gli esseri umani (o quasi) si affidano a un modulatore di emozioni che mantiene un buon livello dell’umore, una sorta di sostanza psicotropa che consente la messa a bando di tutte le emozioni negative. L’empatia, confine invalicabile che separa umani e androidi, comporta quindi un carico di dolore, senso di colpa e sofferenza di cui si farebbe volentieri a meno. Chi è quindi più adattato al nuovo mondo che è il prodotto di una devastante guerra che ha distrutto quasi tutte le forme viventi e causato una pioggia giornaliera di polvere radioattiva?
Il volume è inoltre arricchito da articoli su Dick di fumettisti e sceneggiatori; W. Ellis, M. Fraction, R. S. O'Bannon, E. Brubaker.
La solitudine e il senso di vuoto sperimentato da tutti i personaggi è ciò che più mi ha colpito in questo primo volume, stati d’animo che non è possibile affrontare con le proprie risorse emotive: tutti gli esseri umani (o quasi) si affidano a un modulatore di emozioni che mantiene un buon livello dell’umore, una sorta di sostanza psicotropa che consente la messa a bando di tutte le emozioni negative. L’empatia, confine invalicabile che separa umani e androidi, comporta quindi un carico di dolore, senso di colpa e sofferenza di cui si farebbe volentieri a meno. Chi è quindi più adattato al nuovo mondo che è il prodotto di una devastante guerra che ha distrutto quasi tutte le forme viventi e causato una pioggia giornaliera di polvere radioattiva?
Il volume è inoltre arricchito da articoli su Dick di fumettisti e sceneggiatori; W. Ellis, M. Fraction, R. S. O'Bannon, E. Brubaker.
August 21, 2018
Oh, this is so sci-fi. Deep heavy sci-fi, not for the faint of heart. Like 2001 sci-fi, not fun in the sun Star Wars sci-fi. As a Blade Runner movie junkie I just had to give this series a try. Comixology Unlimited has all 24 issues, so here I go. The book is different from the movie already, but it does a good job of setting the world of the Blade Runner. Very good start in issue #1. This review is for the first issue, but I am reading Vol 1 (on my Kindle Fire), which collects the first 4 issues. I will update this review after I have read each issue (2, 3, and 4).
November 7, 2024
This is the first volume of the comic book edition of Philip K Dicks novel. The story is word for word exactly the same as the novel. The artwork is really very good and interesting. Theres also some information in the back about Dicks life and the struggles he went through.
May 16, 2014
I am reviewing for 1 -3 in this series. Number one on it's own would probably got only two stars.
It pains me to rate anything at all related to Philip K Dick as less than awesome but this trade was only just ok.
Artwork: The almost monochromatic, very digital style graphics suited the subject matter but was overall more than a bit grim. Numbers two and three improved, with more variation allowing for the story to low a bit better and to really use the strengths of graphic images to enhance the story, but that artistic fluidity was lacking in the first novel.
I will say though, the cover art and the whole page art such as chapter starters, was brilliant and I could have done with more of it.
Text: Seems to be word for word PKD's text and while there are strengths to that (Don't you hate it when they cut your favourite bit) it is a bit redundant at times. After all, the point of a graphic novel is that the graphics are there to SHOW you what the text would otherwise have to implant in your mind. For example, "He pondered, plucking at his disarrayed beard"! Why do you need those words in front of an image plucking at his beard?
Anyway, it was ok. If they appear in front of me I will read the rest of them but I will not go seeking it past number three, which I already have.
It pains me to rate anything at all related to Philip K Dick as less than awesome but this trade was only just ok.
Artwork: The almost monochromatic, very digital style graphics suited the subject matter but was overall more than a bit grim. Numbers two and three improved, with more variation allowing for the story to low a bit better and to really use the strengths of graphic images to enhance the story, but that artistic fluidity was lacking in the first novel.
I will say though, the cover art and the whole page art such as chapter starters, was brilliant and I could have done with more of it.
Text: Seems to be word for word PKD's text and while there are strengths to that (Don't you hate it when they cut your favourite bit) it is a bit redundant at times. After all, the point of a graphic novel is that the graphics are there to SHOW you what the text would otherwise have to implant in your mind. For example, "He pondered, plucking at his disarrayed beard"! Why do you need those words in front of an image plucking at his beard?
Anyway, it was ok. If they appear in front of me I will read the rest of them but I will not go seeking it past number three, which I already have.
December 30, 2024
PDK packs so much substance in such a short piece of Sci-Fi literature. We follow detective Rick Deckard as he hunts down life like and dangerous androids while he struggles with the extremely humanistic qualities of his quarries that he is expected to "retire". This thought provoking Sci-Fi thriller withstands the test of time and is as relevant today as it was the day it was released. With the advances of IA that we have seen in recent years PDK asks the reader to contemplate the definition of what it is to be "Human". There is so much to unpack in this amazing book and highly recommend it.
July 11, 2023
i ask again WHEN will a man write normally about a woman
June 12, 2022
After a global nuclear war, radioactive dust still contaminates much of the earth's surface. Many species of animals are now extinct to the extent that owning a live animal is a much cherished possession. If owning a live animal is too expensive, you might be able to afford a robotic creature. Since many of the androids or humanoid robots were used to fight in the nuclear war, their continued presence on Earth were feared and outlawed relegating them to outer space. What made them efficient killing machines is that they lack the human capacity of empathy. This action also enabled a similar emigration of humanity, especially since to remain on Earth led to a potential health and mental deterioration in humanity. Many became known as "chickenheads" because of their intellectual deficiencies. Many men wore lead codpieces to protect their virility.
Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter for the SF Police Department and reponsible for hunting down those androids that return to Earth, currently owns an electric sheep but longs for a live animal. However, the expense is dear, but a recent escape of six advanced-model androids might afford him the opportunity to purchase one. Achieving this goal might not be easy since their intelligence is greater than most humans, including Rick Deckard.
The movie Bladerunner was based upon this dystopian novella. Although the movie was cinematographically and hauntingly beautiful, especially with the Vangelis' soundtrack, the book is a must read for anyone who loved this movie since it provides the necessary motivation for Deckard's mission and his struggle in terminating these creatures' existence. My only problem with the book is how hurried the end came. But, like the classic Frankenstein the reader will begin wondering which character is truly the most monstorous.
Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter for the SF Police Department and reponsible for hunting down those androids that return to Earth, currently owns an electric sheep but longs for a live animal. However, the expense is dear, but a recent escape of six advanced-model androids might afford him the opportunity to purchase one. Achieving this goal might not be easy since their intelligence is greater than most humans, including Rick Deckard.
The movie Bladerunner was based upon this dystopian novella. Although the movie was cinematographically and hauntingly beautiful, especially with the Vangelis' soundtrack, the book is a must read for anyone who loved this movie since it provides the necessary motivation for Deckard's mission and his struggle in terminating these creatures' existence. My only problem with the book is how hurried the end came. But, like the classic Frankenstein the reader will begin wondering which character is truly the most monstorous.
March 17, 2024
The book on which Blade Runner is based is, in fact, better than Blade
Runner. The future is a bleak world not because Androids are in it, but because after WWT (terminus, not 2), the fall out has killed all the naturally occurring organisms, starting with the owls. And while Deckerd is tasked with ending Androids, he also has to wear an industrial codpiece to prevent "chickenheads" or humans who are not genetically perfect. Give it a read, it is excellent!
Runner. The future is a bleak world not because Androids are in it, but because after WWT (terminus, not 2), the fall out has killed all the naturally occurring organisms, starting with the owls. And while Deckerd is tasked with ending Androids, he also has to wear an industrial codpiece to prevent "chickenheads" or humans who are not genetically perfect. Give it a read, it is excellent!
February 19, 2024
Phillip K Dick save me…
March 31, 2025
Thought provoking themes and cool world-building; none of the characters (except Isadore) were making me root for them, including the main character, who lacked any endearing qualities. The ending was anticlimactic and gave me no closure.
October 27, 2021
9/10 electric sheep arent very durable. amd dont bother buying a goat cus that bitch rachel will just push it off a building.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2015
I read this book right before watching Ex Machina, and the comparisons between the two are obvious and apt. Both deal with the blurry line between human and computer and focus on humans' ability to distinguish between the two.
Do Androids:
Phillip K Dick locates essential humanness in our ability to feel empathy for creatures. Interestingly, instead of focusing on human-on-human empathy he gives associates true humanness with human-on-animal empathy (is he a vegetarian?). As an avowed animal lover this particular twist was delightful and resonated quite deeply. Each character has aspirations to one day own a live animal (most went extinct due to nuclear fallout) and treats them with utmost respect and care. Contrast that with the androids who readily torture animals and cannot comprehend why humans spend so much time trying to protect them.
The most interesting point in this book is the complicated relationship humans have with robots. Most humans own mechanical versions of now-extinct animals and treat them like real animals. If they're rich enough they can then buy a real version (which looks and behaves exactly the same, but can die and requires real food). But, as soon as humanoid robots enter the equation, humans send bounty hunters to find them and eliminate them. It's a beautiful, complicated exploration of how we inter-relate with more 'life-like' technology.
Dick's world mirrors our own. We increasingly have access to technology that more and more closely mimics life. Every year the boundary between the two becomes fuzzier, and we'll need answers to these same questions. Where is humanness located, is it empathy? Does empathy for robots compromise or strengthen our humanity? Interestingly, the more explicitly we define empathy the easier it becomes to make robots that can mimic that definition, and like the Voigt-Kampf test, we'll need to be constantly re-evaluating and updating our definitions ...
Do Androids:
Phillip K Dick locates essential humanness in our ability to feel empathy for creatures. Interestingly, instead of focusing on human-on-human empathy he gives associates true humanness with human-on-animal empathy (is he a vegetarian?). As an avowed animal lover this particular twist was delightful and resonated quite deeply. Each character has aspirations to one day own a live animal (most went extinct due to nuclear fallout) and treats them with utmost respect and care. Contrast that with the androids who readily torture animals and cannot comprehend why humans spend so much time trying to protect them.
The most interesting point in this book is the complicated relationship humans have with robots. Most humans own mechanical versions of now-extinct animals and treat them like real animals. If they're rich enough they can then buy a real version (which looks and behaves exactly the same, but can die and requires real food). But, as soon as humanoid robots enter the equation, humans send bounty hunters to find them and eliminate them. It's a beautiful, complicated exploration of how we inter-relate with more 'life-like' technology.
Dick's world mirrors our own. We increasingly have access to technology that more and more closely mimics life. Every year the boundary between the two becomes fuzzier, and we'll need answers to these same questions. Where is humanness located, is it empathy? Does empathy for robots compromise or strengthen our humanity? Interestingly, the more explicitly we define empathy the easier it becomes to make robots that can mimic that definition, and like the Voigt-Kampf test, we'll need to be constantly re-evaluating and updating our definitions ...
December 15, 2010
This adaptation will be jarring to anyone who has seen the Bladerunner film but never read any of Philip K. Dick's writing. The film was very loosely based on the same novel which serves as the source for this massive six-volume graphic novel. The film, however, deliberately blurred the edges of the central character's humanity, and that is not the real story.
The graphic novel returns to the story and style more as Dick created them. Like most of his work, it is a study in human madness of one kind or another. In this case, the Earth has suffered a catastrophe, and anyone with any sense has emigrated. Those too stubborn to leave or too genetically damaged to emigrate make up the remaining population. Android servants [more correctly, slaves] assist the colonists in making other worlds habitable. When such androids escape, they come to Earth, which is forbidden to them. When identified, they are hunted down and destroyed. The more advanced the android, the more it objects to this treatment, and the more difficult it is to identify as an android. That much is familiar to those who have seen the film.
The title, though, stems from the fact that live pets are an expensive status symbol, after many animals were rendered extinct. Some people even have robot, fake animals that fool people into thinking they are the real thing. Thus, "electric sheep"...or is there another meaning to the title?
By adapting without abridging, it's wordy for a graphic novel, which is not directly a problem. Oddly, though, it has the effect of narrating each panel, including details clearly illustrated by the artist, whose work is excellent.
The graphic novel returns to the story and style more as Dick created them. Like most of his work, it is a study in human madness of one kind or another. In this case, the Earth has suffered a catastrophe, and anyone with any sense has emigrated. Those too stubborn to leave or too genetically damaged to emigrate make up the remaining population. Android servants [more correctly, slaves] assist the colonists in making other worlds habitable. When such androids escape, they come to Earth, which is forbidden to them. When identified, they are hunted down and destroyed. The more advanced the android, the more it objects to this treatment, and the more difficult it is to identify as an android. That much is familiar to those who have seen the film.
The title, though, stems from the fact that live pets are an expensive status symbol, after many animals were rendered extinct. Some people even have robot, fake animals that fool people into thinking they are the real thing. Thus, "electric sheep"...or is there another meaning to the title?
By adapting without abridging, it's wordy for a graphic novel, which is not directly a problem. Oddly, though, it has the effect of narrating each panel, including details clearly illustrated by the artist, whose work is excellent.
October 28, 2021
This book was pretty okay. I think I just didn’t really connect much with the characters or the point, except maybe with Isidore. A lot of points were contradicting each other throughout the book and the book ends with almost a net zero change in Deckards thoughts (minus the mercerism). There wasn’t much perspective gained on androids, which is strange because androids are surpassingly human except for their empathy capabilities. It doesn’t seem much different than saying we should kill psychopaths not because they’ve done something wrong but simply because they’re psychopaths.
The whole book revolved around a single event and so it just didn’t feel very sweeping or engaging along a bigger narrative. You kinda just jump into the event and discover some interesting thoughts along the way, but nothing very transformational, except perhaps in the last 20 pages.
Overall, it was a book with interesting ideas and thoughts but ultimately just failed to communicate anything profound or insightful. Some entertaining aspects, however, that make it worth the short read.
The whole book revolved around a single event and so it just didn’t feel very sweeping or engaging along a bigger narrative. You kinda just jump into the event and discover some interesting thoughts along the way, but nothing very transformational, except perhaps in the last 20 pages.
Overall, it was a book with interesting ideas and thoughts but ultimately just failed to communicate anything profound or insightful. Some entertaining aspects, however, that make it worth the short read.
January 16, 2019
My first disappointment was the continual disappointment I find in reading PDK and being reminded, yet again, of how brilliant a thinker he was but just a terrible writer—long, distended passages of exposition littered with expositional dialogue, miring down scene and action until it all becomes a near-indecipherable mess.
My second disappointment was in seeing a printed novel format simply jammed into a graphic novel format, when there might have been opportunity here to translate rather than transfer. How much more frustrating can it be than to see a speech bubble followed by the attributive, “he said.” Yes, I’d guessed he’d said it from the speech bubble. There just seemed little to no reason to read this as a graphic novel.
My second disappointment was in seeing a printed novel format simply jammed into a graphic novel format, when there might have been opportunity here to translate rather than transfer. How much more frustrating can it be than to see a speech bubble followed by the attributive, “he said.” Yes, I’d guessed he’d said it from the speech bubble. There just seemed little to no reason to read this as a graphic novel.
May 5, 2017
Sex, dystopia, robots, and a goat. It had to be 5 stars.
August 31, 2017
In the near future, World War Terminus has come and gone, leaving nuclear devastation in its wake. Many animal species have gone extinct either from the direct impact of the bombs or the lingering radioactive dust. Unsurprisingly, much of Earth's population has chosen to move to colonies and abandon the Earth to the unfortunates who are unable to leave. In order to entice people to the colonies, the government offers a free android servant to anyone willing to emigrate. As you might expect, not every robot functions perfectly and bounty hunters are employed by every major city on Earth to hunt down androids who have killed their owners and escaped to Earth. One such bounty hunter is Rick Deckard. Suddenly promoted to top bounty hunter after the guy above him is incapacitated, Rick is tasked with "retiring" six highly dangerous androids hiding out in San Francisco. Rick must track down these androids (who are impossible to identify physically and must be discovered via a test for empathy) before they disappear into the abandoned buildings of the city and possibly take more human lives.
The original story is a bit of an odd duck for me. I really struggled wanting to continue during the first two chapters. Dick's writing is a challenge. It's dense and incredibly sneaky with a dark, sly humor that can feel odd and difficult to work through but the longer I stuck with it, the more I loved it. By the time I hit the third chapter, I couldn't put it down. I say all this to mark that I get why someone might be turned off from reading the novel. It's not heroic, Star Wars style science fiction. Its characters are flawed and oftentimes petty individuals. Deckard gets in ridiculous fights with his wife, his neighbors and even his boss. He's obsessed with getting a living animal instead of the fake, electric ones that have been all he could afford on a policeman's salary. Half the time, he's not even sure he wants to continue retiring "andys." But those same flaws are what makes Deckard such a fantastic character. Through Deckard, Dick makes readers question what makes someone human, whether empathy is a uniquely human condition and whether that makes us better than something made entirely of circuits and wires. Dick is not a science fiction writer, he's a philosopher. And yet, he maintains the action in a way that compels you to keep reading so you can find out what happens next. I still feel like I need to read the book three more times at least to get all of its facets. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a classic because it forces readers to question everything.
In regards to this adaptation....unpopular opinion time! I haaaaaated this. I'm only giving it two stars because I can't give any version of this story less than that. The whole point of having a graphic novel adaptation is that you can make a story more accessible for readers who might get bogged down in the author's writing style or prefer a visual illustration of the story. The Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? omnibus is the exact opposite of that. Every single word of Dick's text is replicated in the panels, creating walls of text that obscure the creative illustrations by Parker. The result spoon feeds the text of the novel to the audience, sparing them only the effort of having to visualize the characters and scenes. The strength of having a graphic novel is to allow the art to tell pieces of the story for you and only use text to show what the pictures cannot. There are bizarre inconsistencies like identical model androids looking completely different and strange sequences that appear to show the escaped androids in two completely different physical appearances. If someone had never read the novel, it's possible that they might enjoy getting to see the story in a visual format. But the walls of text make that more difficult. This is not an adaptation of the novel, it's a straight illustration of it. It's absolutely one of my biggest pet peeves in the graphic novel medium and I don't understand the inability to identify that the strength of the medium lies in not having to tell everything. Reading this was an infuriating experience. The only part I truly enjoyed was the section of essays at the end by current comics authors and artists about how Phillip K. Dick and the original novel influenced them and their writing/art.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a story which forces readers to question the line between human and android, what becomes important to us and how we connect to each other and even understand ourselves. It's a brilliant tale that has influenced much of popular culture since it was first published. This adaptation should have made that story accessible to readers who might be turned off by Dick's writing style or just wanted to see the story re-told in a more visual way. Instead, it's a bland copy with artwork that can't be seen enough to be appreciated. I highly recommend the source material but I can only recommend this adaptation to those who want an illustrated version of the text.
The original story is a bit of an odd duck for me. I really struggled wanting to continue during the first two chapters. Dick's writing is a challenge. It's dense and incredibly sneaky with a dark, sly humor that can feel odd and difficult to work through but the longer I stuck with it, the more I loved it. By the time I hit the third chapter, I couldn't put it down. I say all this to mark that I get why someone might be turned off from reading the novel. It's not heroic, Star Wars style science fiction. Its characters are flawed and oftentimes petty individuals. Deckard gets in ridiculous fights with his wife, his neighbors and even his boss. He's obsessed with getting a living animal instead of the fake, electric ones that have been all he could afford on a policeman's salary. Half the time, he's not even sure he wants to continue retiring "andys." But those same flaws are what makes Deckard such a fantastic character. Through Deckard, Dick makes readers question what makes someone human, whether empathy is a uniquely human condition and whether that makes us better than something made entirely of circuits and wires. Dick is not a science fiction writer, he's a philosopher. And yet, he maintains the action in a way that compels you to keep reading so you can find out what happens next. I still feel like I need to read the book three more times at least to get all of its facets. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a classic because it forces readers to question everything.
In regards to this adaptation....unpopular opinion time! I haaaaaated this. I'm only giving it two stars because I can't give any version of this story less than that. The whole point of having a graphic novel adaptation is that you can make a story more accessible for readers who might get bogged down in the author's writing style or prefer a visual illustration of the story. The Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? omnibus is the exact opposite of that. Every single word of Dick's text is replicated in the panels, creating walls of text that obscure the creative illustrations by Parker. The result spoon feeds the text of the novel to the audience, sparing them only the effort of having to visualize the characters and scenes. The strength of having a graphic novel is to allow the art to tell pieces of the story for you and only use text to show what the pictures cannot. There are bizarre inconsistencies like identical model androids looking completely different and strange sequences that appear to show the escaped androids in two completely different physical appearances. If someone had never read the novel, it's possible that they might enjoy getting to see the story in a visual format. But the walls of text make that more difficult. This is not an adaptation of the novel, it's a straight illustration of it. It's absolutely one of my biggest pet peeves in the graphic novel medium and I don't understand the inability to identify that the strength of the medium lies in not having to tell everything. Reading this was an infuriating experience. The only part I truly enjoyed was the section of essays at the end by current comics authors and artists about how Phillip K. Dick and the original novel influenced them and their writing/art.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a story which forces readers to question the line between human and android, what becomes important to us and how we connect to each other and even understand ourselves. It's a brilliant tale that has influenced much of popular culture since it was first published. This adaptation should have made that story accessible to readers who might be turned off by Dick's writing style or just wanted to see the story re-told in a more visual way. Instead, it's a bland copy with artwork that can't be seen enough to be appreciated. I highly recommend the source material but I can only recommend this adaptation to those who want an illustrated version of the text.
October 21, 2019
This is my first PKD book, and considering he has a cult status among his followers, I guess was expecting more from this book. May be I did not understand all the things which PKD was aiming for in this book. But this book was kind of hit and miss for me.
The book started solidly where we have an post apocalyptic world which is facing the consequences of nuclear war, and what we have is humanity has mostly migrated to other planets, with everything dead or dying on Earth. due to this the dead or dying animals and owning them has become a kind of status symbol in this world. It does not matter whether that animal is synthetic or organic, if you have an organic animal it enhances your status more.
Humanity is taking the help of devices to shape their feelings of anger or depression, we also people relying more and more on TV, and having TV as a companion in their lives rather than some human. We have some kind of crazy shows running on V which people are are constantly watching and discussing among themselves.
And most important part is humans have created new slaves namely the androids, and with each newer version of androids they are getting smarter and more humanist, and the rogue androids which have escaped from other planets, and have landed on Earth are becoming harder and harder to identify. The only identifying factor between humans and androids is empathy, androids don't posses empathy at all, and it can be argued whether humans also posses this characteristic.
This is the basic setting of story, but the ending left me in a bit of limbo, but I think that's how all the PKD books end with.
I give this book 3/5 stars.
The book started solidly where we have an post apocalyptic world which is facing the consequences of nuclear war, and what we have is humanity has mostly migrated to other planets, with everything dead or dying on Earth. due to this the dead or dying animals and owning them has become a kind of status symbol in this world. It does not matter whether that animal is synthetic or organic, if you have an organic animal it enhances your status more.
Humanity is taking the help of devices to shape their feelings of anger or depression, we also people relying more and more on TV, and having TV as a companion in their lives rather than some human. We have some kind of crazy shows running on V which people are are constantly watching and discussing among themselves.
And most important part is humans have created new slaves namely the androids, and with each newer version of androids they are getting smarter and more humanist, and the rogue androids which have escaped from other planets, and have landed on Earth are becoming harder and harder to identify. The only identifying factor between humans and androids is empathy, androids don't posses empathy at all, and it can be argued whether humans also posses this characteristic.
This is the basic setting of story, but the ending left me in a bit of limbo, but I think that's how all the PKD books end with.
I give this book 3/5 stars.
August 23, 2023
Brilliant. Cult classic, totally. Bounty hunter Rick Deckard must bag 5-6 andys, immediately. And he does and has quite the day. WWT has ended and badly by 2021, killing millions upon millions of humans, and sending others to Mars where the sweet deal was their own android. Naturally, andys and humans were hard to tell apart and so, havoc ensued, so to speak. Rogue androids, those extremely clever andys, had to be removed and Rick was the guy to get it done. Off in his hovercar, on the trail of each, almost toasted by one andy's tube, Rick, lamenting his animal at home is not real (only an electric sheep as REAL animals a prize and costly) and fighting the daily dust (and this made me think of Hugh Howley's excellent Wool series) and encountering chickenheads and all sorts in his search including a most dazzlingly clever andy called Rachael (whom he beds because, well, life is short) and, well, so much goes on in this slim, funny, remarkably perceptive novel you just have to embrace it, buckle up and go for the ride. Well-done Mr. Dick.
January 31, 2025
This is one of the weirdest books I have ever read. I did not… not like it, but I didn’t really love it. I thought going into it that the message was about empathy and how empathy can be artificial to the point where androids have it and people don’t. I was convinced that Rick was going to end up being an android, displaying that he has immense empathy for animals, for people, and for androids, but he didn’t turn out being an android. nor did I feel like any of the androids exhibited any signs of empathy whatsoever. All of them were awful people. They did terrible things to animals, and they didn’t even really care for each other (except potentially the Baties in regards to one another). It all just felt like it confirmed the status quo of the world. Perhaps I am missing something, but it just doesn’t really seem worthy of the title of classic.
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