One time I got into a drunken argument with a friend about whether PKD or Ayn Rand is a better author. I was actually arguing for Ayn Rand because some of the scenes in The Fountainhead were nice, or anyway her writing did a good job illustrating her point, and as much as I love PKD I usually don't think his writing is very good.

This was really well written though. The characters were more realized than in some of his other fiction; the dialogue tended towards exposition a couple of times but for the most part it was pretty good. So anyway, drunk self, you were wrong about PKD and should probably apologize to your friends for yelling at them about books all of the time.

Anyway the plot in this book is off the charts. I might give up on other authors and just read everything PKD for a while.
dark reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

L’histoire se déroule à la fin du 21ième siècle, sur une Terre surpopulée, et où l’humanité a commencé à s’installer à travers le système solaire. Une drogue très populaire, le Can-D, permet aux utilisateurs de partager une sorte de monde illusoire communautaire (un peu à la manière d’un MMORPG sous forme de rêve médicamenté). Palmer Eldritch, un industriel revenu de voyage, présente une nouvelle drogue similaire, mais bien plus puissante, le Chew-Z, qui lui permettrait de contrôler le monde entier, si on le laissait faire.

A peu près au tiers de ma lecture, j’avais qualifié ce livre de Ready Player One sous coke, et même si ce n’est pas tout à fait vrai une fois terminé ma lecture, c’est un peu l’idée. C’est complètement barré - et franchement j’avais parfois le doute sur si certains passages étaient dans « le rêve » ou la réalité tellement c’est perché. Mais c’était une lecture agréable, assez courte, et un bon retour dans l’univers bariolé et fou de PKD. Pas le meilleur (ce statut est réservée pour Penultimate Truth), mais un bon continuum de A Scanner Darkly, si vous avez aimé le livre / son adaptation.
challenging funny reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I enjoyed it more than The Man in the High Castle. More action and an interesting sci-fi twist at the end. Also, a nice short read.

Неплохо, но все идеи этой книги Дик лучше и глубже развил в других своих работах. За переселениями разумов стоит обратиться к "Убику", за смешением сознания к "Помутнению", за альтернативными историями к "Человеку в высоком замке". Мне приятно было вспомнить фирменный стиль Дика, хотя "Стигматы" и читаются, как фанфик по другим его книгам.
adventurous mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous challenging mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes