Scan barcode
angus_mckeogh's review against another edition
3.0
Fairly good read. Kind of a treatise on class structure. Perhaps a bit too ambitious for the result. Dick appears to digress and get lost and bogged down in too many directions to ultimately tie them all together for a brilliant finish. Just one of his middling efforts in my experience.
truthwatcher_412's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
angelicide's review against another edition
4.0
This is a tough one to review. Philip K. Dick is my favorite author mainly because his stories are not just stories, but incredibly imaginative thought experiments designed to explore philosophical and psychological questions.
Having said that, in technical terms, his actual writing is often not very good. From that perspective, this book is one of his worst. The characters are stiff and unbelievable. The dialogue is atrocious. There isn't much of a plot. The situation, however, is interesting, and the questions it provokes even more so. Every time I began to lose interest, something would happen to make me stop and think--pondering existential and epistemological questions about human nature, instinct versus reason, how we acquire knowledge and how it influences our behavior.
Sometimes an author's manipulation of language is so good it can make up for a mediocre story. Sometimes a great story can make you forgive mediocre writing. And just sometimes the way a book makes you continue to think, even after you've put it down, makes it worthwhile despite any other shortcomings. For me, this was one of those books, which is why I'm ranking it among some of my favorites.
Having said that, in technical terms, his actual writing is often not very good. From that perspective, this book is one of his worst. The characters are stiff and unbelievable. The dialogue is atrocious. There isn't much of a plot. The situation, however, is interesting, and the questions it provokes even more so. Every time I began to lose interest, something would happen to make me stop and think--pondering existential and epistemological questions about human nature, instinct versus reason, how we acquire knowledge and how it influences our behavior.
Sometimes an author's manipulation of language is so good it can make up for a mediocre story. Sometimes a great story can make you forgive mediocre writing. And just sometimes the way a book makes you continue to think, even after you've put it down, makes it worthwhile despite any other shortcomings. For me, this was one of those books, which is why I'm ranking it among some of my favorites.
wtv's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
- Loveable characters? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, and Infidelity
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny
Minor: Rape and Domestic abuse
ilaria44's review against another edition
2.0
Ambientato nel XXII secolo, mostra una Terra guidata da una minoranza di uomini evoluti, gli Uomini Nuovi e gli Insoliti, che hanno sviluppato processi mentali differenti: i primi la capacità di calcoli e logiche spesso incomprensibili agli altri, i secondi la telepatia. Esclusi da ogni forma di potere sono però gli Uomini Vecchi, ovvero le persone normali.
Molto scorrevole, con grandissime potenzialità ma purtroppo non ben sfruttate. In due parole, una delusione.
"- Caparbio - disse infine Morgo.
- Chi, io? Intendi dire sull'argomento?
- No, intendo il gatto. Ed egocentrico.
Irritato, Provoni disse: - Un gatto è fedele al suo padrone. Ma lo dimostra in modo sottile. Il punto è sempre questo: un gatto non si concede mai a nessuno, sono milioni di anni che si comporta in questo modo, poi magari ecco che si riesce a fare una minuscola breccia nella sua corazza, e lui ti si strofina contro, ti salta in braccio e fa le fusa. Così, a causa del suo affetto per te, infrange un codice di comportamento ereditato geneticamente... e vecchio di due milioni di anni. È una splendida vittoria."
Molto scorrevole, con grandissime potenzialità ma purtroppo non ben sfruttate. In due parole, una delusione.
"- Caparbio - disse infine Morgo.
- Chi, io? Intendi dire sull'argomento?
- No, intendo il gatto. Ed egocentrico.
Irritato, Provoni disse: - Un gatto è fedele al suo padrone. Ma lo dimostra in modo sottile. Il punto è sempre questo: un gatto non si concede mai a nessuno, sono milioni di anni che si comporta in questo modo, poi magari ecco che si riesce a fare una minuscola breccia nella sua corazza, e lui ti si strofina contro, ti salta in braccio e fa le fusa. Così, a causa del suo affetto per te, infrange un codice di comportamento ereditato geneticamente... e vecchio di due milioni di anni. È una splendida vittoria."
barts_books's review against another edition
4.0
One of the lesser known PKD novels and my first non masterwork from the great man. Also probably the funniest of his books I've read. The villain of the piece Chairman Willis Gram was brilliantly realised and his dialogue had me laughing out loud on many ocassions.
misty_kb's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Drug use
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Homophobia