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A review by couldbestephen
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
3.5
"I can excuse [androidism] but I draw the line at animal cruelty" - The Novel
This was my first Philip K Dick novel and I'm kinda surprised it's taken me this long to tackle his work. The novel could be a little dense for "casual readers" to tackle. You're thrown into the world and all its terminology and you gotta figure it all out on your own. It's not a lot, but the book flows much better when you understand everything that is said and referenced. The writing is fast paced and snappy, keeps your interest. I enjoyed all the characters. I'm not sure what else to say really, it's a solid novel, worth the read, mostly for the philosophical musings about what separates us humans from our creations.
Dick examines humanity and what separates us from Others. Animals and our emotional attachment and response to them features heavily, dividing humans from Androids (or andys). The fact that humanity is so certain that empathy is what sets us apart has driven us to create a religion and machines that reward our emotions. On an Earth torn a part by war, in a society where leaving the planet to go to another off world colony is desirable before you're "special" (genetically altered and damaged from the radiation).
If you're looking to read more classic science fiction or enjoy heavier science fiction novels, this is worth the read. There's some issues with representation, one could call this a "product of its time," but it's very clear why Dick's work stays relevant and was worthy of film adaptations.
This was my first Philip K Dick novel and I'm kinda surprised it's taken me this long to tackle his work. The novel could be a little dense for "casual readers" to tackle. You're thrown into the world and all its terminology and you gotta figure it all out on your own. It's not a lot, but the book flows much better when you understand everything that is said and referenced. The writing is fast paced and snappy, keeps your interest. I enjoyed all the characters. I'm not sure what else to say really, it's a solid novel, worth the read, mostly for the philosophical musings about what separates us humans from our creations.
Dick examines humanity and what separates us from Others. Animals and our emotional attachment and response to them features heavily, dividing humans from Androids (or andys). The fact that humanity is so certain that empathy is what sets us apart has driven us to create a religion and machines that reward our emotions. On an Earth torn a part by war, in a society where leaving the planet to go to another off world colony is desirable before you're "special" (genetically altered and damaged from the radiation).
If you're looking to read more classic science fiction or enjoy heavier science fiction novels, this is worth the read. There's some issues with representation, one could call this a "product of its time," but it's very clear why Dick's work stays relevant and was worthy of film adaptations.