Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?: The inspiration for the films Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049

By Philip K. Dick

A masterpiece ahead of its time, a prescient rendering of a dark future, and the inspiration for the blockbuster film Blade Runner One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years By 2021, the World War has killed millions, driving entire species into extinction and sending mankind off-planet. Those who remain covet any living creature, and for people who can’t afford one, companies built incredibly realistic simulacra: horses, birds, cats, sheep. They’ve even built humans. Immigrants to Mars receive androids so sophisticated they are indistinguishable from true men or women. Fearful of the havoc these artificial humans can wreak, the government bans them from Earth. Driven into hiding, unauthorized androids live among human beings, undetected. Rick Deckard, an officially sanctioned bounty hunter, is commissioned to find rogue androids and “retire” them. But when cornered, androids fight back—with lethal force. Praise for Philip K. Dick “The most consistently brilliant science fiction writer in the world.”—John Brunner “A kind of pulp-fiction Kafka, a prophet.”—The New York Times “[Philip K. Dick] sees all the sparkling—and terrifying—possibilities . . . that other authors shy away from.”—Rolling Stone

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Published May 28, 1996

241 pages

Average rating: 7.49

251 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

DarthCypher
8/10 stars
I liked it, but some of the scenes seemed to jump and the characters had unreasonable reactions. The other problem I had was the "chickenhead" was supposed to be stupid and not able to pass an IQ test, but he seemed like the average american. Some of the language the "chickenhead" used was more advanced than the average person could comprehend.
David Benson
6/10 stars
6.7/10
Has a lot of messages that I don't think I fully understood. Of what's real and fake and if it even matters at all. Probably a reread in a couple years
etoilers
10/10 stars
Re-read. Used to teach this book, actually. So much better, thematically, than the original movie. I suppose technically the sequel too although that is one of my favorite movies ever. But for those that haven't read the book, there is a lot more to it - a whole religion b-plot, a whole discussion of animals relationship to humans, artificial manipulation of human emotions. Just amazingly top notch sci fi novel of ideas. At times, PKD can write some awkward dialogue, but it's not at all a problem. Just so good.
Sonderby
7/10 stars
Cool blend of SciFi and Noir.
Caribou
3/10 stars
Only good part of this book is John Isidore.

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