seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Infidelity, Animal cruelty, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Sexual content, Abortion, and Cursing
michaelferlazzo's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
What a tantalizingly philosophical sci-fi read. It’s not really my kind of book. There are some thought provoking moments that reflect on entertainment, and the way we perceive and take enjoyment from paltry things. It is also steeped in moral and self-conflict with the main character and androids. If also portrays a seemingly “stupid” future generation, but if you really take a look at the way we react, live, treat each other, and obsess over meaningless things, you realize that we are not that much different from the people in this world, and that may be depressing to some. I really enjoyed how the main characters thoughts would flow like actual thoughts do, sometimes completely at random, it made the main character seem so real.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
sillispike's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
this book is... beautifully written. such an interesting story and told so so well, so unbelievably engaging. when people say this is a must read they're 100% right - i think everyone should read this book at some time or other. it's actually so good i can't even put it into words. invokes strong emotion with a variety of characters, twists and turns, always at the edge of your seat. this book is wonderful.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Sexual content
paralanguage's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Ableism, and Infidelity
Minor: Sexual content
macliffe's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Sexual content, Infidelity, and Ableism
lillygabriella's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Why is so much mid century sci-fi so depressing? Isn't that when we thought the future would be better?
That said, it's absolutely wild that Mr. Dick thought there would be androids in the 70s when he wrote it in 1968 and computers were still the size of rooms. The main story is set in 2021 and I really think he would have done better to push it back to the 2200s it would be a lot more believable. It's dark, dystopian, and tragic. And I don't think he actually understands what empathy means.
Blade runner is supposed to be based on this and all I can say is from what I remember the movie they left a whole lot out.
However bad the world is right now, at least we're doing better than this.
That said, it's absolutely wild that Mr. Dick thought there would be androids in the 70s when he wrote it in 1968 and computers were still the size of rooms. The main story is set in 2021 and I really think he would have done better to push it back to the 2200s it would be a lot more believable. It's dark, dystopian, and tragic. And I don't think he actually understands what empathy means.
Blade runner is supposed to be based on this and all I can say is from what I remember the movie they left a whole lot out.
However bad the world is right now, at least we're doing better than this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Bullying, Murder, Sexual content, and Classism
alaskan_bull_worm's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, Murder, Sexism, Violence, and Gun violence
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, and Animal death
mandkips's review against another edition
dark
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, and Mental illness
Minor: Sexual content, Abortion, and Infidelity
backyardjake's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Overall fairly engaging and something I can see myself rereading in the future.
At what point is there no difference between us and a machine - when that machine has stopped being a simple tool and has a will of its own? No, of course, because they can't possibly have empathy, a requirement to be human. Or is it a requirement? What is empathy? The simulataneous feeling of emotion of another, perhaps. Or maybe... It's really as simply as Identifying with another.
A showcase of how humans can't help but catergorize in order to create hierarchy. The "Special" character in the mix did not necessarily strike me as someone of low grade intelligence, judging by his internal thoughts. Just as a lonely man suffering from society and his given place in it. He may be seen as human but he sure as hell isn't treated much better than the androids.
Ironic that the majority of earth wants to go to the colonies while androids want to come to earth. Perhaps showing that the andy's have more of a human element than some humans.
I had been meaning to read a Phillip K. Dick novel for some time now, first physical copy I was able to get my paws on.
Backyard approves.
At what point is there no difference between us and a machine - when that machine has stopped being a simple tool and has a will of its own? No, of course, because they can't possibly have empathy, a requirement to be human. Or is it a requirement? What is empathy? The simulataneous feeling of emotion of another, perhaps. Or maybe... It's really as simply as Identifying with another.
Spoiler
At least that might be the case with some of the Nexus-6 androids. Interesting for it to be revealed near the climax that empathic religion of Mercerism, Humanity's dangling example of betterment over the androids, is a hoax of a religion (at least from a logical Andy standpoint). In any case the differences in felt empathy between our main character and the other bounty hunter conveys that this humanly intrinsic sense of emotions for others isn't quite equal across the board.A showcase of how humans can't help but catergorize in order to create hierarchy. The "Special" character in the mix did not necessarily strike me as someone of low grade intelligence, judging by his internal thoughts. Just as a lonely man suffering from society and his given place in it. He may be seen as human but he sure as hell isn't treated much better than the androids.
Ironic that the majority of earth wants to go to the colonies while androids want to come to earth. Perhaps showing that the andy's have more of a human element than some humans.
I had been meaning to read a Phillip K. Dick novel for some time now, first physical copy I was able to get my paws on.
Backyard approves.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Ableism
Minor: Animal cruelty and Sexual content
coolfijiwater's review
dark
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, and Mental illness
Minor: Sexual content, Abortion, and Infidelity