By Phillip K. Dick
You may have heard of the film “Blade Runner”. It was based on this book, you know. I’ve seen Blade Runner, I’m sure I have, I must’ve done, my Dad loved it, but for the life of me I cannot remember it. I may have to track down a copy.
This book is so full of futuristic ideas, it’s hard to believe it was written in 1968. Laser-tubes! They sound so futuristic, and the creation of such a unique item is rare nowadays thanks to overwhelming (yet subtle) brainwashing by thousands of hours worth of “me-too” science fiction. That sentence was unexpected. It just flowed out of me. I think what I’m trying to say is that Mr. Dick was able to create such innovative future technology because he wasn’t influenced by anyone or anything but his brilliant mind. Most science fiction writing nowadays, be it books or television or videogames, tend to follow certain rules. Laser guns. Not Laser-tubes. Gun-shaped things that shoot lasers. Not tube shaped things that shoot lasers.
Anyway… Yeah, the book was great. Really thrilling and fast-paced, I felt as confused as Deckard in places. It was also an interesting exploration into what makes us human, and what exactly being human means. Some of the religious stuff, I’ll be honest, I didn’t quite get. This Mercer guy keeps walking up a hill and has stones thrown at him, while humans hook up to an alternate version of the internet to experience his trials. Meanwhile, androids have Buster Friendly and his Friendly Friends, a TV show that runs 23 hours a day. That stuff just confused me.
