Philip K. Dick’s classic science fiction story follows the actions of Rick Deckard, who has been tasked with “retiring” a group of androids from Mars, who try to live among humans. These androids look exactly like humans, and don’t wish to be found.
What’s great about this book is the dystopian backdrop of the post-apocalyptic San Francisco that is vaguely described in the background as we follow Rick’s mission. This is set in a time when real animals are a rarity, with the remaining animals themselves being androids. It’s to the point where it’s extremely valuable to collect organic animals. The same could very easily happen to humans, hence the desire to retire (kill) the androids that lurk among society; before they can pave the way for an android invasion.
But Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep? isn’t full of android slaying action, because throughout the book Rick Deckard struggles with his own morals and principles. We see him not only fear the androids reflexes, but he also questions whether it’s right to take away an android’s life, even if they aren’t an organic being. We also get to witness a few surprise characters that are revealed as androids along the way.
If you’re just starting out in science fiction, this is an excellent piece of work to start with. And don’t worry, the movie is nothing like the novel, so you can enjoy both separately.
Buy at Amazon UK / Buy at Amazon US
-Featured Image Photo credit: Scraps from the Loft
