Book reviews

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Philip K. Dick Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Philip K. Dick Books
New book search
Philip K. Dick Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
"Rick Deckard is your routine android bounty hunter. But when he's sent out to hunt down some more androids that include some cute female ones, he starts to have second thoughts, especially when he finds himself attracted to one of them. Most of the story focuses on his struggle both with the androids and with his feelings about killing them."
Steve, Resident Scholar

"Although it inspired the film "Blade Runner," this book has little in common with that movie beyond the hero's name and job as a bounty hunter searching for escaped androids. Dick includes thoughtful environmental themes (most animal species are extinct or endangered, so it is every citizen's duty to care for an animal, and if that's too expensive they cheat with fake ones -- hence, the hero's electric sheep); drug- and television-induced mood setting and reversal; and a "religious channel" starring a Sisyphean figure called Wilbur Mercer (whom the hero ends up meeting in person). The book remains a gripping future noir, but with fascinating details the movie did not choose to include."
David Loftus, Resident Scholar

"Altho' this 1968 book inspired the classic film 'Blade Runner', the original but deeply flawed book is far less competent. The dystopian vision of a post-nuclear holocaust earth, emptied of most of the healthy folks as they have migrated to Mars, is a familiar theme. The inspiration is the introduction of the Frankenstein theme - androids, virtual physical replicas of humans, are the new slave class. The question is 'if God created man in His image, what happens when man creates in his sub-image?'. The bitter and disillusioned tone of the whole book fails to integrate and cope with the many inventive themes and sub-plots introduced, such as fake religion and false hope of the 'mood organ', an instant brain-fix machine. Amongst the disjointed proceedings are found many good things, some good invented words such as 'chickenhead' and 'kipple'. There is an all-time laughable failure too: 'disemevelevatored' (left the elevator). Still I enjoyed his casual Latinisms ('sub specie aeternitatis'), and the brooding evocation of urban decay, which translated well in the film."
Michael JR Jose, Resident Scholar

""DADOES" is ostensibly the story of Rick Deckard, a worldly, experienced bounty hunter sent to capture a group of escaped replicants (androids). The future-Earth in which Deckard inhabits is a poisoned, polluted nightmare ("tomb-world" seems to be the author's favorite description). However, this novella exists on far more levels than what we saw in "Blade Runner." The renegade androids have realer emotions than most humanoid characters; Earth's citizens flee to space, while space-born replicants flee to Earth; Deckard slowly loses the ability to judge reality and artificiality (including his own nature). The reader is left with the ultimate philosophical questions: What is the nature of reality? What does it mean to be human? Dick sheds no light on the answers, but he does provoke much thought."
M Gandy, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 10%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 60%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%




Tone of book - depressing/sad
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Inner Struggle Yes
Plotlet: - search for identity/new understanding - change of heart
Story involving clones/duplicates? - bad clones/duplicates
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Clones Yes

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - bounty hunter
Age: - 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - slave
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - super strength
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - throughout most of the book.
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Physique - bulging muscles

Setting
Earth setting: - near future (later in 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only
How much dialogue? - significantly more descript than dialog
Most similar books to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Dorsai Spirit by Gordon R. Dickson
The Golden Age by John C. Wright
Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
Tatooine Ghost by Troy Denning
Soul of a Mercenary by Angela Verdenius


Click here for more information about this book


Philip K. Dick Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
David Loftus  

SCHOLARS:
Scott David Mclemore  Robert Hadley  Harriet Klausner  Sam Batterson  Jason Seward  M Gandy  Alexander Babiera  Jesi Bornemann  Future Boy  


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Science Fiction books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal Story

Clones

Coming of age

Cultural problems, alien culture

Explore/1st contact/ enviro story

Family relations

GIANT monster(s)

Horror story?

Inner Struggle

Lifeform altered?

Mental/magical powers focus

Parody

Political power play

Religious overtones?

Repressive society story

Robots, Computers, VR

Romance

Spying & Investigations

Tech./$$$/Info hunt

Time Travel story?

Training/Apprent.

War or Invasion



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Kin Platt 9:07:16 AM
James Patterson 12:08:13 PM
George W. Bush 2:32:02 AM
Anonymous 2:03:39 AM
Erin Hunters 9:00:01 PM
Betty Mahmoody 6:00:22 PM
Judith McNaught 11:55:44 AM
Iris Johansen 9:03:43 PM
Norah Lofts 1:11:37 PM
Jane Rubino 9:32:45 AM
Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twersky 11:28:51 PM
Faye Kellerman 12:37:41 AM
LaVyrle Spencer 7:25:23 PM
Robert James Waller 8:30:15 PM
Suzanne Weyn 12:50:03 AM
Deric Longden 2:54:11 PM
Wilma Counts 1:23:32 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM

More message boards