A sci-fi classic (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick)

Member Name: TigerMystery

Product:	Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick
Date:	20/08/09 (43 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Thought-provoking, interesting ideas

Disadvantages: Can't think of any

I have decided to start writing book reviews, and in the future I plan to focus more on books that don't already have reviews on the site. However, I thought I'd do this as my first one, because I felt I could review it easily. Feedback welcome!

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Introduction:
"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" was written in 1968 by Philip K Dick. The book was used as the basis for the movie 'Blade Runner', which was released in 1982, only weeks after Dick's death.

The book is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, and deals with themes of technology and human nature.

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Plot Summary:
In the near future, the planet has been decimated by World War Terminus and is being taken over by toxic dust. Most of the population have emigrated to Mars, with the incentive of being given an android as a slave.

The events of the novel all take place in the same day. It follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter, as he sets out to track down and 'retire' i.e. kill six advanced model 'andys' (androids escaped from their owners in Mars).

A secondary storyline follows J.R. Isidore, a 'special', i.e. someone of a low IQ deemed not to be a suitable candidate for emigration to Mars). Isidore befriends one of the escaped andys who moves into his abandoned apartment complex.

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My thoughts:
It didn't take me long to get absorbed in the book and I found that I was compelled to keep reading to find out what would happen next. The book gives a brief insight into what life could be like, and raises some interesting questions about the nature of humanity and the use of technology.

At the very beginning of the book, we are introduced to the Penfield Mood Organ, a device that allows the user to induce a particular mood or feeling by dialling the appropriate number. This perfectly demonstrates the idea of society becoming more machine-like by being overly dependent on technology.
Towards the start of the book, Deckard uses an empathy test to determine whether or not someone is an android, as this is supposedly what makes humans differ from androids. However, the reliability of this test is questioned several times throughout the book.
As the books progresses, the line between humans and androids starts to blur, and it leaves you wondering what it really is that makes us human.

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Further Recommendations:
Wicked by Gregory Maguire - a very different book, but also explores themes of human nature (well, Munchkin nature technically) and particularly the nature of evil.

Summary: A must-read