Blade Runner

Originally published as Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

By: Philip K. Dick

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Here is the classic sci-fi novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, set nearly thirty years before the events of the new Warner Bros. film Blade Runner 2049, starring Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, and Robin Wright.

By 2021, the World War has killed millions, driving entire species into extinction and sending mankind off-planet. Those who remain covet any living creature, and for people who can’t afford one, companies build incredibly realistic simulacra: horses, birds, cats, sheep. They’ve even built humans. Immigrants to Mars receive androids so sophisticated they are indistinguishable from true men or women. Fearful of the havoc these artificial humans can wreak, the government bans them from Earth. Driven into hiding, unauthorized androids live among human beings, undetected. Rick Deckard, an officially sanctioned bounty hunter, is commissioned to find rogue androids and “retire” them. But when cornered, androids fight back—with lethal force.

Praise for Philip K. Dick

“[Dick] sees all the sparkling—and terrifying—possibilities . . . that other authors shy away from.” - Rolling Stone

“A kind of pulp-fiction Kafka, a prophet.”- The New York Times

©1968 Philip K. Dick (P)2007 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Infinitely better than the movie

I hadn't seen the move until after listening to this.
My first thought after seeing the movie was "wow, they really should have stuck closer to the book." There's a reason the titles are different, the stories are different. This is a fantastic dystopian sci-fi novel that I liken to Logan's Run (book not movie), Running Man (book not movie), and A Brave New World.

Fantastic!

First, I want to say that my favorite memories from childhood are of when my father used to read 20th Century Sci-Fi novels to me before bed. Isaac Asimov, H.G. Wells (technically a 19th Century author, but close enough), Philip K. Dick, etc.

Now, as an adult my favorite movie is Blade Runner, yet somehow I had completely missed "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" until now. I started listening to this audiobook to test it out before I went out and found a copy of the physical book. And a strange thing happened:

This is now my favorite novel, but I'm not sure how I feel about the movie anymore. Don't misunderstand me, Ridley Scott's vision of dystopian Earth is wonderful and watching the movie is still an enjoyable experience. However, this novel somehow embodies the story that I always wanted the movie to tell. It's not perfect, sure, but it does boast a complex web of interconnected themes and emotions. Most of which center around the idea that what makes humans special (empathy) may or may not be something that we created for ourselves, rather than some vague naturally occurring experience.And if I had read the book before watching the movie, I'm certain I wouldn't have liked the movie anywhere near as much as I have.

Plus, I thought Scott Brick's performance was nuanced and poignant.

My only complaint isn't really about this audiobook in particular, or even the story. Put simply, the phrase "Based on the novel 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep'" implies that it in fact isn't the same novel, but rather a version of it. However, that isn't the case. This is the original novel, which has been republished under a different name since the movie came out. Nowadays, "Based On" usually means some of the names are the same and occasionally there's a reference to the source material, but overall it's something else entirely; take the "Conjuring" movie franchise, for example. Instead, it should say something along the lines of, "Blade Runner, formerly Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, by Philip K. Dick" That's it, my only gripe is a semantical one. Otherwise, I loved it and am immensely happy that I listened to it.

TLDR; If you enjoy other Sci-Fi writers of the era, you'll probably like this novel. Just don't expect it to be anything like the movie franchise.

better than I had hoped!

this was a great story. it is very different from the films - however it is still a great story. I loved the ending...it was perfect. worth the listen for sure!

Thought provoking

It is a very interesting story with strong themes but the ending falls flat.

Eetz Goood

I had to listen to it twice. The movie does not give the book justice. I would love a four or a two year relationship with a young pretty android.

Powerful and more important than ever.

The best science fantasy asks questions to modern thinkers about challenges that furore thinkers must grapple with. Dick, in this timeless work, poses challenges that remain unanswered today. Their time is coming though...

Mostly Good

Worth the listen - an interesting thought experiment into what it means to be human/empathetic

Great story, “dated” performance

While the story was interesting and thought-provoking, I am not a big fan of the reader. Something about the nature of his voice and performance makes the material feel “dated” and artificial. I would have preferred a different reader, but I am still glad I listed to this novel.

Not a fan of Brick’s narration

Good book. Love the movies so it’s interesting to understand the inspiration. Glad the movies left the nonsense out. Brick sounds like Jerry from Rick and Morty and I just can’t take his narrations seriously.

My review

If your looking for a review or refresh of the movie you will be disappointed. The over all theme is different as well as many characters motives. I enjoyed the book but didn’t think the ending gave any real closer the the story .