A Scanner Darkly

By: Philip K. Dick

Narrated by: Paul Giamatti

Bob Arctor is a dealer of the lethally addictive drug Substance D. Fred is the police agent assigned to tail and eventually bust him. To do so, Fred takes on the identity of a drug dealer named Bob Arctor. And since Substance D--which Arctor takes in massive doses--gradually splits the user's brain into two distinct, combative entities, Fred doesn't realize he is narcing on himself.

Caustically funny, eerily accurate in its depiction of junkies, scam artists, and the walking brain-dead, Philip K. Dick's industrial-grade stress test of identity is as unnerving as it is enthralling.

Not for the faint of heart.....

A deep introspective of a brilliant writer. Dick causes confusion, induces humor and grips you with truth. Paul Giamatti does an admirable job, but I get the feeling he didn't read the book before performing it. Although some of the characters sound the same, he still does a worthwhile job. Dick though, hit everything right on the spot, take out the bell bottom references and this easily could be present day. But, the book can be so strange at times, that I really don't know who to recommend it to. So, as the title states, it is very dark. At times it can almost satire like too. I guess it's a dark, trippy, mystery satire.....

A Scanner revisited

I have been a PK Dick fan for years. I was not disappointed by this audio book. The subject matter was a little depressing at first, due to the subject matter, but the story is compelling enough to overcome this.
The reader kind of sounds like Mr.VanDriessen (Beavis and Butthead's teacher), especially when he reads as Jim Barris.
I recommend this book but I can't understand the 2 credit hit on my account.

Paul Giamatti is outstanding

Paul Giamatti creates the entire world of this novel and brings the characters alive. Entertaining a d intelligent.

This is now my favorite book.

The perfect performance of Paul Giamatti mixed with the truth of untruth that Dick weaves through out the whole novel made this the best book I have ever enjoyed. This book was amazing I finished it than immediately began it again.

A beautiful story, performed well

This story holds special significance for me, take it to heart any who listen. Performance by the narrator is great but for some reason his performance for Donna annoys me a little bit but I can’t figure out why.