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Total Recall  By  cover art

Total Recall

By: Philip K. Dick
Narrated by: Phil Gigante
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Publisher's summary

Philip K. Dick’s classic short story tells the story of Douglas Quail, an unfulfilled bureaucrat who dreams of visiting Mars, but can't afford the trip. Luckily, there is Rekal Incorporated, a company that lets everyday stiffs believe they’ve been on incredible adventures. The only problem is that when technicians attempt a memory implant of a spy mission to Mars, they find that real memories of just such a trip are already in Quail's brain. Suddenly, Quail is running for his life from government agents, but his memories might make him more of a liability than he is worth.

©2012 Laura Coelho, Christopher Dick, and Isa Hackett (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about Total Recall

Average customer ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

PKD good one

this is a well known and excellent story, different than the movie of course. i do think this is contained within one of the other short story collections of PKD and I didn't double check before buying. still a good performance, but may even be same reader as other collection. I have grown to like PKD more and more but generally his alternate reality ideas are his best in my opinion, Scanner, Androids, Valis, Policeman so far the best.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

After a few months, still thinking about this one

Often a PKD does do this.
Enjoyed at the time about 3 months ago.
Driving on a country road, visiting the supermarket,
cooking a meal, anytime really, I can find myself thinking about this one.
Maybe it is a Mars thing.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

An hour well-spent...or was it?

Was the main character in a dream, or did the events actually happen?

PKD draws upon unique ideas, and creates a surprisingly realistic premises from the completely bizare, and he does so in an interesting way. It is funny to me that he could bring forth more in a short story, than many authors seem capable of writing in endless hours of written material.



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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Memory is not how you remembered it

Total Recall, a Philip K Dick short story was originally released as We Can Remember It for You Wholesale. While the basis for the film of the same name, the short story begins the same, but is not as complex and ends with a unique twist. The main character is a unassuming bureaucrat who wants to go to Mars, but can't afford it. Instead, he elects to pay for a memory implant of a trip to Mars as a secret agent. Memory implants are a popular service available to the public. When the implant is attempted, a memory of Mars is already there, including the secret agent angle. He is then followed by other government agents and learns he really was on Mars, but agreed to have that memory overwritten. The eventual solution is to try again, only to run into an even bigger mystery.

Dick plays with reality with memory having a major influence. At the same time, he mixes fantasy and reality that creates confusion ending on a humorous note.

Narration is great; this is quick listen and worth the hour.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Mind Blown

Wow is all I can say about “We Can Remember it for You Wholesale” this is the first Philip K. Dick That I’ve read and it was great not even sure how they came up with the 2 movies as this is so much better I listened to this audible the Narrator was great really loved this a lot so much to think about and take in a this is just a short story.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good. Buy cash, not with a credit

This is the foundational short story that later became the story we know from the movies. It’s enjoyable, but only an hour long. Don’t use a credit on it, pick it up for cash on sale.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Don’t purchase

I can’t believe I wasted a credit on an hour long story that didn’t have most of the action, story and thrill of the movies.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good enough

This is a good enough but not a great performance of this much loved work by PKD.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Similarities and Differences from the Films

I had never heard the original story of Total Recall, though I have seen both films. There are similarities and differences. The ending was unusual. Someone should do an adaptation of this work. Great story and narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Short but, to the point.

loved it. Such a brilliant twist to a story I thought I knew, but didn't.

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