Genre: Science Fiction, Cyberpunk
Pages: 244
Publish: 1968
Summary: It was January 2021, and Rick Deckard had a license to kill. Somewhere among the hordes of humans out there, lurked several rogue androids. Deckard’s assignment–find them and then…”retire” them. Trouble was, the androids all looked exactly like humans, and they didn’t want to be found.
Review
This is the first Philip K. Dick book I have read. Heard that this is a good book to get into because, his other books are straight out weird.
Rick lives in a dystopian world where most of society has emmigrated to Mars and the Earth is cover in nuclear dust making those who stay behind sick. Most animals on Earth have been wipe out. With feeling of guilt and regret, society is expected to own and care for a real animal.
Like how the dialog between human and android is distinct. Can tell that there something off in how the androids speak. It not out right robotic, just a lack of emotions.
Having the feeling of empathy runs through out the story. Being empathic to animals by taking care of one. Humans have empathy, while androids do not. Looking at our own world with the advanment in AI technology one of the main challenge is making AI empathic. Something science can not build. It is purely a trite of humanity.
Draws questions of; should we make AI as humanly as possible? Why would we do that? What are the ethics involve?
I have only seen part of the movie Blade Runner and from what I know its a lose adaptation of the book. The cyberpunk aesthetic in the movie was influence by the book Necromancer.
I am well aware that Philp K. Dick’s books take on a noir mystery set in the future.
The deep question about robots is what kept the book interesting. The question of whose a human and whose an android can lead to some suspenseful moments.
Will I read anymore of Philip K. Dick? With hundred of short stories and dozens of books written, the answer is yes.
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