A great introduction to the writing of PKD

This was my first foray in to his writing and it did not disappoint. It's fairly grounded for much of the book, which lets you settle in to his writing style as thing become increasingly out of joint, then kind of crazy.

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very good but not pkds best

the first pks classic as he was just finding his stride. some of his work over the next couple of decades explored similar themes and types of story and did it better, but if you have worked your way through those this is well worth a read/listen.

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1 person found this helpful

Influential story

A variety of voices from the narrator but not really for me. A solid performance nevertheless. The book is instantly recognisable as a classic. I won't spoil the plot but listening to this book I can see where many stories and popular films have found their Inspiration. Very forward thinking. Cannot say too much without spoiling the plot but a very good story and one for all fans of science fiction.

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2 people found this helpful

Stupid twist at the end

Story is a little slow. Not Philip K Dicks’s best book. Still I enjoyed it.

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very enjoyable

first pkd audio book. the performance was excellent, as Wad the pacing. the narrators ability to move through the different layers in the later scenes seamlessly Wad excellent, creating a very eerie sense of displacement.

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Strange performance of an exciting, if flawed tale

This Truman-Show-esque thriller really gripped me and had me along for the ride until the end. Ultimately the pay-off isn't quite as exciting as what you imagine it could be, but the journey is a thrilling ride all the same. Plot holes are too numerous to count, so if you're picky about this sort of thing the story might annoy you, however if you're just along for the psychedelic ride you shouldn't be disappointed.

This recording gets a couple of points knocked off for the strange way some of characters have been voiced. The main character is given a very aggressive gruff tone which doesn't fit with his words. Many of the other characters are given silly childish voices which has the effect of trivialising what they say.

Ultimately the reading of this book was rather a disappointment, but I'm still excited by the book itself. I needed to use my imagination to make the book "mine" again after such a strange reading.

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Very good, but the misogyny is hard to take

The plot was fantastic, but the relentlessly dim, trivial female characters, and the awful ways the men related to them made it hard to listen to.

I won't rush to listen another Philip K Dick, even though I bought several in one go.

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4 people found this helpful

Slow start... classic PKD...

I struggled to get started on this but suddenly found myself gripped by this strange tale. I feel this is classic PKD where for much of the story the key characters question who they are and what is going on in the mysterious world around them... really enjoyed this

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Excellent.

One of the best stories by Philip K. Dick. Beginning by lulling the reader into comfort, little-by-little the reader notices incongruities - as, equally slowly, does the central character. There’re a few passages which don’t quite seem to fit the overall narrative but without giving anything away, they don’t unduly affect the flow of the storyline. Thoroughly recommended.

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That's some good Philip K Dick.

I'm a huge fan of Philip K Dick, but will be the first to say that some of his books are terrible. This is no such book, it's a mind-bender in the classic Dick way, but not over the top or so twisted that it's hard to follow. Absolutely worth a credit. Great easy listen, very good storyline. Reports that it was predictable fail to take into account that it's familiar only because it's good, and the concepts have been appropriated by others over the years. You'll recognise parts which have been reused in modern books and films. This book is one of the founding fathers of modern sci-fi, and I really enjoyed it in the couple of days in which I didn't put it down. Same narrator as The Man In The High Castle, who plays some characters in a really odd way (think of Robert Childen from that very book - that particular voice is recycled here).

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3 people found this helpful