Bob Arctor, the main character, is an undercover cop who falls in with a variety of stoned characters whose hallucinations and darkly-comedic conversations bored me. The clincher is that Bob becomes addicted to the drug Substance D, or slow death. Eventually, the substance causes the brain to split and develop two personalities. As a cop, Bob is asked to literally spy on himself, Fred the addict.

The story was dark and depressing. Since this book is very nearly autobiographical, PKD himself having undergone the substance-abuse self-sabotaging, the gloomy and dispiriting mood is expected.

This was my first PKD book, and Dick is an esteemed science fiction author. Although this book disappointed me, I might try reading another of his novels. But honestly, any others would be at the bottom of my list.

After reading this book, I was left with a depressing confusion, if those two words can even be put together. I'm not a fan of dark stories, especially ones about drug addiction and the consequences.

Phillip K. Dick

Dick is touted as an author worth reading.

Dick's literary style bored me.

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Created Oct 16, 2014 at 11:57am • Submit your own review...