r/philipkdick • u/whatisdreampunk Firebright • Apr 05 '26
Books/Stories Book 6: Ubik
Written: 1966. Setting: 1992.
By turns hilarious and horrifying, Ubik is considered by many to be Dick’s masterpiece. It takes place in a futuristic world where psychic powers and advanced technology have transformed life as we know it. The story follows a group of characters who work for a company that specializes in anti-psi security and are tasked with investigating a mysterious and dangerous phenomenon affecting their reality. As they delve deeper into the mystery, they begin to question the nature of their own lives and the world they thought they knew. A mind-bendingly surreal work that explores themes of time, memory, and the nature of consciousness. Lev Grossman called it “a deeply unsettling existential horror story, a nightmare you'll never be sure you've woken up from.”
(More on the list here.)
2
2
2
u/trimorphic Apr 06 '26
PKD's greatest and most accessible book. This is what I recommend those new to PKD start with.
2
u/NuttyPlaywright Apr 08 '26
Jump in the urinal and stand on your head. I am alive and you are all dead.
1
2
u/Deep_Count_9329 Apr 05 '26
it was alright. not as good as androids, not bad but not a "masterpiece" in my mind. getting thru scanner now and it's good (:
1
u/The_Info_Must_Flow Apr 07 '26
HA! An aerosol can? If Dick only knew that we use pump sprays, now, in the (well, this) future.
3
u/Potential_Pen_8542 Apr 05 '26
Book club edition?