Audible Androids: Electric Sheep Dreamscape

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick, first published in 1968. It is a haunting, philosophical journey into the nature of humanity, empathy, and identity. Set in a post-apocalyptic future ravaged by nuclear war, the story follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter tasked with finding and retiring rogue androids that are nearly indistinguishable from humans. The novel explores themes of empathy, identity, and what it means to be human, with electric animals playing a significant role in the story as status symbols. The audiobook is narrated by Scott Brick and is 9 hours and 12 minutes long.

Explore related products

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?: The inspiration for the films Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049

$9.91 $18

Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? (S.F. MASTERWORKS) by Philip K. Dick (29-Mar-2010) Paperback

$22.99

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Vol. 6 (6)

$39.43

By Philip K. Dick - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (2012-02-16) [Paperback]

$20.84

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep: Dust to Dust Vol 2

$31.37

AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep: Leading and Teaching in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

$21.32 $24.99

Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter, has to 'retire' rogue androids

Rick Deckard is a bounty hunter in Philip K. Dick's classic sci-fi novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The story is set in a post-apocalyptic future ravaged by nuclear war, where the remaining humans covet any living creature. For those who cannot afford real animals, companies build incredibly realistic simulacra: horses, birds, cats, and sheep. They have even built humans.

Immigrants to Mars receive androids so sophisticated that they are almost indistinguishable from true men or women. The government bans these artificial humans from Earth, but some go rogue, living undetected among human beings. This is where Rick Deckard comes in. Deckard is an officially sanctioned bounty hunter with a license to kill. He is tasked with finding and "retiring" these rogue androids.

Deckard's mission is challenging, as the androids look exactly like humans and do not want to be found. Throughout the story, Deckard encounters various moral dilemmas and struggles with his emotions as the line between human and android blurs. He meets Rachael Rosen, an android who tricks him into believing she is human, and a group of androids masquerading as police officers. These encounters force Deckard to question the nature of humanity, empathy, and identity.

The story culminates in a final confrontation with the remaining androids in an abandoned apartment building. Deckard successfully retires them, but upon returning home, he finds that his newly acquired real goat has been killed by Rachael. Disillusioned, Deckard retreats to the Oregon wilderness, where he has a mystical experience.

Explore related products

Dead but Dreaming of Electric Sheep: A Novel

$14.99 $30

Androids and humans begin to blur as Deckard navigates a bleak world

In the futuristic world of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick, the lines between humans and androids begin to blur as Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter, navigates a bleak and desolate world. The story is set in the year 2021, decades after a devastating World War that has driven entire species to extinction and sent mankind off-planet. In this post-apocalyptic future, the remaining life forms on Earth are coveted, and for those who cannot afford real animals, companies build incredibly realistic simulacra, including horses, birds, cats, and even humans.

Immigrants to Mars receive androids so sophisticated that they are virtually indistinguishable from true men or women. The government, fearing the potential havoc these artificial humans could wreak, bans them from Earth. As a result, unauthorized androids live among human beings, undetected. Deckard, an officially sanctioned bounty hunter, is tasked with finding and "retiring" these rogue androids. However, the androids all look exactly like humans, and they do not want to be found, making Deckard's mission challenging and filled with moral dilemmas.

As Deckard navigates this bleak world, he encounters Rachael Rosen, an android who tricks him into believing she is human. He also comes across a group of androids impersonating police officers, further blurring the line between humans and machines. Throughout his journey, Deckard grapples with questions of humanity, empathy, and identity, as he struggles to differentiate between humans and androids. The novel delves into the value of empathy and the concept of "Mercerism," a religion centered around shared empathy, which contrasts with the seemingly cold rationality of androids who can mimic human emotion but lack true compassion.

In a world where artificial life is a necessity for survival, Deckard's own emotions become entangled with those of the androids he hunts. The distinction between human and machine becomes increasingly uncertain, and the reader is left to contemplate the true nature of consciousness and what it means to be alive. "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" is more than just a sci-fi novel; it is a philosophical exploration of the blurred lines between humans and machines in a future where the two coexist in unsettling proximity.

The novel explores empathy, contrasting it with the cold rationality of androids

The novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick explores the theme of empathy, contrasting it with the cold rationality of androids. In the post-apocalyptic world of the novel, World War has killed millions, driving species to extinction and forcing humans to leave Earth. Those who remain covet living creatures, and for those who cannot afford real animals, companies build incredibly realistic simulacra. These companies have even built humans, in the form of androids, which are so sophisticated that they are virtually indistinguishable from true men and women.

The protagonist, Rick Deckard, is a bounty hunter tasked with finding and "retiring" (killing) these androids. Deckard's previous animal died, so he has to make do with an electronic sheep, which bothers him. Deckard's motivation for hunting androids is partly the 1,000-dollar bounty he receives for each one, but also the fact that they are viewed as a threat to humanity. The only way to tell them apart from humans is to administer a Voight-Kampff test, which is designed to test the capacity for empathy of the person/android being interviewed. The test measures physiological reactions to various stimuli, including sex, animals, and murder.

The novel suggests that empathy is humanity's defining trait, in contrast to the emotional detachment of androids. This is closely tied to the concept of Mercerism, a shared religious experience in which humans participate through "empathy boxes", devices that allow them to fuse with Mercer, the religion's messianic figurehead, and with each other. Mercerism encourages followers to embrace empathy and provides a sense of community and purpose in a world that is devoid of both. This stands in stark contrast to the androids, who lack the capacity for genuine empathy and often engage in cruel, detached behaviors, such as Pris' mutilation of a spider in front of John Isidor.

The novel also explores the shifting nature of reality and the perception of the world, as well as the role of religion and faith in providing moral guidance and existential solace. Despite evidence that Mercerism is a fraud, characters like Deckard and John Isidore find that their experiences with it remain meaningful and offer guidance during moments of moral uncertainty.

The story is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, after a global war

Immigrants to Mars are given androids so sophisticated that they are almost indistinguishable from real men and women. Fearing the chaos these artificial humans could cause, the government bans them from Earth. Driven into hiding, unauthorized androids live among human beings, undetected. Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter, is tasked with finding and "retiring" these rogue androids.

Deckard hopes to earn enough money from his mission to replace his electric sheep with a real animal, a status symbol in this desolate future. As he hunts down the androids, he faces several challenges and moral dilemmas. He meets Rachael Rosen, an android who tricks him into believing she is human. Deckard also encounters a group of androids impersonating police officers, forcing him to question the nature of humanity and empathy.

Throughout his journey, Deckard grapples with his emotions and the blurring line between humans and androids. The story concludes with Deckard's final showdown with the remaining androids in an abandoned apartment building. After successfully completing his mission, he returns home to find his newly acquired goat has been killed by Rachael. Disheartened, Deckard retreats to the Oregon wilderness, where he has a spiritual experience reminiscent of Wilbur Mercer, a religious figure in this world.

The novel is an adaptation of the 1982 film Blade Runner

The novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick was first published in 1968 and is set in a post-apocalyptic San Francisco after a global war that rendered Earth's atmosphere highly radioactive, causing most animal species to become endangered or extinct. The plot follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter who has to "retire" (i.e. kill) six escaped Nexus-6 model androids. A secondary plot follows John Isidore, a man of sub-par IQ who aids the fugitive androids.

The 1982 film Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, is a loose adaptation of the novel. It stars Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. While the film and the novel share themes and atmosphere, the specific plots differ. The film is set in 2019, while the novel takes place entirely on a single day in 1992 (2021 in later editions). The film repeatedly mentions "the off-world colonies", where the replicants were assigned, but does not explain their existence or the reason for the perpetually dark orange sky, both of which are answered in the novel.

The novel and the film also differ in their treatment of replicants. In the novel, Deckard owns a titular 'electric sheep' and notes that the androids are different in nature from robotic animals. There are vague mentions of zygote baths, and a marrow bone test is the final reliable way to confirm whether an entity is an android. In contrast, the film's replicants are more ambiguous, with their true nature left unexplained.

Despite the differences, the film Blade Runner is considered a trailblazer for the cyberpunk genre, and its popularity has overshadowed the critical reception of the novel. The novel's influence can be seen in the film's sequel, Blade Runner 2049, which retains many themes from the book. An audiobook version of the novel, narrated by Scott Brick, was released in 2007 to coincide with the release of Blade Runner: The Final Cut.

Frequently asked questions