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Ubik Audiobook
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(4.00) - 20,967 listener ratings
Publisher Description
A mind-bending, classic Philip K. Dick novel about the perception of reality.
Named as one of Time's 100 best books.
“From the stuff of space opera, Dick spins a deeply unsettling existential horror story, a nightmare you’ll never be sure you’ve woken up from.” —Lev Grossman, Time
Glen Runciter runs a lucrative business—deploying his teams of anti-psychics to corporate clients who want privacy and security from psychic spies. But when he and his top team are ambushed by a rival, he is gravely injured and placed in “half-life,” a dreamlike state of suspended animation. Soon, though, the surviving members of the team begin experiencing some strange phenomena, such as Runciter’s face appearing on coins and the world seeming to move backward in time. As consumables deteriorate and technology gets ever more primitive, the group needs to find out what is causing the shifts and what a mysterious product called Ubik has to do with it all.
“More brilliant than similar experiments conducted by Pynchon or DeLillo.” —Roberto Bolaño
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"I was a little later coming to this PKD masterwork, but agreed upon completion that it is of the finer novels. (PKD is profilic; he has a huge number of second-rate or even third-rate works). possibly its popularity lies in the fact that a fairly decent sci-fi/ nested realities 'Vanilla Sky' / 'Inception' piece also devolves Ray Bradbury-esque nostalgia for a simpler America. so, borders on 'literary fiction,' and was rated by Time magazine as a top-100 American novel."
— Michael (4 out of 5 stars)
Ubik Listener Reviews
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John Atwood, 12/30/2019
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" My first SF novel ever! What a start! I cannot belive I have never heard of this book. Seems there is a lot to catch up with! "
— Jelenovic, 2/20/2014 -
" Loved it, and I need to read it again "
— Nathan, 2/18/2014 -
" Can't find a good read? Spray on UBIK and any book is good! Can't find a job? UBIK will fix you right up! This book is often bizzare and puzzling, while very entertaining. Finding out the truth about UBIK in the final plot twist makes this book a truly brilliant story! "
— Foxtower, 1/26/2014 -
" The first third of Ubik was a bit dull to me. After that, however, it grew to extremely interesting, then mind-bending, then, holy heek, to that ending... O_o "
— Katelin, 1/13/2014 -
" My pick for the second-whackest of all of PKD's works (the first being "The Three Stigamata of Palmer Eldritch"). This is one you should read just to truly get a grip on what Philip Dick was all about. Don't expect it to make a hell of a lot of sense-- it's a ride.Anybody trying to deconstruct or analyze this one is, IMO, missing the point. "
— Tony, 1/10/2014 -
" It holds up very well as science fiction, but I've come to expect more from Dick. It's missing the unique character spark that makes him stand out. "
— Ilya, 1/10/2014 -
" Philip K. Dick always writes the most interesting books that play with your sense of reality. This one is no exception. "
— Rachel, 12/4/2013 -
" The time-concept switched too much for me. I didn't get why other people liked it so much. "
— Carissa, 11/8/2013 -
" If you liked "Inception" or "The Matrix" then you'd probably like this. It's kind of a similar concept of people trapped in essentially a dreamworld where things can change around them in an instant. Of course there's a lot less kung-fu and car chases than those movies. "
— Patrick, 10/11/2013 -
" After the semi autobiographical VALIS, Ubik is surely one of my absolute favorites and I'm looking forward to reading it again. "
— Ian, 9/22/2013 -
" Exceptional. Dick was a master of sci fi, no argument. This novel twists your mind into knots and leaves it there. "
— Dale, 9/18/2013 -
" Dick is so eager with his concept that he glosses over character development and rushes the pacing. That being said, it was a good enough concept that I wish I could have had another 100 pages. "
— Tim, 9/17/2013 -
" Overrated. I was not overly impressed, but it was definitely a strange and somewhat dystopic view of the future. They are making it into a movie, but I don't know how. "
— Adam, 9/6/2013 -
" Initial reaction upon finishing it: this book is amazing and so complex and I adored it. And that ending! Oh, so good. "
— Casey, 8/4/2013 -
" This book is nuts. Dick's version of the future is strange, but familiar enough to resonate with a contemporary reader, and his philosophical concerns about the epistomology of life/death and questions about reality, perception and time are engaging and relevant. "
— John, 7/5/2013 -
" My favorite PKD novel and probably my favorite scifi novel of all time. What more can one say. Buy it. Read it. It won't take you that long. "
— Randolph, 6/8/2013 -
" I've just read 6 PK Dick books in the past month... It may be burn out. I could not get into this book. "
— Josh, 3/21/2013 -
" A science fiction novel with a metaphysical slant. Witty and well paced... for me, perfection. "
— Violet, 8/31/2012 -
" Satirical commentary on the consequences of excessive, obsessive consumerism wrapped around a comic mystery-thriller with old fashioned whodunit qualities. This probably could stand up to two or three readings; there is plenty of story-with-the-story going on. "
— Guy, 7/22/2012 -
" Interesting. I really enjoy Philip K. Dick's writing style. But, the story is a bit bizarre - not quite as well put together as "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep". "
— Vann, 4/25/2012 -
" This is a great book - I kept thinking , "What the fuck is going on?" "
— Shawn, 7/23/2011 -
" I'm glad I read it, and I guess I enjoyed it, but I can't really say I understood it. I guess maybe that is part of the appeal.. makes you think.<br/> "
— Jason, 5/5/2011 -
" Buy Ubik! Will solve all your problems in life, if applied as specified in the prescription. "
— Bettina, 4/13/2011 -
" Interesting, creepy book. Typical Philip K Dick style. He creates weird anachronistic worlds. "
— Hafidha, 4/12/2011 -
" Really classic Dick. If you like a book where reality distorts and bends, this is for you. "
— Darceylaine, 4/9/2011 -
" Incredible plot. A lesson on how to write a brilliant sci-fi novel. "
— Santiago, 3/16/2011
About Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick (1928–1982) published thirty-six science fiction novels and 121 short stories in which he explored the essence of what makes man human and the dangers of centralized power. Toward the end of his life, his work turned toward deeply personal, metaphysical questions concerning the nature of God. Eleven novels and short stories have been adapted to film, notably Blade Runner (based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), Total Recall, Minority Report, and A Scanner Darkly. The recipient of critical acclaim and numerous awards throughout his career, Dick was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2005, and in 2007 the Library of America published a selection of his novels in three volumes. His work has been translated into more than twenty-five languages.
About Luke Daniels
Luke Daniels, winner of sixteen AudioFile Earphones Awards and a finalist for the Audie Award for best narration, is a narrator whose many audiobook credits range from action and suspense to young-adult fiction. His background is in classical theater and film, and he has performed at repertory theaters around the country.