I'm going to start out by saying I just got back from a serious Philip K Dick Wikipedia rabbit hole and it was WILD. What a guy- a classic example of a seriously troubled individual churning out amazing work in spite of it all.
His tumultuous personal life aside, I've read many of his books--and yes, seen a handful of the 13 movies (!!!) based on said books-- and I've never been disappointed. The book I just finished, A Scanner Darkly, is no different and the only reason it took me a little while to read it is that it's dark overtones clashed so harshly with the emergence of spring here that I had a hard time delving in (I always have a good excuse, don't I?).
A Scanner Darkly follows a narcotics agent named Bob Arctor who, as he sets out to discover serious drug suppliers in the LA area, becomes addicted to the dangerous drug "Substance D," which ruins the connection between the two hemispheres of your brain. He becomes increasingly confused and the two parts of him- the government agent and the junkie- begin hunting each other until he finally breaks down and is admitted to New Path, a rehab facility. This work was especially personal for Dick as he struggled with his own addictions.
Yeah. See what I mean about it being a bit too anti-happy-spring for me?
All the same, I would highly recommend this book. It's not as straight sci-fi-y as I've come to expect from Dick but it's an interesting viewpoint on the treatment of a disparaged portion of the population- it doesn't quite vilify heavy drug use but it certainly doesn't glorify it either- and corruption.
Anyway, I'm off to find the happiest book I have for my next read!
Star Rating: 4/5
2021 Book Count: 4
I don't think I've read that one - we have a bunch of PKDs, and I can't remember my books once I've read about 4-5 in between. Sad book memory - that's why I write them down!
ReplyDeleteI am loving my current book, the second one in the "Annihilation" series by Jeff VanderMeer. Very odd, slightly sci-fi trilogy.
Ohh, I'll have to check that out! Odd and sci-fi-y, right up my alley.
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