2.5
Lies, Inc.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesLies, Inc. Reviews
2.5
“Rachmael Ben Applebaum almost inherited his families business of transporting immigrants to Whales Mouth, the new colony 24 light years from earth. But when Trails of Hoffman Limited, a German company creates a teleportation system that can get people there in 15 minutes, Ben Applebaum loses everything.
But something doesn’t add up and Applebaum is now going to take the 18 year journey instead of 15 minutes to prove he’s right.
Did that synopsis make sense? Well, don’t be fooled, this book is not even remotely as clear as my synopsis. 😵💫
I have quickly become a PKD fan but this one — oof — it’s tough. Not only is it confusing once the protagonist gets hit with an LSD dart sending him into a wild 100 page side quest that makes ZERO sense, but, frankly, the first 80 pages up to that point are pretty rough around the edges as well.
And spoilers *not really* it’s completely unclear why he titles the company lies, inc, and thus why the book is called that.
The only thing making this a fun read is the subtext of “new whole Germany” as a still nazi-esque authoritarian state engaged in fascist evil by way of nefarious science and the protagonist seeking to expose it. Meaning, there is a conspiratorial vibe, and the protagonist is seeking to bring them down—and that COULD have been interesting to explore. But alas, it’s mostly just…. Weird.
Every list you read that ranks PKD books will have this one ranked last… for a reason. Add me to the list of people that suggest reading the original novella, the unteleported man, instead.”
“I really have no idea what actually just happened. Some parts were great, most of it was so confusing I couldn’t tell you who was where at any given time”
“This book is an acid trip. It is not a good acid trip. It literally used weaponized LSD on the protagonist and then went for an analysis of his reactions. I would not recommend this book.”
About Philip K. Dick
Over a writing career that spanned three decades, Philip K. Dick (1928-1982) published 36 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 SF 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.
Other books by Philip K. Dick
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