The movie Blade Runner gives a solid adaptation of this, one of Philip K. Dick's masterpieces, and the book stands as a giant among equals in the genre. The action sequences are evocative, but it's the underlying moral and ethical struggles of the characters that make this book engaging and a quick read. Philip K. Dick makes great use of futuristic technological ideas within the story but doesn't let the narrative bog down or hinge on the technology's presence. Here's hoping the new TV show can live up to the high standards laid down by its forebears.
A masterpiece ahead of its time, a prescient rendering of a dark future, and the inspiration for the blockbuster film Blade Runner By 2021, the World War has killed millions, driving entire species into extinction and sending mankind off-planet. Those who remain covet any living creature, and for people who can't afford one, companies built incredibly realistic simulacra: horses, birds, cats, sheep. They've even built humans. Immigrants to Mars receive androids so sophisticated they are indistinguishable from true men or women. Fearful of the havoc these artificial humans can wreak, the government bans them from Earth. Driven into hiding, unauthorized androids live among human beings, undetected. Rick Deckard, an officially sanctioned bounty hunter, is commissioned to find rogue androids and "retire" them. But when cornered, androids fight back--with lethal force. Praise for Philip K. Dick "The most consistently brilliant science fiction writer in the world."--John Brunner "A kind of pulp-fiction Kafka, a prophet."--The New York Times " Philip K. Dick] sees all the sparkling--and terrifying--possibilities . . . that other authors shy away from."--Rolling Stone