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The Simulacra  By  cover art

The Simulacra

By: Philip K. Dick
Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
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Publisher's summary

On a ravaged Earth, fate and circumstances bring together a disparate group of characters, including a fascist with dreams of a coup, a composer who plays his instrument with his mind, a First Lady who calls all the shots, and the world’s last practicing therapist. And they all must contend with an underclass that is beginning to ask a few too many questions, aided by a man called Loony Luke and his very persuasive pet alien.

In classic Philip K. Dick fashion, The Simulacra combines time travel, psychotherapy, telekinesis, androids, and Neanderthal-like mutants to create a rousing, mind-bending story where there are conspiracies within conspiracies and nothing is ever what it seems.

©1992 Laura Coelho, Christopher Dick, and Isa Hackett (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about The Simulacra

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I'll vote this high but...

only cause I'm into Philip K Dick and it's interesting to see his progression as an author. this story is clunky and amateur. it shows that even the greats need practice. I do like the themes though.

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1 person found this helpful

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You got any toast

cause this is my jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam :-) this is my Kawasaki this is my face melting this is my ham

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6 people found this helpful

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Very nice

Very nice book. Nice performance . The book was produced during the productive years. I recommend it.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of PKDs least celebrated creations, still good

PKD is the master of creating detailed, intriguing sci fi dystopias, setting up some action, and then ending the story just as it gets good. Much like High Castle and Scanner Darkly, Simulacra feels unfinished. Like PKD got bored. If you want a satisfying story, look elsewhere.
But if you're okay with a story with no ending, Simulacra has brilliant ideas, great characters, and creates an interesting universe that leaves the reader wanting more. But there is no more. Sorry.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

In a mad world, only the mad are sane.

“In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche

Like a lot of PKD's novels, 'The Simulacra' was messy. I mean messy and complex and absurd and filled with fractals and digressions. Genius in parts, yes. But mostly messy genius. It felt like I was driving a BMW assembled by the art/pit-crew from Mad Max, perhaps.

I loved the concept of it. Dr. Superb, the only remaining psychotherapist in a world filled with the crazy and cranky. He wrote this novel like he just invented the 3 or 4 main characters, starved them a bit, and set them on a collision course and, of course, sat back and watched and wrote.

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22 people found this helpful

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Narrator is Terrible

I'm sad that Dick Hill is the narrator of more than one Philip K. Dick book. I can't bear listening to him. It sounds like he's struggling to speak. Maybe he has emphysema. Dick Hill is probably a fine person, but I don't understand why Audible has him as a narrator.

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narration is very boring

narration is very boring its almost like a text to speech... ... really more emotion less robotc would be better

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