UbikNamed one of Time's 100 Best Books, Ubik is a mind-bending, classic novel about the perception of reality from Philip K. Dick, the Hugo Award-winning author of The Man in the High Castle. “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 |
From inside the book
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Page 13
... bores you,” Runciter said gloomily. “No. I—” She hesitated and he felt her once more drift away. “Are they all telepaths?” she asked after an interval. “Telepaths and precogs mostly. They're nowhere on Earth; I know UBIK 13.
... bores you,” Runciter said gloomily. “No. I—” She hesitated and he felt her once more drift away. “Are they all telepaths?” she asked after an interval. “Telepaths and precogs mostly. They're nowhere on Earth; I know UBIK 13.
Page 14
... they're on one single project; I mean, I believe. Anyhow, I'm sure of it; somebody's hired the bunch of them, but only Hollis knows who it is or where it is. Or what it's all about.” He lapsed into brooding silence then. How would Ella ...
... they're on one single project; I mean, I believe. Anyhow, I'm sure of it; somebody's hired the bunch of them, but only Hollis knows who it is or where it is. Or what it's all about.” He lapsed into brooding silence then. How would Ella ...
Page 17
... her because of her weakened state. She's accessible to almost anyone.” Von Vogelsang chewed his lip, palpably pondering. “She may not like being isolated, Mr. Runciter. We keep the containers—the caskets, as they're called by the UBIK 17.
... her because of her weakened state. She's accessible to almost anyone.” Von Vogelsang chewed his lip, palpably pondering. “She may not like being isolated, Mr. Runciter. We keep the containers—the caskets, as they're called by the UBIK 17.
Page 18
... they're called by the lay public — close together for a reason. Wandering through one another's mind gives those in half-life the only—” “Put her in solitary right now,” Runciter broke in. “Better she be isolated than not exist at all ...
... they're called by the lay public — close together for a reason. Wandering through one another's mind gives those in half-life the only—” “Put her in solitary right now,” Runciter broke in. “Better she be isolated than not exist at all ...
Page 23
... they're finished.” “Sir, you'll pay your full and entire bill before they start.” By now he had his billfold in hand; from it he dumped his supply of Magic Credit Keys—most of which, by now, had been voided. Probably in perpetuity, his ...
... they're finished.” “Sir, you'll pay your full and entire bill before they start.” By now he had his billfold in hand; from it he dumped his supply of Magic Credit Keys—most of which, by now, had been voided. Probably in perpetuity, his ...
Common terms and phrases
able already anyhow appeared asked better body called can’t cigarettes close coins cold-pac Conley dead death direction Don Denny don’t door Edie elevator eyes face fact feel felt field girl give Glen Runciter gone half-life Hammond hand happened head hear Hollis I’ll inertials It’s Joe Chip Jory keep kill knew light living look Luna matter mean Mick mind Miss Wirt Moines moratorium move never Okay once owner person picked pointed precog probably reached realized remained remember rest returned Runciter’s seated seemed ship showed soon spray started step sure talent talk telepath tell that’s There’s thing thought told took trying turned Ubik Vogelsang voice waited watch we’re Wendy What’s wondered York you’re Zürich