Ubik

by Philip K. Dick

Paperback, 297 pages

English language

Published Nov. 9, 2004

(138 reviews)

Ubik, written in 1966 and published in 1969, is one of Philip K. Dick's masterpieces (The Three Stigmata of Plamer Eldritch is another one). Ubik is the first novel to introduce spiritual elements that will culminate in his last novels VALIS, the Divine Invasion and the Transmigration of Timothy Archer. According to movie industry rumor Ubik could be the next big PKD movie project. Philip K. Dick himself wrote a screenplay for Ubik in 1974 but it was never made into a movie. PKD was hoping that it would by sending "the novel to the agent of Victoria Principal- whom he revered - in hope that she'd wind up reading it."(Tim Powers in the introduction to Ubik: The Screenplay). Ubik was expanded and adapted from the short story "What the Dead Men Say" published in Worlds of Tomorrow in 1964. Ubik is one of the most published books of Philip …

30 editions

Nacho reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Vinte anos despois a relectura no defrauda

5 stars

Cando tiña vintepoucos anos deume moi forte por Philip K. Dick, pero moito. Leín compulsivamente case todo o que había en castelán e además cada verán durante varios anos relín a marabillosa biografía de Emmanuel Carrère sobre PKD. E de todo o que lin del Ubik está nun top 3 canda Valis e The man in the high castle do que non podería escoller un favorito. Coa escusa da nova tradución ao galego decidín reler Ubik cun certo medo. E se a tiña idealizada e agora xa non a desfrutaba tanto? Afortunadamente non foi tal. Agora nos meus corenta e tantos Ubik é tan disfrutábel ou máis. E neste mundo de hoxe as constantes teimas dickianas sobre que é a realidade son máis actuais ca nunca.

Lime Bar on Bookwyrm reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Mind-blowingly good...

4 stars

...having said that you probably need to be a PKD fan to get into it at first. I am willing to bet more than a few people met this book first and noped out of PKD forever, which is a shame. Not the most accessible story, takes a bit of stamina, imo, but the payoff is well well worth it.

Julian reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

One of Dick's greatest

No rating

I've never read a book that more convincingly took a dreamlike premise and made it work so powerfully. If there was a book which encapsulated the experience of being in a nightmare you can't wake up from, this would be it. Very, very good.

loppear reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

no complaints

3 stars

Sharp satire about hubris and business and PKD's mind-bending doubts about what is real and what is in your mind quite explicit here, aged better than most things of this era... and I ultimately didn't care much about where the story went.

decadent_and_depraved reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Review of 'Ubik' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

A specter is haunting the half-life — the specter of Jory Miller.

emarsh reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Review of 'Ubik' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This is PKD at his best. A continuously moving narrative that spirals and pingpongs through realities, shattering narrative frames as it devolves ever deeper into the minds of its characters. It's hard to tell what's going on through most of this novel, but it's clear something is happening. Much of the pleasure of reading this thing comes from trying to grasp the mysterious forces at work and fathom the layers of deception. That and particularly clever writing, strong dialogue, and characters who are just believable enough. Ultimately, it's a pretty bleak critique of technology and capitalism mixed with some meditation on the nature of consciousness. You know, classic PKD.

Allen reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Review of 'Ubik (Spanish Edition)' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I love PKD and I thought this book was great, but I think it may have been a bit overhyped. Personally, I like his other novels better. That said, it was an awesome story and adds to the reasons why PKD is my favorite science fiction author.

Jamie reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Review of 'Ubik (Spanish Edition)' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This is the third or fourth book I've read by PKD and even though he's introduced some very interesting hooks and trippy scenarios, he hasn't yet presented a character that made me care one way or the other how they fare in the story.

Jorge Sanz reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Review of 'Ubik (Spanish Edition)' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Curiosa historia, aunque me deja un poco insatisfecho.

Realgnomidad reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Review of 'Ubik (Spanish Edition)' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Similar to A Scanner Darkly, Ubik contains a blend of concurrent possible realities that invite the reader to stay on top of their game. I'm not sure I've fully processed the book (finished yesterday) and I may read it again more carefully as there is lot buried in the pages.

█▓▒░⡷⠂ДCCЯДZΞ⠐⢾░▒▓█ reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Review of 'Ubik' on 'GoodReads'

4 stars

Yet another interesting sci-fi piece from PKD. Even though I felt like I 'figured' out what was happening rather early on, the book was still quite engrossing and satisfying to read. Dick really does a good job at setting up a strange and believable future without creating a complex and exhausting backstory. There were a few parts where the book seems to come of the rails, but for the most part is a very solid story. Would recommend if you are a fan of existential sci-fi.

protomattr reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Review of 'Ubik (Spanish Edition)' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Couldn't put it down! Makes me want to read science fiction again. At least, more PKD.

Kyrylys reviewed Ubik by Philip K. Dick

Review of 'Ubik (Spanish Edition)' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Genial. una novela muy grande. Lamentablemente deja con muchas incógnitas, como tiene que ser ^^

Kyrylys reviewed Ubik (Spanish Edition) by Philip K. Dick

Review of 'Ubik (Spanish Edition)' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Genial. una novela muy grande. Lamentablemente deja con muchas incógnitas, como tiene que ser ^^

Sean Gursky reviewed Ubik (Spanish Edition) by Philip K. Dick

Review of 'Ubik (Spanish Edition)' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This was a surprisingly entertaining read, as far as science fiction goes this is where it's at. Not only was this book a unique story, it made posed questions and ideas regarding life, death and everything in between. It's great when a book throws topics like this at you but doesn't beat you over the head with them. Unfortunately I feel the books description on Goodreads spoiled a fairly significant plot item well into the book. However, don't let that stop you because you'll be enjoying the book, and wondering about life and death, all the way until the last page.