Most of the time the book is better than the movie and leaves fans of the original disappointed. A few times it's the other way around, like Blade Runnner. The book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? isn't as haunting or exciting as the film version. The movie androids are (as seen in the scene above) compelling and as they reach the end of their life cycle become more and more desperate. The book androids hide in an abandoned apartment and watch tv. Movie hero is Harrison Ford; brooding, tough, complicated. Book hero is a goof obsessed with owning an animal. Movie setting features dark rainy days, an obvious Asian influence, cyberpunk architecture. Book setting isn't really described that much.
I know Phillip K. Dick is much revered, as is this book, but I wasn't real impressed. Am I missing something? Blade Runner fleshes out the themes from Electric Sheep, adds suspense and forces us to feel empathy. The book is too focused on the animals are very rare now aspect. Next up, A Scanner Darkly?
