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Cover of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. DickDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Classic · Fiction, Science Fiction, Cyberpunk

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

by Philip K. Dick
1968 · 223 pages · Fiction
67.5Must-Read
Score Classic
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 6 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

After a world war, millions are dead, many species extinct, and much of humanity has moved off-planet. Androids so realistic they're indistinguishable from humans are banned from Earth, and bounty hunter Rick Deckard is assigned to 'retire' six escaped androids, while dreaming of owning a real animal.

Why it's worth reading

It's one of the most influential science fiction novels ever written and the basis for Blade Runner.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's quite different from the film and stranger. It's short.

By the numbers

67.5Must-Read Score
  • Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller38 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Reads as

Adventurous, Thought-provoking, Epic

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedClassic booksTop 25 · 762 rankedBooks of the 1960sTop 25 · 92 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? worth reading?

Yes. It's one of the most influential science fiction novels ever written and the basis for Blade Runner. It ranks #1,588 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.5 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? about?

After a world war, millions are dead, many species extinct, and much of humanity has moved off-planet. Androids so realistic they're indistinguishable from humans are banned from Earth, and bounty hunter Rick Deckard is assigned to 'retire' six escaped androids, while dreaming of owning a real animal.

How long does it take to read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep??

About 6 hours (223 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep??

If you liked it, try Ubik by Philip K. Dick, I, Robot by Isaac Asimov or 1984 by George Orwell.