Chapter 13 - I caught “Priss” in a previous chapter but just realized that J.R. Isadore, the chickenhead is J.F. Sebastian. This is puzzling, but actually Isadore makes more sense than Sebastian. Sebastian is an odd mix of chess, genetic engineer, and chickenhead. That early SciFi is valuable on Mars, delivered to the black market by drone ships, is really pretty funny on Dick’s part. At least he hasn’t named himself as an author famous in the future. Would have been tempting to have mentioned some other author he didn’t like as being loathed.
Also, William Sanderson did a splendid job of playing JR/JF. While I think the lack of empathy is better and more consistent than the childishness as a trait for the replicants, I can see how this works better visually. Though could someone without empathy be a successful opera singer? I guess if you sing the right notes and copy what other performers have done you could manage, but could you excel?
Chapter 16 - P162 How could the authorities possibly have so much detailed inside info on the replicants? The movie made more sense in this regard. That Priss and Rachel should look the same is interesting. I wonder if they considered having one actor play both parts? Now that would have been interesting.
Also interesting that they changed the built-in defect from lack of empathy (inability to “fuse”) to short lifespan. The short lifespan doesn’t really make that much sense when you consider that they are supposed to be a capital investment. And that goes to the slavery aspect which I haven’t begun to think about. If they can’t breed you would want your replicant to at least have a long lifespan. Would people want a replicant slave that was more intelligent? Maybe. They would actually be more useful on Earth to help the ant and chickenheads.
The seduction is completely different -- and, surprisingly, less problematic (rapey). Though the logic of it from the perspective of the other bladerunner is a mystery to me and possibly more misogynistic. Especially since in the book there is the odd wife. Who now I think of it, reminds me just a bit of Joi. Though Joi is much more helpful and supportive. Are there any other human women in the book?
Chapter 17 - p174 - So I was wrong about the short lifespan being different, Rachel is only two years old and with an expected two more years. But she isn’t surprised at being a replicant the way she is in the movie. And she’s slept with other hunters including the only other one we know. That’s an interesting twist.
Also, Deckard saying, after sleeping with her once, that he would ditch his wife and marry her if he could, tells us something about the hot mess that was Philip K. Dick. What were his fourth and fifth wives thinking? Reading his bio in Wiki makes me reconsider what we are told here about Deckard's wife.
P190 Isn’t “JR’s” experience here a depiction of depression? And Mercer is the “higher power” needed to help lift you out. And Dick is getting to the core of religious belief here in that Mercerism being proved to be a hoax isn’t significant to the people who need/use it to survive.
Chapter 19 - Hadn’t expected Mercer to intervene. I think I need to re-read the Wiki bio. There’s more “faith” here than doubt about the nature of reality. I guess that paranormal stuff toward the end of his life was not completely new.
Also, the “climactic confrontation” was a bit of a let down. The replicants seemed helpless and Deckard was completely in control.
I have no idea what I’m going to find in the last chapter.
Chapters. They snuck in several small ones. Even stranger. Didn’t expect to go even deeper into the Mercer area.
I have to say the movie did a better job of telling a satisfying story. Obviously Dick doesn’t care much about that. How was Rachel so well informed about the other replicants? How could she have known what Deckard did? Would she have tried to kill him if she had gone along on the raid? What did Dick think of the screenplay? They borrowed a couple ideas and some dialog, but then went off and invented a largely unrelated story. Maybe it’s just as well he died before it came out.
The book replicants were cruel, though I guess that goes with the lack of empathy or only being a couple years old. The new Blade Runner film captured this aspect better. Iran is probably the least interesting character in the book, and the one I least understand.
Mercerism makes sense as a crafted religion to make people blend better socially. Similar to aspects of Brave New World. But Dick seems to want us to believe that Mercer is real or at least that he is real for Deckard. Is he also arguing that replicants are incapable of religious feeling? In the new film, there is a near religious aspect to the cult around the child. Is it ever said how long replicants are living now? And I wonder if they switched from Rosen to Tyrell so it would sound less Jewish?
I'm glad I read this but for me the movie will always be the real thing.
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