First Thoughts - Chapter 1

[10lees]

I thought I would write about my first thoughts because I was
interested to find the book we are reading was the inspiration for
Blade Runner. Now, I have never seen Blade Runner, but I may have to
after this book.

It is interesting to dive right into a world. I always love it when
authors dive right in, especially in SciFi, because it makes you feel
as if this world exists. When they take time to explain it to you
they have to do it very well or not at all. I like the imagery of the
fake sheep, fake animals, that it is now a status symbol to own an
animal and the size of an animal takes on it's own meaning (sheep vs
horse vs dog vs cat). It is something we take for granted now, the
desire to own a cat can be granted anytime (a sheep depends on your
zoning laws). I am interested to hear what created the law against
harming animals and what World War T was.

Also this book helps that I am imagining Harrison Ford (a la Indian
Jones) as the main character. Such a dreamy thought....

Any other first thoughts?

[rhet...@gmail.com]

I assumed that, after WWT, the radiation on earth killed animal life
to such a large degree that the gene pool became dangerously shallow
(to extend the metaphor). I think the law against harming animals
arose out of a radical attempt to forestall mass extinction of animal
life on earth.

As for my first impressions, I've read some PKD before, and I always
enjoy his tweaking of perception and reality. For example, I thought
the main character's relationship with his wife was facinating in that
there didn't really seem to *be* a relationship. Instead, they dialed
for the emotions that they were going to have for each other. It
almost seemed that both were empty vessels who whimsically filled
themselves up with different emotional states, but they had no
foundation of attraction or interest in one another.

Honestly it made me think of movies and television...how often do
people go to see a comedy because they feel like being happy? Or, to
put it another way, who hasn't been completely bewildered by someone
who *wants* to feel sad?

Additionally, I quite liked the self-reference paradox. How can I
ever want to dial the desire to dial?

Good stuff.

[10lees]

I totally do that, watch comedies to feel happy, watch depressing
movies and feel depressed. I have to say my husband doesn't
understand why I absorb so much feeling for my books, tv shows, and
movies; it does eventually get to the point for me that I can't watch
sad shows when I am already sad. I think it's an inherited trait...
but I don't think I would like to 'dial' my feelings, there is
something false about that (this coming from the girl on anti-anxiety
meds).

I agree about the paradox, dial the desire to dial, quite interesting.

You don't agree about Harrison Ford being dreamy, Rhettoric?

[rhet...@gmail.com]

I think it's best if I abstain from the dreamy debate. I don't really
want to get into it but Harrison and I had some drama years ago and I
think I'd rather not have those wounds opened again. :P

[Megan....@gmail.com]

i like harrison ford and all... but i am not quite sure about him as
our main character... we've already been introduced tot he fact that
the people living on earth are a bit... odd... at best.

i will be honest here and say that i get slightly exasperated by sci-
fi. i enjoy a good plot like anyone else, but i think suspension of my
disbelieve is unnecessary for a book to be good. SO, i'm relying on
our characters here to pull me through.

so far, so good! i really liked the marital discussion and our main
character's weakness for animals. i'm excited to meet more people!