The first Phillip K. Dick novel I picked up was ‘A Scanner Darkly’.  I wanted to read it before I watched the movie and what a wonderful surprise I found hidden between the bindings of that book.  Next was this particular novel, which I thought was thoroughly delightful.  PKD has a very distinctly brooding and gritty approach to his writing that most people would prefer to keep at arms length.  His post-modernism is scorching and scathing at times and at others is as gentle as a wool blanket.  He was an outstanding author and truly engrossed himself in each story that he wrote.  And you know what?  Because of that devotion, it helps any reader to jump on board and stay until the bitter end.

I’ve never been exposed to a true novelization of a book to comic format, but I’d forgotten what true reading felt like.  Since I started collecting comics last January, I’ve been reading every possible thing that I can imagine to get at least a mild grip on the medium.  Even though I feel that I’ve barely touched the surface in many ways, I feel that I haven’t missed out on much since I’ve abandoned a majority of my other reading materials. 

Now, the drawback to a piece like this is that, although the art is great, the lengthy dialogue and inner monologue can take away from it.  With that point established, I think this is a perfect way for someone that hasn’t read anything from PKD to jump in and enjoy.  Just be aware that reading this comic can be likened to reading a Jonathan Hickman piece (his independent work mostly) on crack.  LOT’S of reading.  You’re literally reading the book, but with pictures.

Enjoy