When talking about books that have been adapted into either popular movies or TV shows, it is actually quite hard to choose just one of them! Moreover, in most cases, the book was better, mainly because its adaptations usually suffer changes that are not quite welcomed, not even by the author.

However, despite changes and whatnot, there are books that are considered far better than their visual counterparts, so to say. In fact, if you know that a popular movie/ TV show is based off a book, then you should read that book because you’ll most likely enjoy it!

So, today we’ll be talking about one of those books and hope to spark your interest a little bit when it comes to movie/ TV show adaptations from now on. After all, reading a book gives you one of the best, most unique feelings on Earth!

A Hard Pick

Obviously, we could’ve gone for anything massively popular, so to say, from The Lord of the Rings all the way to Game of Thrones, for example. But we know very well that, if you are a reading enthusiast, you are probably familiar not only with the gorgeous trilogy of Tolkien but also with his Silmarillion, not to mention Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire.

Therefore, it is safe to say that we’ve had a hard time choosing the book to talk about in this article. However, we’ve eventually made our choice!

It is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick, a book that has been adapted into the famous Blade Runner movie, from 1982, starring Harrison Ford.

Both the book and the movie enjoy a fairly good rating – the book has four stars on Goodreads and the movie 8.2 on the International Movie Database.

Let’s find out more!

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Worth mentioning is the fact that some later printings have this book retitled as Blade Runner: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – hence, the name of the movie.

First published in 1968, the book’s plot is taking place in a post-apocalyptic 1992, which – again – was later changed with 2021. Following a war, the Earth is left with a radioactively polluted atmosphere, making the United Nations take steps for the mass emigration of humans to off-world colonies in order to preserve their genetic integrity.

This world also comes with personal androids, that are given for free to humans. However, even though they are referred to as robots or machines, you will later find out that they are so similar to humans, in terms of construction, that only a bone marrow analysis can set them apart from the rest of humanity.

What’s with the Name?

Given that the Earth is faced with a mass extinction, owning live animals has become a status symbol. However, not everybody can afford them.

Therefore, poor people resort to robotic imitations of live animals. Rick Deckard, the main character, for example, owns an electric sheep with a black face.

As androids are inferior to humans, the title asks the readers the question whether these androids that are so similar to humans and serve them every day ever think about owning at least an electric sheep or not.

The Bottom Line

Even though this may not be your popular movie of choice, we definitely recommend you give K. Dick’s book a read. Don’t worry, we didn’t spoil anything and left the best out there for you to enjoy!

If you decide to pick this book up, you will be introduced to a new technology-based religion, where everybody suffers at once, in order to achieve existential fulfillment, but also to the infamous bounty hunter, Rick Deckard, tasked to retire six highly intelligent androids.

Whether you love science-fiction or not, you should give this cult classic a read and, in case you haven’t, a watch as well!