A masterpiece ahead of its time, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a prescient rendering of a dark future where World War has devastated the planet, leading to the near extinction of species and the exodus of humanity off-planet. In this grim world, those who can’t afford living creatures are provided with realistic simulacra—horses, birds, cats, sheep—and even androids that mimic human beings so closely they are indistinguishable from true men or women.

Immigrants to Mars receive advanced androids, but the government on Earth fears these artificial humans and bans them. Unauthorized androids live among humans undetected, driven into hiding by the authorities. Rick Deckard, an officially sanctioned bounty hunter, is commissioned to find rogue androids and “retire” them—only to find himself questioning his mission when he encounters a seemingly human android who fights back with lethal force.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? inspired the films Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049, and was chosen by The Atlantic as one of the Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years. A thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be human, this book delves into themes of identity, empathy, and the ethical implications of advanced technology.