Today I finished reading “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” by Philip K. Dick. I had intended to read it for a few years now, but for whatever reason I didn’t do so before last week.
The book is set in a polluted, post-apocalyptic world following World War Terminus. It explores many interesting concepts. In my opinion, the most interesting one is the “what if” situation of humanoid androids becoming more and more indistinguishable from real humans. Throughout the book, it becomes clear that the real question is what qualitites make us humans distinguishable from other beeings.
With each revision of their “brain unit”, androids are becoming more and more intelligent and seemingly self-conscious. Humans, on the other side are increasingly depending on their Mood Organs, an apparatus able to induce emotions in its users. They are thereby becoming inert to natural stimuli and to their natural environment.
I really recommend the book. It is quite a light reading, but nevertheless profound enough to get absorbed by it over a few evenings.
Also try Penultimate Truth and Martian Time Slip - those are some of the most twisted and grasping novels by PKD.
And oh yeah, I saw that Matrix is one of your favorite movies, well, its ideas and plot is almost entirely based on the Penultimate Truth, check it out.