I am having a very hard time writing about his book. It has been quite some time since I finished it and I am still not quite sue what to say about it other than I really liked it. Also, it is difficult to say too much about the story without giving things away, but there were two concepts that where particularly interesting.
The first is the ideas of psychic powers being in demand by companies to the point that those with opposing powers are employed by competing companies. The application of one person to look ahead (precog) against another who can change the future as a fundamental instrument in a capitalist battle between corporations is so naturally American.
The second is the concept of half-life, where if you can get some one on ice quick enough you can talk to them for a total of a couple days worth of time, with many people spreading that time out over years. It reminded me of a Max Headroom plot where people were supposedly placed into a similar state, but it turned out not to be true. AS Dick covers in the story, such a half-life state would add a whole level of complication to death and administering wills. In addition one might constantly have moral panics about whether it is worth waking some one up for an issue, thus using up the time left.
One last idea I really enjoyed was the coin-op everything (doorknob, toaster, coffee maker, fridge, etc.) in the low rent apartments. There is something frightening about the fact that you couldn't leave your apartment unless you had a nickel---left to die if you have no pocket change.
Overall, a great read that was hard to write about, and that I like better than Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
7/10
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