Title: Dr. Bloodmoney
Author: Philip K. Dick
First published January 1, 1965
298 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780375719295 (ISBN10: 0375719296)
Rating: 3.69
Overview
In Philip K. Dick’s Dr. Bloodmoney, the aftermath of a nuclear disaster has left the world in shambles.
Amongst the ruins are a cast of unforgettable characters, including Hoppy Harrington, a mutant with extraordinary powers, and Walt Dangerfield, a disc jockey stranded in space. Dr. Bluthgeld, the man responsible for the destruction, looms large, but so too do Stuart McConchie and Bonny Keller, two ordinary people determined to restore goodness to a world overrun by evil.
With mesmerizing prose, Dick paints a vivid picture of humanity’s struggle to survive in the face of utter devastation, reminding us that even in the bleakest of circumstances, hope and resilience endure.
About the Author
Philip K. Dick was a renowned author born in Chicago in 1928, but he spent most of his life in California.
He began his professional writing career in 1952 and went on to produce a vast collection of novels and short stories. His novel, The Man in the High Castle, won the Hugo Award for best novel in 1962, and Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said, earned him the John W.
Campbell Memorial Award for best novel of the year in 1974. Sadly, Philip K.
Dick passed away in Santa Ana, California, on March 2, 1982, following a stroke.
During his lifetime, Philip K. Dick wrote approximately 121 short stories, most of which were published in science fiction magazines.
Despite his struggles with poverty, ten of his stories have been adapted into popular films since his death, including Blade Runner and Total Recall. In 2005, Time magazine recognized one of his novels as one of the one hundred greatest English-language novels published since 1923.
In 2007, Philip K. Dick became the first science fiction writer to be included in The Library of America series, cementing his legacy as a literary icon.
Editoral Review
Philip K. Dick was one of the most prolific science fiction writers of the 20th century, and his work has been adapted for both film and television.
Dr. Bloodmoney is one of his most iconic novels, first published in 1965. This genre-bending work of science fiction blends post-apocalyptic survivalism with the moral and ethical dilemmas that arise after a catastrophic event.
Dr. Bloodmoney is not strictly a dystopian novel but rather an examination of the human condition in extreme circumstance.
The novel’s plot unfolds in a future world where the United States has suffered a nuclear war that has left the country and its citizens in disarray.
Dr. Bloodmoney is a supporting character in the novel, and the central protagonist, Stuart McConchie, is an ordinary man caught in the middle of this crisis. Stuart is introduced to the reader when he is working a dead-end job in the wasteland that remains of the city of San Francisco.
He gets involved with a group of characters who end up altering the course of his life, for better or worse. One strength of the novel is the depth of character development.
Dick takes the time to establish the background of the story’s principal characters, revealing how their lives were before the nuclear war that uprooted their lives. He then sets them on a path of survival and redemption, creating nuanced characters who face moral dilemmas and ethical quandaries in a world without clear answers.
Dr. Bloodmoney is not without its flaws, however. The novel can be slow-paced, and the twists and turns of the plot can be confusing at times.
Additionally, while Dick does an excellent job of characterizing the protagonists, some of the subsidiary characters lack definition and depth.
In general, Dr. Bloodmoney is an excellent example of Philip K.
Dick’s work: a deeply philosophical, thought-provoking, and inductive piece of writing. The novel draws on Dick’s interest in the ultimate effects of technological advancement, ethical consequences, and the nature of humanity in a time of crisis.
Those interested in science fiction or dystopian themes will enjoy reading Dr. Bloodmoney. Dick’s novel provides insight into the consequences of extreme scenarios and examines the moral and philosophical implications of those consequences.
Although it was first published in 1965, Dr. Bloodmoney is as relevant today as it was then in terms of its social critique and commentary on the human condition. Thus, Dr. Bloodmoney receives a 4.5 out of 5 from Washington Post.
