First published 2007
Rick Deckard works as a licensed bounty hunter in 2021, tracking down illegal androids on a devastated Earth. World War has wiped out millions and pushed most survivors to Mars colonies. The remaining population prizes any living animal, while companies manufacture artificial creatures for those who cannot afford real ones. Mars colonists receive sophisticated androids as companions, but Earth bans these artificial humans out of fear. When rogue androids slip onto Earth and hide among the population, Deckard gets the call to find and eliminate them. The androids look and act exactly like humans, making detection nearly impossible. Cornered androids fight back with deadly violence. As Deckard pursues his targets through the ruins of civilization, he confronts questions about what separates authentic life from perfect imitation.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, mystery, thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: identity-crisis, moral-dilemma
Setting: Earth, Mars
Period: 2021
214 pages · Paperback · Gollancz
Content warnings: violence