Philip K. Dick

Philip K. Dick is one of the most important figures in 20^th century science fiction; he was brilliantly inventive, bringing imaginative new realms to life.

A major theme that runs through his work concerns the nature of reality. In the Hugo award-winning novel The Man in the High Castle (1962), the characters live in an alternate world in which the Allies lost World War II, but experience visions of our reality. In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968), filmed in 1982 as Blade Runner, the protagonist must hunt down android look-alike humans illegally imported from Mars.

Dick's work has impacted the film industry more than that of any other science fiction author. Although Blade Runner was initially considered a commercial failure, it grew into a cult favorite and is now thought to be one of science fiction’s best films.