UbikUbik
Score Classic
What it's about
In 1992, telepaths and precogs work for corporations, and companies like Glen Runciter's hire people who can cancel their powers. Runciter and his team, led by the broke technician Joe Chip, are lured to the Moon, where a bomb goes off. Runciter seems to be dead. But reality starts to come apart for the survivors: cigarettes go stale, coins show Runciter's face, and the world seems to be sliding back toward 1939.
Why it's worth reading
It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels and is one of Philip K. Dick's best: funny, eerie and dizzying, about what's real and what isn't.
You'll love it if you liked
Slaughterhouse-Five
The Left Hand of Darkness
Gravity's RainbowGood to know
It's short and full of strange ideas, introduced quickly. The ending is deliberately unsettling.
By the numbers
- Readers66 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller32 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #62 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #91 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #224 of the 762 classics we rank
- #699 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking
More by Philip K. Dick
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
The Transmigration of Timothy ArcherIf you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
Foundation
Ficciones
Rendezvous with Rama
The Gods Themselves
Startide RisingExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Ubik worth reading?
Yes. It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels and is one of Philip K. It ranks #699 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 76.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Ubik about?
In 1992, telepaths and precogs work for corporations, and companies like Glen Runciter's hire people who can cancel their powers. Runciter and his team, led by the broke technician Joe Chip, are lured to the Moon, where a bomb goes off. Runciter seems to be dead. But reality starts to come apart for the survivors: cigarettes go stale, coins show Runciter's face, and the world seems to be sliding back toward 1939.
How long does it take to read Ubik?
About 6 hours (242 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Ubik?
If you liked it, try Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin or Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon.