I’m currently reading a large 800 page book and I decided to read this in between sections of that as a palate cleanser. Doctor Bloodmoney gets lots of praise but it was not my favourite book of his. I definitely enjoyed Ubik and Do Andriods Dream of Electric Sheep? more. I have trouble suspending disbelief on the novels where everyone is living on Mars. In this case it was not Mars but living after a nuclear holocaust. There are mutant rats, cats and dogs and people with enhanced powers. I just didn’t feel like it was believable and it destroyed the magic for me. This is a weak criticism as many Dick novels have no explanation for the cause of things like telekenisis and telepathy.
There is a lot good here, particularly having a man stuck in space broadcasting a radio show to the denizens of Earth. The importance of handymen in the newly formed society was also interesting. It was nominated for awards when it came out, it just wasn’t my cup of tea, though not unenjoyable.