A Scanner Darkly

What would a semi-autobiographical book full of paranoid junkies rambling endlessly on be like? A meandering, monotonous narrative detailing their bewildering fears. Wonder no more, this is A Scanner Darkly. On every page you'll question, just what the hell is happening here? Warning: the main drug used is Substance D (or Substance Death) which splits the brain and a person into two people. This adds to the general air of utter confusion as the “story” progresses.

So, if you're into almost 300 pages of bewilderment then I recommend this book. The title of the novel refers to the Biblical phrase “Through a glass, darkly”, from the King James Version of 1 Corinthians 13. Passages from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's play Faust are also referred to throughout the novel.

If it hadn't watched the movie beforehand I wouldn't have been able to make the slightest bit of sense of it all. Even though I had seen the film, I still couldn't particularly understand what was going on.

Quite a boring read then. The early drabness descends into a completely dull and tiresome mess. I made it to chapter 6, which was quite an achievement. Perhaps it was just me who didn't “get it”. It's difficult to get into a plot and the characters when you can't grasp it, relate to them, or empathise with them at all.

The story is set in the near future, but it could have been set in the present, or near past. If you remove the innovative “scramble suits” then there's nothing particularly sci-fi about the story at all.

The plot meanders, wanders and drifts. Dick considers many points of view at the same time. It's hard to work out who is speaking, and about what. Nothing in particular happens. It goes on, and on, and on for almost 300 excruciating pages.

If Dick was trying to put the reader into the mind of what a drug user thinks and feels, then he succeeded. Unfortunately, this makes for a terrible read. Also, by the end of the book, you'll come to hate the word, “cepholescope”. It is discussed ad nauseum, but nothing becomes of it.

One star for the potentially interesting subject matter which could have made an interesting and exciting read. Drug culture, undercover police, innovate technology, conspiracy, it's all in here. Sadly though this is a novel full of long-winded gibberish and it sucked. If you want to enjoy a good book, then don't read this.

Does this review sound coherent? Does it make sense? Maybe not, but then this is my opinion. You may agree or disagree, that's up to you. But if I were you I'd avoid it. Really, avoid this.