Ubik

by Philip K Dick · 1969

Ubik is a mind‑bending psychological thriller set in a dystopian future where humanity has colonized the Moon and psychic powers are commonplace. Glen Runciter runs a firm that deploys anti‑psychics to protect corporate secrets. After an ambush leaves Renciter gravely injured and in a suspended‑animation state called “half‑life,” his team experiences reality‑bending phenomena: objects regress in time, consumables decay, and Renciter’s face appears on coins. As the world around them warps, the characters grapple with questions of existence, identity, death, and the nature of reality, all while a mysterious product called Ubik promises salvation.