Overview
Electronic mechanic Jennings wakes up with no memory of the past two years of his life- except that he had agreed to work for Retherick Construction. Payment for his services, now completed, is a bag of seemingly worthless objects: a code key, a ticket stub, a receipt, a length of wire, half a poker chip, a piece of green cloth and a bus token. But when he is confronted by the Special Police, who seem to be investigating Retherick for their own reasons, Jennings finds himself running for his life, realizing that the "worthless" objects are the key to unlocking his recent past, and ensuring that he has a future.
Viewed by many as the greatest science fiction writer on any planet, Philip K. Dick has written some of the most intriguing, original and thought-provoking fiction of our time. He has been described by The Wall Street Journal as the man who, "More than anyone else…really puts you inside people’s minds."
Synopsis
Electronic mechanic Jennings wakes up with no memory of the past two years of his life- except that he had agreed to work for Retherick Construction. Payment for his services, now completed, is a bag of seemingly worthless objects: a code key, a ticket stub, a receipt, a length of wire, half a poker chip, a piece of green cloth and a bus token. But when he is confronted by the Special Police, who seem to be investigating Retherick for their own reasons, Jennings finds himself running for his life, realizing that the "worthless" objects are the key to unlocking his recent past, and ensuring that he has a future.
Viewed by many as the greatest science fiction writer on any planet, Philip K. Dick has written some of the most intriguing, original and thought-provoking fiction of our time. He has been described by The Wall Street Journal as the man who, "More than anyone else…really puts you inside people’s minds."
Publishers Weekly
The moral and the atmosphere of the recent Paramount Pictures film Paycheck differ significantly from those in the original short story performed here-a fact obscured by the movie-poster packaging and one that might confuse listeners. Jennings, a mechanic, signs on at Retherick Construction, agreeing to be paid richly on the condition that his memory will be wiped clean of everything he did after he completes his two years of service. When he awakes, his memory erased, he discovers that he had declined the money in favor of seven seemingly random items which he must use to avoid the Special Police, who are investigating Retherick Construction. Narrator Dullea does a fine job of evoking the story's tension as well as Jennings's puzzlement over his situation. However, he lends the story's one female character a saccharine, whispery voice that detracts from the narration. Although this audio adaptation may please fans of the movie who are interested in seeing how the original story has been altered for the silver screen, those looking for an introduction to the author's works would do better to pick up the collection on which this audio is based, Paycheck: And Other Classic Stories. (Jan.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.