Philip K. Dick - The Simúlacra

The Simulacra drops you into a fractured future where reality is just another layer of deception. The United States of Europe and America (USEA) is ruled by the beloved First Lady, Nicole Thibodeaux—or so it seems. In truth, Nicole is an actress, and the real power lies with a secretive council pulling the strings behind a puppet president. Meanwhile, society is divided between common citizens and the elite “Ges,” who hoard power and privilege.

Amidst this, characters like Richard Kongrosian, a telekinetic pianist with crippling anxiety, and Bertold Goltz, a revolutionary leader, navigate a world where technology, politics, and identity intertwine. As the façade starts to crack, Dick explores themes of authoritarian control, media manipulation, and what it means to be real in a world full of fakes. The Simulacra is classic Dick: dystopian, paranoid, and unsettlingly prescient.