Ubik is a science fiction novel written by American author, Philip K. Dick, and is considered to be one the most acclaimed novels for its genre, of all time. The book was published by Doubleday in 1969.
The story follows in the futuristic year of 1992, where psychic powers are the norm and are abused by corporate powers. The main protagonist, Joe Chip, is a simple man working in a psychic shop, when his whole life is turned over after an assassination attempt. He begins to experience changes to his reality, which can only be reversed by a mysterious substance known as Ubik.
Major concepts with the storyline relate to philosophical, sociological and political themes, with specific emphasis on the corruption of large corporations and the dubious and authoritarian reality behind most governments. Moreover, the incorporation of altered states of consciousness was drawn from Dick’s own experience with substance abuse in his earlier years.
Lev Grossman of Time Magazine stated that it was "a deeply unsettling existential horror story, a nightmare you'll never be sure you've woken up from". The book was further selected in 2009 by the magazine as one of the "100 greatest novels since 1923".
