Jul 30, 2010
3 Novels To Read if You Liked Inception
Maze of Death by Philip K. Dick.
Inception seems to owe more than a little to Philip K. Dick’s reality-bending sci-fi yarns. In Maze of Death, which takes place in a world in which god seems to be an objectively real entity, several down-and-out misfits are assigned to work on a harsh, mostly uninhabited planet. But after losing radio contact with their employer they find themselves stranded without even knowing what their assignment is.
Japanese author Haruki Murakami is a master of writing surreal, dream-like novels. Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World revolves around a “calcutec,” who uses his brain as a type of encrypted storage. Companies hire him to store securely store trade secrets. Until, of course, something goes wrong.
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami
Neuromancer by William Gibson.
I thought of Inception initially as a Dickian film, but my friend Ian pointed out it’s actually more of a Gibsonian film. Neuromancer, Gibson’s first novel, is a heist story taking place in virtual reality. Inception fans should feel right at home.
Inception fans should feel right at hom.
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There’s also Tsutsui’s Paprika (recently made into an anime by Shitoshi Kon), about psychotherapists who enter people’s dreams and must keep the technology to do so out of the wrong hands before the dream bleeds through into the real world.
Thanks Trevor!
I didn’t think inception was that great and there are other films that portray the dream state much more accurately (without inventing its own science).
8 and a half does dreams the best in my opinion.
Gamers should definitely check out Lacuna Part I.
http://memento-mori.com/online-store/lacuna-part-i/
Take Dark City, eXistenZ and the Cell and toss them into a blender.
- J
Paprika by Yasutaka Tsutsui (in Japanese, so watch the anime adapted by Satoshi Kon).
Also, watch Until The End Of The World by Wim Wenders.
Also of note is “The Bridge” by Iain Banks.
As many commentators have also noted, the work of Jorge Luis Borges is clearly a major — if not the major — influence on the film.
You liked Inception ? You’ll love Ink !
Agree with the satement about Ink.
Suprisingly good little indy film with some decent effects.
Existe t il une version francaise du livre deMurakami?Merci
Marc: La Fin des Temps http://www.geocities.jp/yoshio_osakabe/Haruki/Translation-French-E.html
[...] is offering up three suggested reads for those folks that enjoyed Inception. If you would rather there is a ton of movie recos for [...]
Uncle $crooge in “The Dream of a Lifetime”: http://disneycomics.free.fr/Ducks/Rosa/show.php?num=1&loc=D2002-033&s=date
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The two that come to mind for me is Baby Leg by Brian Evenson and Arabian Nightmare by Robert Irwin.
[...] via 3 Novels To Read if You Liked Inception. [...]
Ubik came to mind for me:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubik
“Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World revolves around a “calcutec,” who uses his brain as a type of encrypted storage. Companies hire him to store securely store trade secrets. Until, of course, something goes wrong.”
…Is it me or does this synopsis looks ALOT (identical?) like William Gibson’s short story (and later remade into a movie) “Johnny Mnemonic”!!!???