After reading chapters 6-15, I can safely say, I am so confused.

I wonder if its just me that has issues following what’s going on, or if its the authors writing that is complicating things. There are a number of things that I find confusing, first, the android Polokov. Was he posing the entire time as a cop for the Russian police? Did the previous bounty hunter actually test this man while he was a cop or as a civilian? It seemed so odd for Polokov to come directly to Rick. I understand it was in an effort to take out Rick while his guard was down, but then, how did Polokov give himself away to Rick? and why did Rick mistakenly say, on page 92, Polokov was Kadalyi rather than stating Kadalyi was Polokov? Perhaps that was merely a human mistake, but it just seemed jarring for that mistake to happen. Also, wasn’t Rick just checking out Polokov’s home and workplace? Was Polokov living two lives? I know this paragraph is composed of so many questions, but this book is just confusing the hell out of me.

Next issue I had, the “fake” police office which Rick was taken to after being arrested. How is it possible that 2 departments coincide in the same city without having any knowledge of each other? Its possible that the fake one does not really do any police work, but then why maintain the charade of being an actual police department with fake cops and fake tasks when they don’t really do any of that? Do they know they are a fake? Then if they believe they are real how could they not come in contact with the real police force? Do they know they are androids? Are they illegal androids? Why was it not a bigger issue that an android infested building was located under their noses? I would think this would call for some serious action to wipe out all those androids, but once Rick leaves the place, it becomes obsolete.

Third and last issue that I found is Phil Resch. Is he really human? Sure he managed to pass Rick’s test, but then why was he the only human in this android building? It made sense for Garland to lie about Resch being an android, but what was Luba Luft’s motive? She also  states that Resch is an android on page 132. Resch also says that he had been working at that department for about 3 years. If the place is really a fake, then how could he not pick up on that? How did he not run into any of the real police department? Was his suggestion about a real Garland being replaced the truth? Although that would not make sense when the department he is at is a fake.

Now that im done ranting about the things that I don’t understand, there are a few things I want to bring up. Isidores interaction with the androids shows just how cold and inhuman they are. They regard him with thoughts or worry for him, he is merely another flesh bag that is of no concern to their own survival. It makes me feel sorry for him as the only people who are a part of his life don’t care about him and no one else cares for him. I don’t think he is as dumb as his chikenhead status says, but everyone telling him he’s special and his loneliness has probably had an effect on his perception of the world.

Rick’s purchase of a goat once again shows the importance of animals. Sure he has gone through several stressful moments as well as an even that made him question himself, but he decided to go into a huge amount of debt just for the purpose of owning a goat. The joy that he and his wife receive from it is wonderful, but the debt and future stress should have made them worry instead.

I am not sure what to make of this book. Whether the author deliberately left all these huge issues or I am just reading too much into it.