Mass Market Paperback

English language

Published Oct. 1, 1985 by Spectra.

ISBN:
978-0-553-25370-2
Copied ISBN!
OCLC Number:
27236971

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4 stars (56 reviews)

VALIS is the first book in Philip K. Dick's incomparable final trio of novels (the others being The Divine Invasion and The Transmigration of Timothy Archer). This disorienting and bleakly funny work is about a schizophrenic hero named Horselover Fat; the hidden mysteries of Gnostic Christianity; and reality as revealed through a pink laser. VALIS is a theological detective story, in which God is both a missing person and the perpetrator of the ultimate crime.

22 editions

Review of 'Valis' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I'm not sure what I just read. I still don't know why the cat died, who made it an idiot, whether or not the three eyed beings were responsible, or whether I'm even typing this review out on my phone. It is distinctly possible I am tapping my finger against an empty water bottle in a psych ward. It is Thursday but it might be next Thursday, possibly next year.

The more I read late PKD the more I'm convinced it isn't healthful to sync up with a schizophrenic mind and yet I can't stop.

For the brave, pair this with the second part of Thomas Bernard's Gargoyles, add Foucault's Madness and Civilization and boom you've got yourself a seminar.

Review of 'Valis' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I loved the beginning, was mildly impressed with the middle and found the last parts of this great piece of literature an absolute delight.

While it is by no means a prerequisite, the prospective reader would do well to research the author's life in order to get the most out of this book.

Review of 'Valis' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

I liked this for the first few pages. It was a really odd book and the craziness appealed to me. But it pretty quickly drifted into philosophy, and I got the impression after awhile that it wasn't going to drift back, that the entire book was made up of the religious philosophy of a smart schizophrenic. Which is not a book I can get into. Probably made it through 50 pages before giving up on it.

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Subjects

  • Fantasy
  • Science fiction
  • Non-Classifiable
  • Nonfiction

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