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andybobandy's review against another edition
4.0
Dick was clearly losing his mind, but that does not change the fact that this is a really good read.
rickburner's review against another edition
5.0
Truly a book that only PKD could write. It balances on a knife's edge mundanity and intensity, lucidity and hallucination, Gnostic mysticism and pulp sci-fi. The story is an act of transmutation, as the narrator's intensity of vision leaks out into the world and those around him. These two characters, Horselover Fat and, well, everything else, are a dancing diad, taking turns occupying the positions of sanity and insanity. How the dance ends, with who standing where, is the mystery at the heart of this bizarre story.
kahht's review against another edition
4.0
This book will take a while to digest. Although it starts of feigning as auto-biographical it is certainly nothing of the sort by the end. The book constantly had me wondering what was real and what wasn't. Despite it being the fantastical sci-fi I'm usually not as keen on I was thoroughly hooked by the story of a man searching for the answers many humans ask and finding/questioning the solace he gets. It's a rich read and certainly warrants analysis and discussion at the end.
binnearl's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
vitalbeachyeah's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting little footnote about this book: one of the central tenets of the fantastical theosophy Dick lays out, the idea that we occupy a two-dimensional holographic universe comprised entirely of information, is now a popular and respected one amongst string theorists - Holographic Principle
njyx's review against another edition
4.0
The novel is really quite weird. A semi autobiographical romp through drug addled minds connected together by theological threads. It's enjoyable and perplexing at a same time. If you are looking for a clear story line this probably isn't for you. On the other hand it documents some if the events in PKDs life in a fictional way so it's interesting from that point of view!
mfshill's review against another edition
3.0
Well #VALIS was a very difficult read and I'm not 100% sure I have any real idea what it was about, the first half meanders confusingly through religion, madness, pain, joy (all the emotions) the middle starts to explain the first half and you think you're getting to grips with it, then it all goes a bit odd. The last part of the book details Fat's 'Tractates Cryptica Scriptura' and it reads like the rant of a madman
abpandersen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0