Valis

<p><p><b>valis</b> Is The First Book In Philip K. Dick's Incomparable Final Trio Of Novels (the Others Being Are <i>the Divine Invasion</i> And <i>the Transmigration Of Timothy Archer</i>). 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. <b>valis</b> Is A Theological Detective Story, In Which God Is Both A Missing Person And The Perpetrator Of The Ultimate Crime.<p>&quot;the Fact That What Dick Is Entertaining Us About Is Reality And Madness, Time And Death, Sin And Salvation&#151;this Has Escaped Most Critics. Nobody Notices That We Have Our Own Homegrown Borges, And Have Had Him For Thirty Years.&quot;&#151;ursula K. Le Guin, <i>new Republic</i></p><h3>publishers Weekly</h3><p>the Quest For God Is The Binding Theme Of This Trilogy. The ``funny And Painful And Sometimes Brilliant'' Valis(anagram) Finds Protagonist And Dick Alter-ego Horselover Fat Unable To Reconcile Human Suffering With His Belief In God. Invasion Is A ``fascinating And Highly Readable'' Vision Of Armageddon, Blending New Testament, Kabbalah And Dick's Own Worldview. In Transmigration , Angel Archer Reminisces About Her Father-in-law, Timothy, An Episcopal Bishop Obsessed With A Set Of Ancient Scrolls That Shed Faith-threatening New Light On Jesus: ``this Finely Crafted, Odd But Compelling Book Demonstrates Dick's Great Erudition, Keen Human Insight And Subtle Ironic Sense Of Humor,'' Said Pw. (july)</p>