The Transmigration of Timothy Archer

A great ride through Philip K. Dick's mind. This is a novel not to be missed for those who enjoy his work. The scenes are palatable, and the plot wanders- but it always comes back to where it needs to be. This is a glimpse into what made Dick what he was. I believe it was very self-autobiographical and the revealing that goes on throughout the duration of the book is immense and, almost, heartfelt. Dick is trying to explain something here, both to himself and the reader. Through this, he paints a portrait of himself. That is commendable and the book is worthwhile.

4.5 stars. This was worth reading the whole trilogy for.

For years I avoided reading anything by Phillip K. Dick. I have always liked the movie "Bladerunner" (though I haven't read "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" on which it is based. That movie was dark, and I didn't really want to read anything much darker. Also, I had heard that most of Dick's other works were way weirder than Bladerunner/Androids.

A few months ago I finally gave in. I started with Ubik. That was some weird stuff. I am not completely convinced that Joe is dead and Runciter is alive. Or was it the other way around?

For various reasons, I decided to to try The Transmigration of Timothy Archer next. I can say two things about this book right off the bat - what this book is not: science fiction; and what this book is: some weird-ass shit. I'm not usually prone to foul language in my reviews, but that's the only way I can put it.

Berkeley CA in the seventies, multiple suicides, people coming (or maybe not coming) back from the dead, long discourses on philosophy and theology (Bishop George Berkeley comes across as pretty sane - previously I had thought him a lunatic), a character who is actually a lunatic (maybe all the characters are lunatics?), even an Alan Watts figure.

If you're looking for futuristic sci-fi, you won't find it here. The only technology is either early personal computers or cars from the late 1970's. If you're looking for meditations on the nature of reality, this is a book for you.

This is a challenging, yet compelling third book of the VALIS trilogy, although it stands alone as a novel. It's an empowering and intellectual glimpse into the interpretation of madness, theology and philosophical illusion. Mind twisting, thought provoking and at times disturbing; the obsession with God and metaphysics, schizophrenia and suicide, and the characters themselves drove this book for me and it has definitely made me think and perceive intellect in a new way. Absolutely fantastic......

The two most important thing you have to know about one of the last PKD novel, that it's not a SF and it's mostly recommended to 'advanced 'fans only. But they will enjoy this mystic-philosophic family story written in the well known Dick style.

This is the final book in Dick’s trilogy exploring and arguing concepts of religion and belief. Look, I’ll be honest – I was going to try a nice little plot synopsis. But you can find that anywhere, and that isn’t what is important. What is important here is that Dick uses his writing skills to keep these arguments about life and belief from bogging down. The people are interesting, their lives are interesting, and the discussions that ensue from these people asking the questions about their lives are interesting.

The book is a worthy completion of the trilogy. (Okay, trilogy is the wrong word – it is not like these books are continuing one story. Rather, they are continuing one long discussion, with three different stories.)

You should read all three.

And you should read this one.

One of Dick's best dives into warped mental states and their various outcomes. Though it's often lumped with his sci-fi work, it's more a straight novel than even the least fanciful of his late works. A great examination of religious purpose and over-intellectualization.

Through a constant fight of religion versus philosophy and reason versus belief, a fairly linear

and uneventful plot unravels through a set of characters, all of them more or less unattractive or despicable in their own way. This is the work of a highly intelligent mind who could use is

knowledge, his awareness of his own mental illness and his mastery of writing to serve an extremely compelling read that leaves you more open to the great existential questions of the human race.

This is probably my favorite Philip K. Dick novel . . . despite the author's lapses in style, such as not knowing how to use the subjunctive. It's an amazing slice of life. It's a harrowing glipse at mysticism. It's a profound meditation on the (as they say it in Literature 101) "the human condition."

It's a whopping good yarn.

Ooops. Forget I wrote anything so crass.

One of Philip K. Dick's last novels and most decidedly not science fiction. The story of a religious luminary whose quest for the meaning of it all leads to his eventual downfall as told from the perspective of his daughter in law. One of the few PKD novels with a sympathetic female character, let alone a lead female character.

This novel is fascinating and, in my opinion, vastly under-read. Funny and tragic at the same time, with a deep look at the role of religion shaping our lives.