Valis Part 2

This novel was the most confusing of all the PKD novels we've read in this class. There were so many references to various religions in the world, and I felt that one needed to have a background in religious studies to make sense of it all. I personally did not like the fact that Fat thought that there were 5 saviors and he called God "Zebra" and made up all of these theories about religion and God. I am a Christian and that just bugged me. I also didn't like that the messiah was reincarnated as Sophia. That was just weird. I was amazed that Horselover Fat translated to Phillip Dick! I thought this book didn't have as much of a story plot or action as the others. The majority of the book was just thoughts in the narrator's insane mind. The narrator made me think of the last book we read and how Arctor and Fred were the same person. Schizophrenia is definitely a major theme in the book. I read online that this book was based on true events that happened to PKD in 1974 and that the book contains the "complexities" of his mind. I think PKD was quite the character with a crazy world view. It was interesting that PKD mentioned his own novels and writings in the novel. It would be interesting to know how much of this novel PKD actually believed in and how much he just made up!