Author: Philip K. Dick.
I used to be a huge fan of PKD in my early 20s, and I remembered this book vividly. I decided to read it again now because it takes place in places I visit right now - The Bay Area and Los Angeles - California.
Valis tells the story of recovering from drugs induced psychosis, grief and rabbit-hole-writing.
It takes place in California during the end of the dope-decade and follows the personal story of the author. It's an a autobiographical book but also a science fiction novel (!)
PKD / Horeslover Fat sinks deeper and deeper into his psyche as he writes more and more about his real life, friends and ideas. He comes out and heals (as much as he can) by transitioning from writing autobiographically to writing science-fiction.
It's really interesting to see the healing powers of science fiction writing on PKD. He is after all one of the greatest sci-fi novelists of America.
I wouldn't recommend this book if you are not already a big fan of PKD. But if you do like his ideas and narratives, and would like to understand where it's all coming from, this is a must read.
I would say, it's also a good read for everyone who struggles or is recovering from drug induced psychosis.
Verdict: 4 / 5 ★ - Good, but only for the fans.
