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derhindemith's review against another edition
5.0
A friend told me that Valis and The Divine Invasion are sold in Italy together. I see that now. It makes complete sense. The Divine Invasion completes the story begun in Valis.
I would even go so far as to call Valis a religious novel masquerading as science fiction; and The Divine Invasion science fiction masquerading as a religious novel.
One thing is true of both, they distort reality in so many ways and so many times that it eventually becomes a moot point which world is the real world because Jehovah causes all of them to be real. It's kind of a cop-out, however, because we don't get resolution on the other worlds.
I would even go so far as to call Valis a religious novel masquerading as science fiction; and The Divine Invasion science fiction masquerading as a religious novel.
One thing is true of both, they distort reality in so many ways and so many times that it eventually becomes a moot point which world is the real world because Jehovah causes all of them to be real. It's kind of a cop-out, however, because we don't get resolution on the other worlds.
impalingheaven's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rpych2's review against another edition
3.0
The Divine Invasion was a weird book, even by PKD standards. Make no mistake, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it just doesn’t come off as well as some of his other works. This was the second in the VALIS trilogy, and it was basically a sci-fi retelling of the possible second coming of Jesus. Truth be told, I don’t love when books are overly religious, and that made me dislike it a little more than I would have. But I thought this one was interesting because of PKD’s unique style. The way that PKD commented on free will vs “god’s plan” was cool as well.
yosemite_spins's review against another edition
4.0
Much of the thoughts that were explained in Valis are applied here to a classic sci-fi universe, making what I consider a more digestible (...boring? typical? Or, just quicker to read?...) book. I wish it tied into the first book more, but that I guess is what the 3rd part of the trilogy is for? Still a solid ride through good, evil, and armageddon.
zare_i's review against another edition
4.0
Well this was weird but fantastic book. First of all if you are not familiar with Philip K. Dick's books you might start with something easier (to be honest I find all of his books very easy to read but you might try his short stories first to see if you will like them) - works of this author are very psychedelic but ultimately coherent and easy to follow (at least for me :)).
Book is allegory on spiritual awakening of human society after millennia spent in the prison of purely materialist view of the world. Presenting human institutions (be it religious or secular - both bent on control and nothing else) as elements that have put ordinary man under oppression author gives us a story of spiritual awakening, return of the man to something more, to knowledge of universe that was once available to humankind but lost when people decided to accept only material.
Lots of things are mixed up here, alternate realities, religion and philosophy, strange deities that exist among us and subtly control humanity, stories told from so many perspectives that you wont know which one is real one ... all is here. But most important thing is story of journey to self-knowledge, being able to let oneself to learn the truth and finally become one with oneself.
Interesting book, recommended to fans of SF weird tales and Philip K Dick in particular.
Book is allegory on spiritual awakening of human society after millennia spent in the prison of purely materialist view of the world. Presenting human institutions (be it religious or secular - both bent on control and nothing else) as elements that have put ordinary man under oppression author gives us a story of spiritual awakening, return of the man to something more, to knowledge of universe that was once available to humankind but lost when people decided to accept only material.
Lots of things are mixed up here, alternate realities, religion and philosophy, strange deities that exist among us and subtly control humanity, stories told from so many perspectives that you wont know which one is real one ... all is here. But most important thing is story of journey to self-knowledge, being able to let oneself to learn the truth and finally become one with oneself.
Interesting book, recommended to fans of SF weird tales and Philip K Dick in particular.
tittypete's review against another edition
3.0
God has been kicked off earth since way back in Hebrew-times. A guy in the future living on a distant planet is contacted by him and it's arranged (with help from the prophet Elijah) for him to help smuggle god as a baby back to earth in the womb of a neighbor woman with MS. They do it and then there's some trippy shit that happens on different realms of consciousness. Belial is the bad god and he's running earth in god's absence. But we are taught through a series of super meta convos that we all have the choice which god we wanna have in charge. Or something like that.
Belial shows up as a cuddly goat that stinks. There's a singer that's maybe Linda Ronstadt who has big tits at first but then it turns out she has zits and lives in a filthy apartment. And it all has to do with cosmic religion next level stuff.
VALIS part two, man.
It was alright.
Belial shows up as a cuddly goat that stinks. There's a singer that's maybe Linda Ronstadt who has big tits at first but then it turns out she has zits and lives in a filthy apartment. And it all has to do with cosmic religion next level stuff.
VALIS part two, man.
It was alright.
anotherpath's review against another edition
3.0
Occasionally books that are a part of trilogies are better known for being stand-alone novels. This may be the case with PKD's Valis trilogy. This second novel isn't awful. It just doesn't make a lot of sense, and it sort of pales next to the first book.
There's less cosmogony and more, "here's how the apocalypse could go", without the actual apocalypse.
Linda Fox is the spell, the problem, the illusion, and then finally the solution and savior to our protagonist, all despite having her period? Poor Rybys, Herb Asher didn't deserve you.
If he discards the human characters in the third novel again, I'm going to be miffed at the mistreatment of this story's Madonna figure.
It feels like this isn't his best work, but I still enjoyed the ride.
There's less cosmogony and more, "here's how the apocalypse could go", without the actual apocalypse.
Linda Fox is the spell, the problem, the illusion, and then finally the solution and savior to our protagonist, all despite having her period? Poor Rybys, Herb Asher didn't deserve you.
If he discards the human characters in the third novel again, I'm going to be miffed at the mistreatment of this story's Madonna figure.
It feels like this isn't his best work, but I still enjoyed the ride.