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The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, by Philip K. Dick

 


As with all Philip K. Dick books, this is a little different. The title is not the weirdest thing about it. I think the first half and second half of the book are different animals. We begin the book with the Earth unbearably hot. He never uses the words global warming or the greenhouse effect, which were things that had been talked about in the scientific community before this book came out, but were not widely accepted yet (in 1964). Whatever the cause, the earth is hot. The UN, a much more powerful organization than it is in our world, is trying to populate other bodies in our solar system: the Moon, Mars, Ganymede, etc. There are too many people on Earth for the limited resources. The problem is, no one wants to live in a colony on another planet, where conditions are miserable. So, the UN must draft people.

Our protagonist, Barney Mayerson, has received his draft notice and is trying to game the system so he doesn’t have to go. Barney is a precog and a high-ranking executive at PP Layouts. PP stands for “Perky Pat” who is a doll or a model who is accompanied by a doll representing her boyfriend and a whole host of miniaturized accessories including furniture, cars, and jets etc. The purpose for this layout is to aid the colonists who, when taking an illegal drug, can escape to the world of Perky Pat. They can become Perky Pat or her boyfriend, and for a time, live in fantasy Earth before all of its environmental problems.  This escape is essential for the colonists who would go crazy without it. PP Layouts not only supplies the colonists with the miniature layouts, but also (not so secretly) supplies the illegal drug.

The first half of the book follows Barney and his interpersonal relations with his assistant and his ex-wife. We also follow his boss Leo, who runs PP Layouts and is trying to maintain a monopoly on the “entertainment” for the colonists. Leo is concerned that the legendary Palmer Eldritch has reportedly returned from deep space, the only man ever to visit an alien world. Palmer has returned with an alternative drug that may destroy Leo’s company.

The second half of the book has a completely different feel to it from the first half. It takes us on a journey of the effects of the alternative drug that has been brought back by Palmer Eldritch. And there are nagging questions. Is Palmer Eldritch human? Is he a god? Is he an alien? Is he inconsequential? Reality becomes muddled. We are never sure what is true and what is an effect of the drug. I am telling you, it messes with your mind. In the end, whether Leo “wins” or Palmer “wins” or Barney “wins” depends on your point of view.

Philip K Dick was good at messing with our minds. He wrote bizarre and compelling stories. That may be why Hollywood has translated more of his stories to film than any other science fiction writer (I think I am safe in saying that). But things that take place in the mind, don’t translate well to film, so Hollywood had never attempted a version of this story (although the film Inception may have been inspired by parts of it). This is one that you are just going to have to read the book.

Star Liner

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