VALIS

VALIS is the first book of Philip K. Dick's VALIS Trilogy, followed by The Divine Invasion and The Transmigration of Timothy Archer. The title VALIS stands for "Vast Active Living Intelligence System," which in Dick's conception is a mysterious intelligent entity that reveals itself to humanity. Set in 1970s California, the novel revolves around Horselover Fat, a protagonist suffering from schizophrenia. After being struck by a pink beam of light, Fat begins to superimpose ancient Rome onto the reality before him and "learns" of his son's medical condition, which even doctors had failed to diagnose. He also once attempted suicide by overdose but survived. He must confront an unavoidable question: is his mind broken, or is a divine intelligence revealing to him the true nature of the world? Running parallel to Fat is another narrative voice—another "I"—and the two threads entwine, causing the novel to oscillate between introspection and observation. On the surface the work resembles a detective story with theological overtones; beneath it, it explores themes such as the Gnostic hidden god, memory and time, true and false reality, and an AI-like super-being. The book also features plot devices such as a rock star and a film titled VALIS, through which Dick turns a personal mental crisis into a novel about what is real. Strongly autobiographical, VALIS blends Dick's experiences in psychiatric hospitals, his suicide attempts, and his most private inner experiences, and is regarded as a key work for understanding his spiritual world in his late period.