Lyn's Reviews > The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
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The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch was the kind of book that Kilgore Trout, the fictional recurring character in Kurt Vonnegut's novels (based on science fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon) would have been proud of – deftly original, scathingly satirical, wildly entertaining – and funny in the kind of subtle way that would have pleased Vonnegut.
It is good in many different ways, and works well on different levels. First published in 1965, this is one of Dick's earlier works that deals both directly and obliquely with religious themes.
The surface story itself, if it were made into a movie, could be cast and produced in a similar fashion as the Bruce Willis film The Fifth Element – it’s over the top, bizarre, absurd, and yet all fits together. PKD’s underlying commentaries on religion and the drug culture are both erudite and socially informed. The author also applies a generous portion of irony and outrageous circumstance to an already volatile mix, like evolution of humans into a neo-bug-like thing. Critics before me have said that it is one of his best and I must wholeheartedly agree.
Oddly reminiscent of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (the parts left out of Bladerunner) this novel brings out some of PKD’s unique abilities to combine science fiction with theological explorations.
Best line in the book: "Palmer Eldritch had gone to Prox a man and returned a god".
A must read for PKD fans, SF fans, and a good introduction of his work for a new reader.
*** 2020 reread
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch is on a short list of PKD’s best.
This time around I paid closer attention to the climate concerns (first published in 1965, this describes full on global warming) and the strange connections with the mind altering drugs and the hovel societies on Mars.
I also noted the similarities with this book and one of his lesser known works, Our Friends from Frolix 8. (first published in 1970) where Dick revisits some of these same themes, especially of a godlike allegory of alien first contact.
It is good in many different ways, and works well on different levels. First published in 1965, this is one of Dick's earlier works that deals both directly and obliquely with religious themes.
The surface story itself, if it were made into a movie, could be cast and produced in a similar fashion as the Bruce Willis film The Fifth Element – it’s over the top, bizarre, absurd, and yet all fits together. PKD’s underlying commentaries on religion and the drug culture are both erudite and socially informed. The author also applies a generous portion of irony and outrageous circumstance to an already volatile mix, like evolution of humans into a neo-bug-like thing. Critics before me have said that it is one of his best and I must wholeheartedly agree.
Oddly reminiscent of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (the parts left out of Bladerunner) this novel brings out some of PKD’s unique abilities to combine science fiction with theological explorations.
Best line in the book: "Palmer Eldritch had gone to Prox a man and returned a god".
A must read for PKD fans, SF fans, and a good introduction of his work for a new reader.
*** 2020 reread
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch is on a short list of PKD’s best.
This time around I paid closer attention to the climate concerns (first published in 1965, this describes full on global warming) and the strange connections with the mind altering drugs and the hovel societies on Mars.
I also noted the similarities with this book and one of his lesser known works, Our Friends from Frolix 8. (first published in 1970) where Dick revisits some of these same themes, especially of a godlike allegory of alien first contact.
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Reading Progress
November 21, 2012
–
Started Reading
November 21, 2012
– Shelved
November 26, 2012
–
Finished Reading
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Sally
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May 18, 2014 10:57AM
I read this over 40 years ago, and it was always one of my favorites. On the other hand, there was not much sci-fi to read in my small town library, so there was not much to compare it with.
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Great review. Though, I always thought the best lines in the book were: "It takes a certain amount of courage, he thought, to face yourself and say with candor, I'm rotten. I've done evil and I will again. It was no accident; it emanated from the true, authentic me."
It's amazing how much weirdness and existential musings PKD packed into this story, particularly the Perky Pat doll layouts for CAN-D, and the creepy hallucinations of Barney Mayerson when he tries out CHEW-Z. What a total trip that was. I need to read it again.
Good review. And yes, this one is certainly one of Dick's best. What always makes it fall a bit below some of the other best, though, for me, is that it's just so damn...depressing. Eldritch himself and the Perky Pat layouts are freaking iconic, so obviously this novel is amazing, but it always makes me feel depleted. It's a real bummer, this book.
That's so funny that you mentioned Kilgore Trout in your review. After reading the synopsis for this book, I found myself thinking the exact same thing. definitely reading this next. Thanks for the review!
I missed it somehow in my youth. Very happy to discover in 2020, great SF never gets old, it kinda becomes more relevant❤️