Reserved to replace lost bookray.

Synopsis from amazon.co.uk: "It began with a blinding light, a divine revelation from a mysterious intelligence that called itself VALIS. And with that, the fabric of reality was ripped open and laid bare so that anything seemed possible, but nothing seemed quite right. Part science fiction, part theological detective story - in which God plays both the missing person and the perpetrator of the ultimate crime, VALIS is both disorienting and eerily funny, and a joy to read."

The list is:

RockDg9 (Australia) - ships anywhere
kiyoitsukikage (Poland) - prefers EU shipping
Cross-patch (UK) - ships anywhere
flambard (UK) - ships anywhere
Glauber (US) - ships anywhere --> Book is here

--> last person to release book in wild or pass on to another BCer

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Will be sending to the first reader later today, to start the bookray. Hope all of you enjoy it!

Arrived on Friday. Thanks. :)

I can't really say that I enjoyed this book. I can see that it was clever and insightful, but just a little too stream of consciousness for it to be compulsively readable.

I will be posting onto Poland tomorrow (lucky book!)

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posted off to Poland today.

it's here, thank you!

Hmm, the book was... weird ;) I even contemplated not finishing it at one point (which I rarely do) but then it got more interesting and I finished it after all. Not quite what I expected, though, I somehow thought it would be a "regular" s-f novel, but it isn't. Hard to say whether I like it or not, it definitely got "better" towards the end.

Thank you for sharing and I'm sorry for holding up the book for so long.

Valis arrived while I was on holiday in New Zealand, so I am late journalling it. It will be read shortly though. Thanks to kiyoitsukikage for getting it here and to klaradyn for offering it.

Sorry, I failed to complete this book. I'm obviously past my American drug culture stage, and just couldn't get into it. Thank you for the chance to try it and it is now on its way to flambard. I'll be interested to see what you think.

Thanks kalardyn and Cross-Patch! I approach this book with some trepidation having read previous journals!

If you have the patience, or a particular interest in theology or philosophy in respect of a the idea of a god and human destiny, then it may well be enjoyable. But I'm afraid it was not for me.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

To Glauber in Illinois

I got the book, thanks, Flanbard! Can't wait to start reading it.

Wow. This is brilliant or insane, or maybe both. I have a feeling it will take me a while to process it. Not easy to read, and the payback comes relatively late, so it requires patience and either an interest on Gnosticism or the willingness to skim through the philosophy. There is also a measure of willful disorientation as PKD injects portions of his real life and work in the story. An insane man's journey through salvation and beyond.

The philosophy is heavier than for example in the DaVinci's Code, but you can read this with the same kind of tongue in cheek paranoia.

Does the Universe make sense? Is there a mind behind it all? Is that mind insane? Is there an eternal struggle of good versus evil underlying the human story? Or did we make it all up? Can a shattered man find hope, peace and ultimately himself?

Will PM Erishkigal for address, to send it on.