Book Review: THE THREE STIGMATA OF PALMER ELDRITCH by Philip K. Dick

The nightmare of the now in the future of yesterday

Book Review: THE THREE STIGMATA OF PALMER ELDRITCH (1964) by Philip K. Dick

Philip K. Dick (1928-1982) became more known to the reading public when his novel DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? (1968) was adapted as the movie BLADE RUNNER (1982).

PKD in the 1960s

Tragically, PKD died right when his writing was beginning to receive the mainstream success which had eluded him for decades.

Among science fiction fans, he was regarded as one of the greatest — and strangest — writers in the genre. He fits the "tortured genius" trope, as he struggled with mental health and drug problems for much of his life.

Several of PKD's stories and novels have been adapted for TV and cinema, but I doubt this novel ever will be … it's not a crowd-pleaser.

Brief plot summary:

In a near future, when the Earth is slowly becoming uninhabitable due to global warming, people migrate to Mars — or rather, they are forced to move. (Remember, this was written in 1964.)

Life in the Martian colonies is so dreary that the settlers use hallucinogenic drugs to cope. Under the influence of a specific drug, the settlers can escape into a shared fantasy world that resembles a Barbie dollhouse.

(Think Augmented Reality without computers — or living inside the Barbie movie. This part is especially brilliant, because it is both weird science fiction and a satire of American life.)

Then the sinister-looking tycoon Palmer Eldritch reappears, after having been lost in space for years. He brings with him a brand-new drug, that he promises will deliver actual immortality.

But that promise turns into a mind-bending nightmare…

The plot summary does not give away the depth of the terrors that unfold in the novel. The author depicts in great detail how reality disintegrates into parts — or "reality bubbles" if you like — and the mood is that of losing one's mind.

Some parts of the novel are dated (Mars isn't realistically depicted), but nevertheless it's an excellent story of the kind that only Philip K. Dick could write. It cannot be defined purely as “science fiction” in the classical sense, but more as “metaphysical horror.”

THE THREE STIGMATA OF PALMER ELDRITCH is an absolute must-read, and has become surprisingly relevant to this day and age. Just read it and you'll see precisely what I mean. It captures the “feel” of the world we live in right now, even if it gets the details wrong...

See also, by the same author:
A MAZE OF DEATH
UBIK
EYE IN THE SKY