![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
The Transmigration of Timothy Archer
Apr. 23rd, 2012 08:54 pmAlthough I have read plenty of Philip K. Dick's short stories, this was my first attempt at tackling one of this books. Perhaps it's a little fitting that my first book was actually his last, published posthumously in 1982. The funny thing is that I remember checking it out from the library as a young person for some reason, but couldn't understand the first chapter. One great thing about my parents is that they never insisted I take books out from the kids section :-)
The most enjoyable part of the book was the mastery of characterization. The story is told in the first person by Archer's daughter in law, Angel, who recounts the bishop's descent into spiritual doubt. I found her narrative voice to be surprisingly authentic and really feel as if PKD really pulled off a realistic female voice. Similarly, each character's representation has a lovely distinctness to it. Sometimes it has been said that "female writing" lacks the great, orgasmic climax of "male writing" and that seems to be the case here. There's a focus on relationships and feelings that is often scarce in science fiction, although this isn't really a SF book. It's more of a theological and philosophical work and I wish I knew the Bible better to get the most out of it.
Timothy Archer is closely based on Episcopalian bishop James Pike, a controversial and outspoken figure who perished in the Judean desert. Doubt starts to creep in after Archer learns about the Zadokite scrolls, which are said to contain Jesus' statements before Jesus actually lived. From there it's a dive right into PKD's world of testing reality and identity with much metaphysical pondering in-between. I really enjoyed the book and made copious notes on my Kobo, which is why I love the Kobo so much. I felt a kinship with Angel, who is a lifelong student and possibly overeducated to the point where knowledge doesn't help much. At the same time, I could also relate to her as she watches her FIL, friend (and mistress to Archer) and husband all self-destruct. Her sceptical nature seems to actually be a form of self-preservation.
The most enjoyable part of the book was the mastery of characterization. The story is told in the first person by Archer's daughter in law, Angel, who recounts the bishop's descent into spiritual doubt. I found her narrative voice to be surprisingly authentic and really feel as if PKD really pulled off a realistic female voice. Similarly, each character's representation has a lovely distinctness to it. Sometimes it has been said that "female writing" lacks the great, orgasmic climax of "male writing" and that seems to be the case here. There's a focus on relationships and feelings that is often scarce in science fiction, although this isn't really a SF book. It's more of a theological and philosophical work and I wish I knew the Bible better to get the most out of it.
Timothy Archer is closely based on Episcopalian bishop James Pike, a controversial and outspoken figure who perished in the Judean desert. Doubt starts to creep in after Archer learns about the Zadokite scrolls, which are said to contain Jesus' statements before Jesus actually lived. From there it's a dive right into PKD's world of testing reality and identity with much metaphysical pondering in-between. I really enjoyed the book and made copious notes on my Kobo, which is why I love the Kobo so much. I felt a kinship with Angel, who is a lifelong student and possibly overeducated to the point where knowledge doesn't help much. At the same time, I could also relate to her as she watches her FIL, friend (and mistress to Archer) and husband all self-destruct. Her sceptical nature seems to actually be a form of self-preservation.
