Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 29, 1992 TAG: 9203290251
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: E-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Talk about targeted marketing; if you want to capture the lucrative woman's market (ages 18 to 65), give us romance, give us successful role models and, most of all, give us chocolate.
Eileen Goudge has certainly done that in her most recent novel, "Such Devoted Sisters." It's a terrific, if unrealistic story of two sisters who betray each other, and the two daughters of one of them who almost fall into the same trap. Along the way, we cover most of the seven deadly sins in McCarthy-era Hollywood, a romantic visit to Paris, Grenada and the most interesting parts of New York.
Best of all, the novel fairly reeks of chocolate as Annie Cobb and her aunt Dolly are both successful manufacturers of gourmet goodies.
- JUDY KWELLER\ \ The Mind's Eye.\ By Timothy Ferris. Bantam. $22.50.
In "The Mind's Eye" Timothy Ferris explores how the mind perceives the universe, and in the exposition, how the mind perceives everything. Ferris uses the search for extraterrestrial intelligence to wonder if man could identify such an intelligence if one surfaces. Using an eclectic mixture of science, art, sports, near death experiences and humor, the author explores how man perceives and interacts with his environment and the wider universe. The issues pondered are large, and few conclusions are drawn, save one - the search for extraterrestrial intelligence will uncover more about ourselves than about any bug-eyed monsters.\ - LARRY SHIELD\ \ VALIS. THE DIVINE INVASION. THE TRANSMIGRATION OF TIMOTHY ARCHER.\ By Philip K. Dick. Vintage Books. $10 each (trade paperback).
These are the last three novels published by Philip K. Dick (between 1981 and 1982), about the time he was made famous by "Blade Runner," a movie version of yet another of his books. And then he died, and - like James Dean, JFK, Elvis and others lost to us at pivotal points in their careers - promptly became larger than life.
There are Phil Dick researchers, organizations, newsletters and followers who see a religious thread in these last three works as something more significant than fiction. The concept is boosted by the fact that Dick writes himself into some of his stories, especially "Valis," and uses some of his own experiences as part of the novels (Dick apparently was unsure whether he was once contacted by an alien or religious presence in a blast of pink light, had had a mild stroke or a flashback from some old LSD).
"Valis" is about the second coming of God in human flesh, this time as a young girl. "The Divine Invasion" hypothesizes that God has been banned from the world by the Devil and must sneak back in to overthrow the evil one. "Transmigration" is based on the life and death of Episcopalian priest James Pike, leaving it up to the reader as to whether the priest is communicating with the book's woman protagonist from beyond the grave.
Dick was classified as a science fiction writer (his "Man in the High Castle," set in an alternate world where Japan and Germany won World War II, won the field's Hugo award as best novel in 1963) and a gimmick from one of his short stories was cobbled into another film, "Total Recall." There were undeniably times when he was just writing to pay the rent ("The Zap Gun" is a good example) but he is more of a fantasist in the style of Kurt Vonnegut.
Dick's last three books need no fannish mumbo-jumbo to make them good reading. To have them in attractive trade editions is a enough of a plus.
- PAUL DELLINGER
Judy Kweller is vice-president of an advertising agency.\ Larry Shield writes software.\ Paul Dellinger is a reporter for the Southwest Virginia bureau of this newspaper.
by CNB