THE THREE STIGMATA OF PALMER ELDRITCH

This 1965 novel by the science-fiction visionary foresaw the idea of virtual reality in its story of a postapocalyptic future. Earth is dominated by the commercial rivalry of two manufacturers of mind-altering drugs, products that offer users escape into dream worlds indistinguishable from reality. The central plot follows business consultant Barney Mayerson and his struggles against the godlike (and possibly alien) Palmer Eldritch. Subplots involve the settlement of Mars, selective evolutionary enhancements, and drug culture. Tom Weiner's reading is oddly gruff, and at times choppy. But as the book progresses, his voice melds with Dick’s satire of the corporate world. His drone-like inflection helps enhance the author's message of a reality-within-reality in which no one can be certain of what is real and what is illusion. S.E.S. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2009]