My interpretation of parts of the book *spoilers*: I think Palmer always planned to take over Leo and not Barney. At one point Palmer Eldricht mentions how he wanted to become a planet, but not the physical planet, instead all the creatures on the planet. Palmer decides to spare Mars because he realizes the colonies are a new pure, peaceful and “enjoyable” existence so he considers it sacred. At the end, when Leo and his friend who never took the drug both start seeing Palmer everywhere is when the Alien is using Leo as some sort of catalyst or connection. The rest of the people around him start getting infected like a virus and the alien can reproduce through some unexplained power. Possibly the drug had infected Leo and the alien can spread like a bacteria/virus/disease without other people taking the drug. Leo is ground zero. Leo starts loosing his memory on the last page and Palmer Eldricht is finally consuming his body/brain to take over. The last line in the book is of the ship getting “nearer and nearer Earth”. This is Dicks way of telling us that the Alien will be successful in taking over the world, and it’s too late to stop him. The hard but pure life on the mars colonies will be spared and all that’s left of humanity. The other part I think about is with the psychic Martian animal that calls Barney “impure” and will not eat him since it sensing the alien inside. When Barney mentions it to Palmer it’s almost like Palmers feelings are hurt by being called “impure”. Shows that the alien has emotions and constantly is questioning his own existence and self-worth. Just a wild book! These are my theories although I have no idea if they are correct. I loved the book and it was my first PKD novel I read, about a month ago. I’ve already read 3 more of his books. If someone could explain Ubik to me that would be great. I can’t figure out what was actually happening but still very much enjoyed that one aswell. Cheers!
This was great. I have read and re-read this book and it’s one of Dick’s best. The Chew-Z puts users into Palmer Eldritch’s mind which becomes a different reality. It’s like the idea that the universe with us in it is just part of a dream that God is having. I would love to see a faithful adaptation of this one day, maybe an animated version. It would be interesting to see how someone visualizes the world of Perky Pat.
Thank you so much for this deep reading, yourself and your brother are fine creatives in your own right. Thanks so much for videos and deep reads like these, wow. Can’t wait to get my hands on this book mate, cheers :))
It still feels like there's something missing. Toward the end after he takes chew z and Eldritch tries to "help" Barney, there's the realisation that he couldn't get back Emily as he wants, because she had started to de-evolve by that point. So that "helpful push" seems disingenuous in light of that realisation. Still the alien's actions during the Chew Z trip seem predatory/parasitic. Even more confusing. Then why does Barney view the alien as somewhat benevolent yet powerless? Is that just him being confused because the alien is still a small part of him at that point? Does the alien let him live or does Barney escape by waking up in time to not die from the ship? The most confusing part which I haven't seen anyone answer is why the alien would decide to die in the end rather than keep on living through humans - in this way it seems like a reluctant martyr - Christlike except for its reluctance. Maybe for something to actually be a sacrifice there needs to be an element of reluctance to it. Or the alien realises its defeated and will now die in the future - now it's trying to at least convince Barney that he's dying to let them live.
