Maze of Death Book

Disclosure, I haven't read much PKD. A few short stories and one other novel, I believe. I am, however, still a follower. Blade Runner is one of my favorite movies and there is no ignoring his impact and influence on the science fiction genre. I personally don't love his writing style, but there is no denying his originality and creativity. He was also an intriguing character himself, complex, suicidal, prone to hallucinations (often drug induced), and unfortunately abusive. In his works, he explored drug uses, mental illness, and questions about the perception of reality and the nature of humanity. His work seems just as relevant today, with the recent series, "The Man in the High Castle" as well as several remakes (Blade Runner 2049 & Total Recall) as he was at his death in 1982.

"A Maze of Death" starts almost like a murder mystery by introducing fourteen, seemly random people, who find themselves on remote world, with no means of departure, and unaware of their purpose. PKD manufactures an entire religion which revolves around 'God Worlds' and actual manifestations of religious figures. Devotee's send prayers to the 'God' through electrodes attached to their pituitary glands and magnified through electronic devices. He also shows his unique creativity through a collection of real and artificial creatures that exist on the planet creating a bizarre and deadly setting.

The twist ending was at first a disappointment to me, but as I both read the final pages, and thought more about whole of the novel, became more interesting and certainly, classic PKD. One must also remember that this was published in 1970. I also wondered if PKD constructed the whole novel around an LSD experience which he describes in the Author Foreword, and reveals that he described it, "in exact detail". I don't recommend this to casual sci-fi fans, but for devotes of this genre, some amount of PKD is almost required.

A bizarre, original and creative story, that evolves and takes an ending that could be cliché and instead makes it provoke as only PKD can.