Galactic Pot Healer by Philip K. Dick

Galactic Pot-Healer by Philip K. Dick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Glimmung wants Joe Fernwright. Fernwright is a pot-healer – a repairer of ceramics – in a drably utilitarian future where such skills have little value. The Glimmung is a being that looks something like a gyroscope, something like a teenaged girl, and something like the contents of an ocean. What’s more, it may be divine. And, like certain gods of old Earth, it has a bad temper.

I must thank Jesse from SFFaudio for recommending this book. Although it began on a very depressing tone that didn’t entirely lift during the story (which I’m told is par for the course for P.K. Dick), I nonetheless enjoyed it.

The idea of a Lovecraftian elder god having a benevolent bent toward humankind and working with others to achieve a goal is one that tickles my funny bone. I also have a feeling that at least one writer for Futurama read this book also, based on the way the Glummung physically works with others. I don’t want to give anything away so won’t elaborate on that, but if you’ve seen it and read this book then you know what I mean. I laughed aloud when I got to that part.

I had to think about the end of the book for a little while (which I’m told is also par for the course for PKD) but in the end I liked it. Although I have a feeling that perhaps PKD didn’t feel the same way I did. I think that’s my Catholicism coming through. My youngest daughter Rose is going to read this and since she’s read several of PKD’s novels already, I am looking forward to talking to her about it.