The Transmigration of Timothy Archer is considered the last
book in the VALIS trilogy (VALIS and The Divine invasion being the first two); however –as with the other two books before it—This
novel can stand on its own. The
series is tied together by theme rather than events(in fact the only connection storyline wise is a brief mention in VALIS of the Bishop dieing in a dessert with two bottles of coke in his vehicle). This book is told through the eyes of Angel Archer, The bishops Daughter in law. Angels
character acts somewhat as a window which the reader looks through to experience the title character Bishop Timothy Archer. Like many of Dicks works drugs and
suicide play key rolls in the development of the
story. The story begins on the day of John Lennon’s death and is told for the most part through Angel remembering the events that have brought her to where she currently is in life. This is a sad book and you know what you’re getting into up front. Within the first chapter Angel mentions she is now alone that her “husband is
dead and his father is dead; his fathers mistress ate a mason jar full of barbiturates and is in the grave, perpetually asleep.” Where VALIS seems to present Philips odd philosophical beliefs, which can be called mostly Gnostic. This book presents the Catholic religious view and a Bishops loss and eventual perversion of the faith. While this novel, like the rest of the series, is full of philosophical quotes and ideas it is also a story about how suicide effects those close to it. Much like in VALIS how Dick seems to trace many of the problems of the main character back to the suicide of a friend (Gloria), You can trace Tim Archers fall from grace back to the suicide of his son. Where VALIS often spoke of the nag hammadi as a pivotal religious find, this novel uses the dead sea scrolls. This novel is a much more real experience then that presented in either of the other two novels. I found it to be the saddest of the three. If you enjoyed either other novel in the series or are just interested in philosophy and the human condition give this book a read!
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