[net.sf-lovers] A query answered

@RUTGERS.ARPA,@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA:DBarker.SiteSA@HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA (04/25/85)

cmcl2!seismo!columbia!topaz!@RUTGERS.ARPA,@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA:DBarker.SiteSA@HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA
seismo!columbia!topaz!@RUTGERS.ARPA,@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA:DBarker.SiteSA@HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA

From: Deryk Barker <DBarker%PCO@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA>

Sorry barmar - you is wrong.  The story about the man who lives the same
day over and over is definitely by Philip Dick - although I too cannot
remember the title.  Hogan's "THRICE upon a time" features one of his
(typically) smart-arsed geniuses who decides to alter the past (twice -
hence the thrice in the title) to save the world once from a new disease
and once from miniature black holes gnawing away at the centre of the
earth.

The Philip Dick novel in which people particpate as Barbie Dolls (Perkie
Pat) is "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" one of Dick's very
finest novels.  The people are colonists on Mars and escape into their
"layouts" (models of reality) via an hallucinagenic drug called Chew-Z
(catchy huh?)  The eponymous Mr.  Eldritch returns from some alien
planet bearing a rival drug - Can-D.  Gradually (slight spoiler) it
becomes apparanet that once you've taken Can-D you NEVER know whether
you're back to reality or still hallucinating.  And you keep coming up
against Mr.  E in various disguises.  He has, however, three physically
distinguishing features (the stigmata of the title) which always give
him away - if you're on the lookout - trouble is - can't remember what
they are.  This is a GREAT novel - I thoroughly recommend it to all
those who haven't read it - nothing to do with reliving the same day
tho' (sorry moderator).