The Divine Invasion - Philip K. Dick Book Review

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Review Summary

Conceived on the planet CY30-CY30B, Manny is still in the womb when his mother Rybys and father Herb return to Earth. In a car collision, Rybys is killed and Herb thrown into a coma which lasts 10 years, but Manny is brought to term by a synthowomb and taken in hand by an old man named Elias Tate. Elias intends to protect the boy from the authorities, political and religious powers supported by the giant AI system known as Big Noodle, who have foreseen the threat posed by Manny and already tried to destroy him several times. Manny may be divine, but the violent circumstances of his birth have damaged his brain and he cannot remember his history. At a special school he meets a girl named Zina, who seems to be on his side, but he can't be sure. In his coma, Herb dreams of the past and alternate futures, and when he awakes he goes looking for Linda Fox, the singer whose hit music he used to program over the air from his dome on CY30-CY30B. This 1981 novel has references to Torah, Greek mythology, and Zen thrown into the mix.
David Loftus, Resident Scholar

Detailed literary breakdown of The Divine Invasion

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%

Tone of book - cynical or dry-wit
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Religious overtones? Yes
Cultural problems, alien culture Yes
Culture clash- - one human from different culture of other humans

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - religious figure
Age: - a kid
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - mind reading - can see into the future
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged

Setting
Terrain - Domed/Underground City
Earth setting: - medium future 22-24th century
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a futuristic society - empty, or nearly empty world - very controlled society
Takes place on Earth? Yes
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - some scientific explanation
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

Most similar books to The Divine Invasion
Angelica by Sharon Shinn
Forever Free by Joe Haldeman
Heaven by Ian Stewart & Jack Cohen
Wyrms by Orson Scott Card
The Telling by Ursula K. LeGuin

Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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