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'Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said' , a book I'd long been curious about, is from 1974 and is about Jason Taverner, a well known and highly respected TV star and singer whose records are suddenly erased, making him a man with no identity,living in a police state where everyone is closely monitored.
The writing in this book, as a contrast to other PKD books I've read, is very clear, direct, accessible, and deals with Taverner's mission to get his identity back and his life back on track. He has gone from being a household name, on everyone's TV screens daily, to being a nobody, a face in the crowd and then a suspect. The novel deals with paranoia, confusion, and the dangers of drug abuse. But also it is somewhat prophetic. Though it was written in 1974 there is mention of Gridders, people addicted to communicating and engaging in sexual deviancy via a phone line, who spend so much time in that activity that they become mentally ill or worse. Surely that is a foretaste of the internet! The people are an early form of net junkie! (Cyber sex?) So does that mean its an early taste of cyber-punk?
As usual with Dick there are moments where he deals strongly with sexuality and drugs, particularly the latter half which made me feel he was obsessed with those themes!
There are also moments that just seem disjointed from the novel and you're left thinking, what on earth?
But on the whole this was a fabulous book, I really enjoyed it, easily the best PKD read so far, and I would strongly recommend it!
