Valis

VALIS is a 1981 science fiction book by Philip K. Dick. The title is an acronym for Vast Active Living Intelligence System, Dick's gnostic vision of one aspect of God. VALIS is the first book in a trilogy that represents Dick's last major work before he died.

Horselover Fat

The main character in VALIS is Dick himself. He calls himself Horselover Fat, which is a translation of his name. "Horselover" is English for the Greek word "phil-hippos", lover/friend of horses (like "philosophy", lover of knowledge), and "fat", being English for the German word "dick".

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However, even though the book is written in first person, for most of the book he treats Horselover Fat as a separate person, describing conversations and even arguments with him, and criticizing his opinions and writings; this can all be viewed by the reader as a form of mental illness. Near the end of the book the messianic figure cures him (temporarily), and he describes his surprise that Horselover Fat has suddenly disappeared from his side.

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