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The 2002 TV movie adaptation of The Lathe of Heaven disappointed me. I liked that the bell hop seemed to remember George throughout the changes, but the overall plot was quite dry. So it was my surprise that the Wikipedia article mentions the adaptation excluded an alien invasion, plus all the philosophical nuance. What in the world did I watch?

My sci fi book club affirmed my suspicions. So I ordered the book to find out for myself.

Let me just say - I was shocked. This book is incredible. Reality-bending, philosophical, psychological - a perfect complement to Philip K Dick, without the paranoia and terror.

tl;dr I rate the book a rare 5 stars.

Overview

George Orr is abusing drugs alternately to stop dreaming or to stay awake to avoid sleep. Because Orr's dreams have a tendency of creeping into the real world. His first memory of changing the world is when his aunt came to stay with his family. Orr didn't care for his aunt; he dreamed that the aunt had died in a car crash. Lo and behold he wakes up to find his aunt had actually died some months ago in a car crash.

As a sane person, this disturbed Orr. No one else remembered the previous reality. The guilt, the pressure, the responsibility weighed on him. So he abused drugs to stop dreaming.

Drug abuse leads Orr to a state mandated therapist, a sleep and dream specialist, Dr. Haber. With the use of Haber's experimental new dream machine, the augmentor, Orr is given hypnotic suggestions and coaxed into dreaming. Dr. Haber comes to suspect and realize that Orr isn't just a psychotic quack - Haber, being so close to the dream epicenter, watches the world around him shift.

The characters make this story as much as the plot. Haber is an idealist, an inventor, a scientist, a psychologist. He wants to tinker to try to change, to try to improve the world. He is a large man, both physically and psychically. Orr is the opposite, small, mild mannered, meek, inward and not outward focused. Orr works a simple job as a draftsman for the state, lives a modest and isolated life.

Haber tries to use Orr's dreams to make the world a "better place." However dreams are not scientific, hypnotic suggestions are interpreted creatively by the subconscious. In an attempt to solve overpopulation, Orr dreams of a pandemic that decimates the world population. To achieve world peace, Orr dreams of an alien invasion that unites the warring nations.

Orr becomes increasingly disturbed by Haber, though he doesn't quit the sessions. Orr reminds me of the protagonist from Sheltered Lives - unable to act, to make a choice, trapped by himself in others' plans and designs. Orr does reach out to a lawyer, a woman named Lelache, to try to help him. Lelache, in attending a dream session, is thus caught up in the shifting realities, caught in Orr's wake.

The story comes to a climax when Orr finally refuses to continue working with Haber. However, Haber has finally perfected the augmentor to allow himself to dream these reality-altering dreams. In dreaming, Haber starts to unravel the world, unable to form a coherent narrative, destroying rather than creating a new world.

Orr reaches Haber and shuts off the machine. The world remains in shambles, contradictory realities mixed together. The story ends with Orr visiting Haber, now institutionalized.

Oh and Orr makes friends with the aliens who he dreamed to become friendly with humans.

What I liked

What did I not like. This story suits my fancy in every aspect. I love the dichotomy between Orr and Haber. Orr is an excellent character, not a hero, not an anti-hero, but completely relate-able, suffering from the weight of global responsibility.

I love love love reality bending stories - though that market was cornered by PKD, entries like Dream Master and The Lathe of Heaven rightfully claim their spot alongside The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch.

The plot was executed so well. Orr is buddha-like when he shuts off the augmentor, at peace yet projecting his will to shape not the world but his place within it.

What I didn't like

Maybe I longed for Orr and Lelache to end up together - though it's hinted, so not truly missing. Honestly I can't find any significant faults with this book. The fact that it's short is a bonus: fitting a story to its proper length is no small feat and makes a huge impact.

Wrap up

Read the book, spend the next few weeks wondering whether your dreams are also changing the world while you sleep.