George Orr lives in a future Portland where his dreams physically alter reality. When he wakes, the world has changed to match his subconscious visions, and only he remembers the previous timeline. To suppress this ability, he consumes illegal drugs, leading him into mandatory therapy with Dr. William Haber. Haber, a psychiatrist and ambitious researcher, discovers George’s power is real and begins using hypnotic suggestion to direct these "effective dreams." Each attempt to fix global issues like overpopulation or war results in unintended, catastrophic consequences, including a plague and an alien invasion.
Readers interested in the ethical limits of utilitarianism and the philosophy of Taoism find value in this narrative. It appeals to those who study the tension between passive acceptance and the human impulse to control nature through technology. The story forces a confrontation with the paradox of seeking a perfect world through calculated intervention. Readers walk away with a specific perspective on how forced utopian engineering often collapses under its own weight, suggesting that wholeness requires balance rather than total dominance over existence.
Deep, contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1971
- Language
- EN
