Review: PKD’s Unfinished Sequel to TMITHC

I finally had a chance to read the two mysterious chapters of a scrubbed sequel to PKD’s The Man in the High Castle. I finished them a few ~~days~~ weeks ago, but their mark has yet to fade from the recesses of my mind. While I understand why he never finished it, I wish there was more.

The chapters were accompanied by an essay and a fictional blurb about Hawthorn Abendsen.

Naziism and The High Castle (1964) is an eye opener into the mind of PKD. He asks pointed questions about human nature and discusses Nationalism—no one is immune from falling into it. The essay reminds me of a quote ages ago when Season 2 of High Castle had just aired:

I think we have is to humanize Nazis. If you indulge the fantasy that they were not human, then nothing is learned. This is human beings that did this. It is only humans that are capable of inhumanity.
Rufus Sewell on portraying his character, John Smith (2016).

Reading it (and the subsequent chapters) made certain aspects of the show much more clear to me. I wish I could properly put into words how it has effected me, but I can’t seem to figure it out.

The chapters are well worth a read to anyone who is interested and is a fan of TMITHC.

Mild Spoilers Ahead!

Unlike the novel, which focuses on the Pacific States and Neutral Zone, the chapters follow Hermann Göring and Rudolph Wegener (Rudy!).

Göring’s chapter introduces us to the Die Nebenwelt. He is skeptical of it, disinclined to believe anything—anything can be forged, right? It was interesting to follow it from his perspective, as vile as it may be. He’s not the obsessed psychopath Himmler was in the show; they (and he) took a more cautious approach to everything.

Rudy’s chapter involves him being taken to Heydrich who sort of strong-arms him to get close to Die Nebenwelt and spy for him (I have no doubt in my mind that the scene where Heydrich sends him to assassinate Hitler came from this chapter).

As I said before, I wish there were more!

5/5 Stars

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