The idea for VALIS RISING was first conceived in 1995. At that time I put together a very rough version in a simple word processing program. This was before I even knew anything about the world wide web or "hot links".

I recently decided to bring this earlier image up to date and have it posted on the web as a learning/reference tool. The text in the foreground of the image basically explains the reason for the composition of the work.

Symbolically, VALIS as the rising sun, represents the illuminating nature of the novel on nine other novels which comprise a major portion of Phil's ten volume "metanovel".

I think in this matter, Phil deserves the last word:

"VALIS is the cipher book � code book � to the whole ten volume metanovel & will someday be read as such. & VALIS is Gnostic/Mani but secretly Holy Mother Church." (from THE EXEGESIS, 1981)