Fourth Mansions

by R. A. Lafferty

First published 1969

Foley starts out as an ordinary young man until he stumbles into a reality where nothing operates according to normal rules. He encounters seven remarkable individuals who possess the ability to merge their consciousness and form something greater than human. A solitary figure lives atop a mountain, laughing as he stands guard over the entire world. Immortal men walk among us, returning life after life across the centuries to continue their mysterious work. A strange creature called a Plappergeist, part dog and part ape, can only be glimpsed from peripheral vision. As Foley learns more about these beings and their activities, he realizes they are actively reshaping the world around him. The deeper he ventures into their psychedelic reality, the more he must confront what it means to be human when faced with forces that transcend ordinary existence.

Genres: science-fiction, literary-fiction, fantasy

Vibes: atmospheric, surreal, thought-provoking

Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family

Setting: Mountain

Paperback · Wildside Pr

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