A man comes to you, saying that some of his dreams come true. Not in a “I dreamed I’d get a new car and the next day I won a sweepstakes” sort of way; he says that he’s actually changing the past, and that what we remember isn’t real. Or wasn’t real. Or something.
On the surface “The Lathe of Heaven,” by Ursula K. Le Guin, is an interesting short novel. Decent science fiction, and a fun read.
When you sit back and think about it, perhaps reading it again, you realize that there’s more depth to the novel, much more. It’s not as much about George, the dreaming man. The story is told from his point of view as he’s manipulated by his doctor, and it’s exploring the temptation we have to “play god” and attempt to change the world “for the better.”