Story: 3 / 10
Characters: 4
Setting: 4
Prose: 1
An altogether useless book. The story and writing are entirely obscure, making it one of the most difficult reads you will encounter. No real value except that the subject matter is concerned with conspiracy theories and the Illuminati.
Fight the urge to read this cult classic. ( )

Wow! I had been wanting to read this for several years primarily because one of my best friends indicated the trilogy is his favorite book. But I Had to wait till I could find it in single volumes as the giant tomb would be too much for the way I read. Normally I don't really look at reviews before I read a book, particularly fiction, because spoilers, especially when it's one line this that a friend recommended. However, for whatever reason I did, and I'm glad I did. The writing style is out there. Changing characters in first person many times, even in the same paragraph. He really makes you think you're going crazy by repeating complete paragraphs numerous pages later, making me think I lost my spot. It's certainly not for everyone. I just finished, and I think I know what happened, but part of me really wants to read it again to make sure, but that's going to have to wait. I will keep this one in my library for whenever that day comes. Furthermore, I was surprised by the sex scenes. Incredibly detailed, yet it didn't trigger a lustful action, though I admit the description of a black mass complete with desecrating the Holy Eucharistic host by utilizing for cunnilingus on a menstruating woman was disturbing to say the least. My favorite part was a tounge in cheek description of a newspaper man who had to review a terrible book in time for a deadline, clearly describing the book I was reading.

I think I'll read book two but won't run out to do so ( )

A conspiracy satire. I thought at first it might be a direct retelling of Call of Cthulhu which it isn't... but the Lovecraft influence is strong and not hidden, the necronomicon and lovecraft both appear in the tale but so does everyone else, machen, chambers, james bond, 20,000 leagues and many other things get referenced.
Knowledge of 70's america, the hippies, beats, riots etc all useful as might be watching the Public Enemies movie.

It never takes itself too seriously there's even a couple of reviews of the book in the book complaining about how terrible it is :) , the sections on conspiracy theories and numerology can be boring but again they feel like they are intended to annoy.

The best (and for some people, worse) thing about the book is its structure. You know the way some novels have this floaty omniscient narrator, well this story goes one step farther as all the characters are sort of connected on some psychic level and you follow the connection from place to place.
So you might have 5 different characters in different times and places doing different things all within a single paragraph. Or you might have Bleed. You'll be following two detectives in new york while you keep hearing a chant of We Will Not Be Moved, without knowing where its coming from, until the scene suddenly switches and you find yourself at a peace rally 3 years earlier. To make things even odder sometimes the characters themselves start hearing or seeing whats happening to each other.

Its all delightfully chaotic and i don't know whether its to my credit or shame that after a while most of starting making sense :P . If it was a complete story i think it would be five stars. Confusing, witty, filthy, non-pc with some lovecraftian elements and a porpoise named Howard whats not to like :) . ( )

Well, that's a big Did Not Finish.

Shit, I only got a few pages in and lost all interest. Obviously I need to at least read the first page or two before I purchase.

Sweet jumpin' Jesus, this is bad.

seems the author was illuminated (on acid) when he wrote this... ( )