What a weird book! I had no idea in what direction the story was heading at its the beginning. That, in itself, I thought was intriguing. It actually turned into a book that now is hard to describe!

After reading a while, I found the book to be more like a collection of linked, imaginative, finely-crafted vignettes with the main character Tarden, a secret agent of sorts, taking on various identities and living in different places, telling them in a continuing narrative with only a bold capital letter to separate them. Each episode had its own sexual theme or a different dark, raw topic which were disturbing in various ways, but all I found fascinating to read.

I liked this book very much. I thought it was well written and compelling. I also was happy that each episode was short enough to read in one sitting. However, I found it creepy to learn while reading this book that ultimately this author ended his own life through suicide—something to which he alluded in the book’s own narrative. ( )

My favorite Kosinski novel. His characters struggle with alienation, but despite their many failures, come through it all looking fairly heroic. ( )

A fertile imagination and dry realistic style propel this misanthropic power trip. Fascinating and repellent at the same time.

Paul Auster + Joe Frank + De Sade = Cockpit ( )

This book was quite a letdown after Kosinski's marvelous "Being There", but this strange and darkly sexual book about Tarden, a loner who has styled himself into the ultimate secret agent, with motivations and agendas of his own, is intriguing and spotted with moments of brilliance. Still a letdown, though. ( )