I couldn't follow the plot & politics at all. I liked some bits, like the writer having fun experimenting with language and style. And the joke about the alien yearning to 'drelb' near the end. I think part of the reason this took me so incredibly long (over a week!) to read was simply the book design - type-face near the spine on old yellowed pages was just painful. So, I'm pretty sure it was a fun & provocative read. If you get a chance, see for yourself. (But don't spend real money on a collector's edition.) ( )