Customer Reviews

K-Pax Omnibus

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

PROS: Descriptive, brisk writing style. Interesting story.
CONS: Somewhat predictable, mis-marketed as sf.
BOTTOM LINE: An enjoyable book I would gladly recommend

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A psychiatrist gets a new patient who claims to be a visitor from the planet K-PAX.

Alien visitor or mental patient? The truth is not revealed until the very end, so the book is mainly about the relationship between doctor and patient on present-day Earth. So, it's a stretch to call this science fiction just because a psychiatric patient claims to be from another planet. Although the patient/visitor named "prot" (rhymes with goat - no capitals, please!) can describe the planet with vivid detail, it's mainly a general fiction book.

Classification aside, it's a quick and fun read! The book cover contains a quote calling it a "mixture of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Starman." However, it's more of a mixture between Cuckoo and Field of Dreams. The story is mostly set in a psychiatric ward like Cuckoo and contains the "emotional healing" aspects of Field of Dreams. Alien or psycho? That's missing the point!

The story moves briskly...always a good thing. This book could have easily been padded with another 100-200 pages, but thankfully, it's just the right length (228 pp) for the story it contains. The writing style is clear, detailed and always interesting. With the clarity of writing, it's obvious that much of the psychiatrist's family life is based on Brewer's own experience; sure enough, Brewer's website reveals some personal details that mirror those of his characters.

I do fear that the current sequel and forthcoming 3rd book might be stretching a good premise too far, but, overall, K-PAX is a really good novel.

+++++

This book (first published in 1995) by Gene Brewer consists of sixteen chapters (or "sessions") and, as well, has a prologue, epilogue, and even a short glossary. It is a novel that is very easy to read and that held my interest right to the end.

The story is about a man who claims to come from the utopian world called K-pax (a planet "about seven thosand light years [away and] in...the constellation Lyra"). This man is the prot-agonist of this story and calls himself "Prot" (pronounced pr-OAT) meaning (on his world) "sojourner" or traveler.

Eventually, Prot ends up in a mental institution and the psychiatrist who treats him is Dr. Gene Brewer. (Notice that the doctor has the same name as the author.) The entire book is mainly about the interaction between Prot and Dr. Brewer.

When reading this novel, you'll find that Prot has wit, humor, and much knowledge (especially in sciences like astronomy and physics and in philosophy). Dr. Brewer finds Prot quite rational and he later says, "I had never experienced a case like this, one for which I couldn't seem to find any handle."

Dr. Brewer asks his astronomy friends to formulate astronomical questions for Prot. Prot answers all these questions (despite the fact that these answers were known only by a few eminent space scientists). As well, Prot demonstrates certain otherworldly abilities. Thus, both Dr. Brewer and the reader don't know whether Prot is indeed an extraterrestrial or a traumatized human suffering from "hysterical amnesia and delusion."

Prot has a positive influence on all people he meets especially on Dr. Brewer, his family, and other patients in the institution. This gives the novel a certain warmth and charm. Also, the author Brewer, through his character Prot, offers interesting social commentary. My favorite is in the form of questions: "Is [K-pax] any duller than on Earth? Whose inhabitants spend most of their lives trying to get laid, watching sitcoms on television, and grunting for money?" Through his character of Dr. Brewer, the author reveals and explains certain psychological concepts.

Suspense is created when Prot tells Dr. Brewer that he must eventually return to K-pax. As well, even though all the other patients want to go with him to his utopian world, he promises that only one can come with him. As the announced date of his "departure" approaches, the question asked by Dr. Brewer and his staff is as follows: "What will happen when this day arrives?" As well, the other patients wonder whom Prot will choose to go with him.

By the end of the book, most but not all of the questions posed throughout the novel are answered. In other words, the novel ends on an ambiguous note. (However, some readers may not find the ending ambiguous.) In fact, the last sentence of this novel is by Dr. Brewer and reads: "And sometimes at night I go out and look up at the sky, toward the constellation Lyra, and I wonder..."

Note that this novel is the first in a trilogy. The next novel is entitled "K-PAX II: On a Beam of Light" and the last is entitled "K-Pax III: The Worlds of Prot."

Finally, the 2001 movie entitled "K-PAX" is good but not as detailed as the novel. You don't have to read the book first in order to understand the movie. However, if you want to understand the finer nuances of the movie, I recommend reading the novel first.

In conclusion, this is a fascinating novel that will hold your attention to the end. Dr. Brewer states that Prot's story "taught me about myself." I believe that Prot's story will also teach the reader about himself/herself!

+++++

I picked this book up and read it in one day, at two sittings. It's an intriguing novel done as a psychiatric case study of the main character, "prot", a homeless man who believes himself to be from the planet K-PAX. The story is a voyage of discovery into prot's character and a social commentary on the ills of our time. Although there are touches of sadness, the overall quality of the book is optimism. I didn't find it as compelling as the other reviewers, although it was certainly enjoyable and well done. I don't see this as a must-read for sci-fi fans at all--it isn't by any means a science fiction novel. Rather, for those of you interested in the human condition and in people; for those of you willing to take a touch of magical realism with your reality, this will be a good read.

This a GREAT book. Author Gene Brewer has written this book under such an odd premise; a psychological case study. The story is told from the perspective of the psychologist, Dr. Gene Brewer. The author and main character have the same name. . . I don't know what that's all about. (maybe like how Tony Danza, always plays a "Tony")

Well, I have to be honest. I saw the movie first. So, I know that I had a predetermined thought of what was going to happen. So in turn, having seen the film, I thought the book started off very cold. The psychologist, Dr. Brewer, is looking at the character "prot" (rhymes with goat), as delusional. Now, I understand that is how any psychologist would see this. But, nonetheless, it seemed very cold. The "cold" soon subsided and the novel turned around. There were wonderful descriptions of all of the characters. Dr. Brewer's family, prot, and patients in the hospital were are brilliantly detailed. The interactions between prot and his fellow patients were just wonderful. I won't go any further into the story or the characters, I don't want to spoil anything at all, especially if you haven't seen the film.

Now, I am by no means a quick reader. It took me about a week to get halfway through this book. But the halfway point is where the book really gets good. After I hit halfway, it took me a whole two hours to finish the rest. I could not put it down. The story had an intensity, perhaps even an urgency that was just infectious. I ate, did laundry, and smoked without putting the book down in that last two hours. It is probably one of the best books I have read. I am looking forward to reading the sequel.

epc

I was first introduced to K-PAX when I saw the movie as few years ago. Right away I was hooked by the movie. The book brings you into a world that is not here or there. Is he (Prot/ Robert Porter) an Alien or just another mentally ill earthling who has a acute knowledge of science? This book was truly fascinating. I can't tell if this is a Science Fiction novel of a medical thriller.

All I know is that I could not put his book down, and I would have to give it my strongest recommendation.

When a friend first recommended this book to me, I was a bit apprehensive at what I deemed was a typical alien conspiracy book. Admittedly, the first couple of chapters are kind of dull, but gene brewer soon gets over a rough start to develop an enthralling and thought-provoking story

The structure of the book is its strength. The book is essentially little more than a collection of the transcripts of psychiatric seesions dr. brewer has had with "prot". However, within this simple framework, brewer manages to flesh out characters, family, suspense and plot.

At the start, its easy to believe that prot is really the alien he claims to be, with his unusual ways and encyclopeadic knowledge of the universe. However, the introduction of an investigative journalist serves to strengthen the case for prpt being a human with a terrible past. the book becomes extremely interesting as prot's fascinatingly charming character and mysterious background are systematically developed. the other mental patients also provide fitting emotional accompaniment to showcase prot's mysterious ways

This book is an intriguing and enjoyable read thanks to brewer's clever character interactions and witty humour that serve to uplift an already scintillating exploration of the world of two very different men.

This is a novel in the vein of an Oliver Sacks book, and it has a similar ending: happy, for some. The story involves a mental patient who calls himself "prot" (no capitals) and claims to have come to Earth from the planet K-PAX.

Dr. Gene Brewer spends the duration of the book trying, through intensive questioning sessions, to find out who prot really is. Why is "prot" here? Is he psychotic, is he multiple personality?

Meanwhile, prot is bringing his brand of sunshine to the hospital. Normally aloof patients are now enrapt, listening to every word out of prot's mouth. And they all finally have hope, but for the wrong reason: they think prot is going to take one of them back to K-PAX with him.

And K-PAX is certainly described by prot as an idyllic setting. No crime, no hunger, they don't eat meat; none of the things that make Earth hard to live on.

To say much more would be too much, so I'll just say that this is a gripping read. Brewer's narrative style is easy and quick, and I was always wanting to get back to the story (it also works as a mystery, but it is definitely NOT--despite the cover--science-fiction, although psychology students may find other aspects of interest). In addition, since the narrator has the name of the author, it lends the air of reality, as if this were a true case study.

I'm not sure if I would want to read the purported sequels--that's stretching an idea too far--but this book is wonderful as a stand-alone story, and a good one.

"prot" is a patient at Manhattan Psychiatric Institute. Gene Brewer is his psychiatrist. But "prot" is remarkably well-adjusted, displays no obvious symptoms, and gets along famously with staff and fellow patients. Only one thing--he has a delusion (?) that he is a visitor from a planet named K-Pax--a utopian world with no crime, no violence, no need for laws or government.

Prot is the doctor's most fascinating case. But what exactly is the diagnosis? Is he really a space alien? Delusional? Split personality? And is he really going to depart for K-Pax on a date certain, as he insists? Can Dr. Brewer break through his defenses and find what makes him tick? And if he can, should he? You will just have to read the book to find the answers.

This is one of those novels looking back to the time when psychiatrists actually spent hours talking to their patients, when quirky patients with odd hang-ups spent months or years languishing in psychiatric hospitals, and when it really seemed to matter what the "underlying cause" of a patient's malady might be. Those days are long gone, but the concept lingers on as a cultural myth. So this novel is part of a grand tradition. In this mythic tradition, the patients are often not sick at all, indeed they may have greater wisdom than those who treat them. So it is with "K-Pax" where the enigmatic prot is remarkably helpful to his fellow patients and even staff, in a way the busy psychiatrist can't begin to emulate.

Author Brewer's writing is pedestrian but readable. He has obviously read a lot about psychiatric matters, though his knowledge is clearly second-hand. The story drags a bit, but it raises interesting questions and is worth reading. If you are a fan of those mythic psychiatrists and their mythic hospitals, well, this book might be for you. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber

K-PAX is one of the very few books that I actually wanted to skip to the end to see what was going to happen. I had no idea where the author was going, which was very refreshing. Lots of books I can almost tell you the ending, but with Gene Brewer's K-PAX, I had no idea. Being a psychologist myself, reading this book felt like a case study. I had to tell myself several times throughout the book that this is not real, just fiction. The story of Prot should be one that should be shared with everyone. If you have not read this book, please do so and do it before the movie comes out in October. I thought about this book days after I read and I have let everyone I know borrow it.

K-Pax has long been one of my favourite movies and I have been meaning to get around to reading the book for quite a while now. I'm glad I did.

This is quite easy reading and I would highly recommend it for anyone who is a fan of the movie, the first book in the trilogy covers all of the events of the movie while the remaining two books take you further into Prot's journey with Dr Brewer.

Get it, Read it!