I have read a lot of Burroughs in my time, and he is another, like Dick, who in certain circles seemingly can do no wrong - since his death in 1997 his status of literary saint (or fallen angel) has been sealed (despite the fact that many other notable writers and critics have previously downplayed his importance). Altogether I am partly wary about how people evaluate Burroughs - are they (whether being positive or negative) commenting on the work or are they making observations about his life and the apparently progressive nature of the counter-culture he has been made an intrinsic part of?The 'Cities' trilogy, of which this is the third part (the other two being Cities of the Red Night and The Place of Dead Roads) is an incantatory, operative piece of literary magic, however: it will reverberate at the molecular level if you are lucky enough to have, if you like, the temper for it.It also opened up for me the road to Burroughs more sober and explicitly 'technical' writing, on society, politics, and the uses of language - especially in regard to metaphor, which, if anyone is very interested, can be followed up by looking at 'William Burroughs: the algebra of need', by Eric Mottram.I don't always agree with his lifestyle but his renditions of desire, longing, nostalgia, and his ability to lift up the carapace and probe the innards of life, echo in the mind very, very powerfully. ( )

The third part of one of my all time favorite story cycles. although not as satisfying or poetic as the first two novels in the series (cities of the red night, place of dead roads), it still remains a fantastic read, and a book that i will continue to go back to for years to come. ( )