K-PAX (1995)

Alien visitor or mental patient? You won't find out until the end. Mainly, this is a story about the relationship between doctor and patient on present-day Earth. The main character Prot is brilliant, funny, and innocent...you root for him no matter the outcome. The author does a great job posing social questions, and commenting on the general state of man.

I saw the movie first, so was excited to learn the books are a series! I think the ideas are brilliant, but the execution is a bit lacking. I still give this book 5 stars, however, because reading after all is not about the details...but how much you enjoyed the journey. :) ( )

A thoroughly entertaining book. Is he an alien? Who is Prot? The book keeps you guessing. A well written book that would interest science fiction enthusiasts who like a good mystery. ( )

This was a great trilogy and I read each book in quick succession. I even discovered there was a K-Pax IV, but it seems to have mixed reviews and doesn't seem to involve the same characters, so I may not seek it out immediately.

This first book sets the style for the trilogy - I enjoyed the chapters set out as expanded notes/observations based on the sessions with Prot. The deliberate ambiguity of whether he is a being from another planet is nicely played out, although at the end I found myself shouting internally the surely scientific solutions of probing this would have been undertaken if only to prove to the patient he was human (I was pleased to see blood testing results discussed in the subsequent books). Both thought-provoking, funny and heart-warming, especially where Prot interacts and 'cures' some of the other patients, this was a joy to read. ( )

This is a story of a man with multiple personality disorder. What makes it interesting, is that the personality dominantly portrayed in the book is from another planet and has vast insight into the human condition, as well as unexplainable and verifiable information on another world.

It isn't clear whether this is a psychology book or science fiction. The reader is intentionally left hanging over the decision, as ever new data point clearly in one direction or the other.

I was drawn to this book after seeing the movie. Although I enjoyed the movie, it didn't quite feel complete. The movie was fairly accurate to the book, but left out some details and the final chapter. The book explores several interactions with other patients of the psychiatric ward than the movie does, and provides a few new twists. It is worth reading even if you're familiar with the movie.

*** Possible SPOILER ***

The book doesn't give a clear answer to the questions raised. Is that a spoiler. I understand there is a sequel (or two even) which may provide clearer conclusions. ( )

I read this after having already seen, and enjoyed, the movie, so there were no real surprises here. The story is pretty much the same as in the film, though a little more rounded out and with a slightly fuller cast of characters. We never really get to know the supporting cast well though, since the book is written in the first person and deals primarily with Dr. Brewer's account of his sessions with prot. The writing is uncomplicated and utilitarian and makes for a light, enjoyable read, though nothing extraordinary. It did leave me looking forward to the next in the series. ( )