Eugene Brewer, K-PAX (Trilogy)

Gene Brewer's K-PAX trilogy should have stopped after the second book, if indeed it aught to have gotten that far. The first book is beautiful, and the character of prot (pronounced to rhyme with goat) is endearing and provocative. K-PAX II, "on a beam of light", and K-PAX III, "the worlds of prot", do not add significantly to the tale, but, by providing specific information, remove some of the awe, wonder and mystery.

The first I heard of K-PAX was when I spotted the film of the same name starring Kevin Spacey. I bought my cinema ticket, and I was not disappointed.

Subsequently, having enjoyed the movie, I bought the novel to see if there was much difference between it and its silver screen version. There was little difference, and seeing the film first didn't hurt the book experience one iota. I would strongly recommend the book and the film and, as far as I'm concerned, in this instance the sequence is not important.

K-PAX is a PLANET (prot capitalises words referring to celestial bodies but nothing else) in a binary solar system located in what we earthlings call the LYRE CONSTELLATION. The book is about a being called, "prot", who, although appearing to be a human adult male in his early thirties, claims to be from K-PAX. Having no documentation and no place to live, and, "having been picked up by the New York city police after being found bending over a mugging victim in the Port Authority Bus Terminal," prot, claiming to be a K-PAXIAN, is placed in the care of the Long Island Psychiatric Hospital.

Enter the acting director of the Manhattan Psychiatric Institute (MPI), Dr. Gene Brewer. Dr. Brewer, at the request of an old friend and colleague in the Long Island Psychiatric Hospital, takes on prot's case and transfers his new patient to the MPI.

Yes, Gene Brewer is also the name of the author. The book and the sequels are written with the pretence that the author is in fact the doctor who treated prot. This pretence is maintained with a number of techniques, including incorporating the names of the author's wife as that of the doctor's wife, and justifying the writing of the book to raise money. K-PAX II, refers to the making of the film, its success, and the impact this has had on the MPI and the various members of staff working there. Brewer is quite good at blurring this particular boundary between reality and fiction.

Each chapter relates what happens at the consultation sessions in which Dr. Brewer attempts to delve into the truth behind prot's real identity. It is obvious to everyone that this is a case of multiple personality disorder; or is it? We also get information on investigations outside the MPI to discover who prot really is, and we are shown how prot interacts with his fellow patients, who, as a result of meeting prot, begin to demonstrate signs of improvement and recovery from their various disorders.

As prot's treatment progresses we discover that he has an unusual sensitivity to ultra violet light. He claims to be able to see in the UV bandwidth and has to wear dark glasses to avoid the glare of normal daylight.

We also discover that K-PAX is a Utopian world where there is no crime, ample food everywhere, no killing of other beings, and libraries everywhere that are used by the PLANET's beings to research anything at all.

Prot regards all living beings as having equal rights. This includes all animal species on EARTH, of which humans are only one, and, as far as prot is concerned, a pretty nasty one at that.

The book presents a number of diatribes from prot against humans, their treatment of other beings and their destruction of the EARTH. He is also portrayed has having knowledge and wisdom far beyond that of the ordinary person in their thirties. In particular, he has a tremendous knowledge of astronomy, and he provides information to some astronomers that prompts at least one life changing experience.

The strength of both the first book and the film is that they leave you wondering, "Is this true, or is it baloney?" Brewer should have left it at that. The sequels remove the mystery and simply give you more of the same content.

The trilogy is now available in a single volume and includes the report that prot has been writing about his findings on EARTH. K-PAX has also developed a cult following, and a search on the Net will produce an active community of followers discussing the thoughts and knowledge of prot and the wonders of K-PAX.

In my opinion, read the first book, watch the film and don't waste your time on the sequels.