Rating: 
Summary: Man From Utopia?
Review: "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
Rating: 
Summary: Loved it
Review: "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
Rating:
Summary: A Psychological Mystery with a Sci-Fi Twist
Review: +++++
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 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 the 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 come 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 "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!!
+++++
Rating:
Summary: A Psychological Mystery with a Sci-Fi Twist
Review: =====> 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. (Note that K-paxians "capitalize the names of planets, stars, etc. [for example, 'K-pax' would be 'K-PAX'], but not those of persons [and] countries [for example, 'Prot' would be 'prot']." Since I am not a K-paxian, I will not use this convention for this review.) 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 come 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 "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!! <=====>
Rating:
Summary: Simply amazing
Review: I have to say that I found this novel extremely catching, and I quite enjoy it. I found it so dynamic, switching stories all the time, from Brewer's own business to his children's and of course to prot's, who is the connector for the whole book. I strongly recommend it to everyone that wants to spend a good time reading, and guessing what's the truth behind prot's thoughts. I'm really looking forward to seeing the movie, as I've been told is a good one also (although we all know that when comparing films and the books they come from, films always lose)
If you are doubting, do read it and you won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: truly amazing in my eyes
Review: My opinion of the book is very high. It was a very deep, gripping, wonderful book. The author's writing skill was very impressive. I believe that because I couldn't tell if the book was fiction or nonfiction. I thought it was nonfiction until about an hour ago, when I had to call Borders to ask them about it (they said science fiction). For something fiction to be that believable is truly amazing in my eyes. I would recommend this book to young adults up to someone 200 years old who was interested in people around them, space, astronomers, people interested in psychiatry, and any other related fields. This was an astounding book, and I recommend you read it!
Rating:
Summary: Alien or psycho? That's missing the point!
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: A Biblical story updated for the 21st century
Review: The parallels aren't exact by any means, but "K-PAX" is definitely a religious parable for the modern age. The movie doesn't reflect this but the book certainly does - which is rather surprising since the movie apparently follows the book almost to the letter. The only differences I saw between the book and the movie are the name of the psychiatrist who "treats" prot, and the fact that this psychiatrist doesn't do hands-on work to find out prot's "real" name in the book as he does in the movie. But these are nits in what is otherwise a wonderful novel. And to make things even more interesting Brewer has written a sequel to "K-PAX" called "On a Beam of Light". I want to buy this book or borrow it from my local library and read more about prot - his world (his personal world, not K-PAX) and the earthlings who inhabit it.
Rating:
Summary: Great insight into our culture.
Review: This book offers a very cool way of looking at our culture as a human being (among many other factors). I read it in one sitting, as it reads very easy. A nice afternoon read for all those philosophy majors out there.
Rating:
Summary: There's a starman waiting in the sky...
Review: This first person narrative is penned by Dr. Gene Brewer. The protagonist's name is also Dr Gene Brewer. However, the author was a scientist prior to becoming an author, and the fictional Brewer is a psychiatrist and acting director at the Manhattan Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Gene Brewer is a middle-aged man who is very involved with the administration of MPI when his attention is called to a special patient. The patient's name is prot, and prot claims to be an alien from the planet K-PAX. Dr Brewer is, of course, all too familiar with delusional patients, so he sets out to unravel the mystery of prot's identity. Brewer finds that he is at first annoyed by prot, but then he becomes intrigued. Not only is prot extremely intelligent, but he is also popular with the other patients. To Brewer's amazement, prot actually begins to "reach" patients who have been written off as hopeless for years. It soon becomes clear to Dr Brewer that prot is not your-run-of-the-mill case. Brewer elicts information about the planet K-Pax from prot in an attempt to understand prot's past. While Brewer can put nice little neat labels and explanations on much of prot's descriptions of life on K-PAX, he cannot explain prot's amazing knowledge of the universe, and Brewer soon finds that after several sessions with prot, he has more questions than answers. Brewer's search for the truth intensifies when he realises that prot intends to return to K-Pax on a specified date and time. As the time for prot's departure approaches, Dr Brewer must balance discovering the truth against damaging his patient. K-Pax is book one of a trilogy and covers Dr Brewer's therapy with prot from sessions 1-16. This gripping novel is an easy read and manages to grab the reader from page one. It's impossible to overlook the fact that the author's name is the same as the protagonist's, and I found myself wondering just how much of the story is true, No doubt this is deliberate on Brewer's part, but this just adds to the mystery of prot. Is prot an alien as he claims, or is he only one layer of a delusional mind? If you saw the film and enjoyed it, you will doubtless enjoy the book too. And if you haven't seen the film, I can recommend it highly.
| 
