This was one of the more frustrating books I’ve read this year. The truth is, I really enjoyed getting into it. It started with a generational surprise, where the main character is portrayed in a way that betrays his age, a deception further enhanced by the accompanying mildly amateurish writing. There also was the tantalizing prospect of a delicious bridge description in the earliest pages of the book, for which I waited with bated breath, but which never panned out. The plot unfolds as a part mystery, part Cruising-like heterosexual exploration of the darkest corners of the homosexual society, but does neither very well.
Indeed, it was fun trying to determine the identity of Mr. X. Authors often mislead the reader down one path only to spring a surprise or two later. Here, Picano runs out of steam on the whole thing and the ending falls flat. More appalling is the utter lack of development of a case against the antagonist; we’re actually led to believe that he’s worthy of a special underground police unit’s complete attention. If that was intentional, to further a message of absolute power corrupting absolutely by the police, I suppose I’m okay with that, even if it’s weak.
The plot is not without good moments. This is an exceptionally dated book, deeply rooted in its 1976 genesis. I was particularly amused by the emergence of the digital age. The word “computer” back then carried a lot more weight, so much so that this book uses the term to make bad guys seem even badder. Clearly, this was well before the promise of computers was given a serious reality check with Windows 95, after which people who owned such machines became utterly helpless and powerless.
Forget about the overly gruesome and gory plot. The primary theme that emerges in the end is simply this: that homosexuality (the feeling, not the sexual act) can be learned. Noel, our comfortably straight protagonist has a few good bangs with a stud named Randy and loses him in a rather ugly scene. Later, faced with a choice between a quiet life with the woman that has made sparks fly all along, and a slim chance at a future with a man with whom he’s expressed no warmth, he walks away from the woman. Why? Should I believe that he’s fallen for Eric? If the ending revealed some ulterior motive, I could live with that. But this? Perhaps this was a novice attempt to be gay-friendly. I can appreciate that, but I can’t recommend it.