I really wanted to like this book. The author creates an atmosphere of expectation throughout the story but ultimately there was no real pay off for me. Alan Grey is an interesting character but I found that most of the side characters were underdeveloped and hard to imagine. I liked the writing style, which reminded me a lot of Kurt Vonnegut's style at times, but unfortunately without the same thought provoking and witty themes and witty expressions of Vonnegut.