A fascinating mix of autobiographical episodes and extraordinary Egyptian theology, Burroughs''s final novel is poignant and melancholic. Blending war films and pornography, and referencing Kafka and Mailer, <i>The Western Lands</i> confirms his status as one of America''s greatest writers. The final novel of the trilogy containing <i>Cities of the Red Night</i> and <i>The Place of Dead Roads</i>, this is a profound meditation on morality, loneliness, life and death.