The unfinished manuscript found after ERB's death was given to Joe R. Lansdale to complete. The story does not have the charm that I so enjoy from ERB's work, but this is likely ERB's fault, not Lansdale's. His writing quality markedly declined later in life. The parts of the story I most enjoyed were 100% Lansdale: the gladiatorial showdown in the arena and the fight with "god" Ebopa (the Stick That Walks). The parts that bored me to tears were straight from ERB's manuscript: the various safaris traipsing through the jungles, their paths crossing and recrossing, the capture-escape-recapture plots—these are the worst of ERB's tendencies. Also, there are too many characters, and they are not adequately distinguished.

This is not a strong story altogether. Still, it's not half bad, and there were parts I enjoyed. It's telling, though, that I put this book down part-way through and didn't pick it up again for weeks.