Manfred

Confessions of an Alien

The most insane novel Thomas Lehr has ever written. Manfred is a very average specimen of the genus Homo sapiens – yet he still manages to set off the intergalactic alarm. Alien Zorrgh takes possession of Manfred’s consciousness to find out why. Normally, the alarm only goes off when a human reveals the existence of aliens – humans like Descartes, Einstein, and Hieronymus Bosch. But by no stretch of the imagination does Manfred possess such intelligence. In his early thirties, he’s pale and pot-bellied and works alone from home. How could he have discovered what aliens call »true thought«? Zorrgh helps Manfred, who in the blink of an eye achieves wealth and beauty. Soon, he’s in touch with his childhood sweetheart Sabine, who suspiciously reminds Zorrgh of Ada Lovelace, the first female programmer in world history. Zorrgh does not realise that Manfred and Sabine will drive him to his limits until the showdown at the bitter end.

A surprising story about the limits of human knowledge — and the desire to exceed them

An insanely enjoyable read