Titter at the Tufted Titmouse, chuckle at the Large Cockchafer, snigger at the Sticky Willy, but whatever you do, don’t get left holding the Dik Dik! In the aftermath of an inter-species war somewhere around the 22th century, Terrans and Vugs settled on a military 'Concordate', stating the rules which both species have to obey from then on.

The main problem is that I just didn't care about any of the characters, including the bipolar protagonist. What is interesting is that Dick keeps the general rules of the game pretty vague until the final game at the end, where there are a number of new twists added (though it turns out it is because the vug keep on changing the rules).for a good part of the novel anyway but, unfortunately, towards the end, all hell breaks loose in a confounding, convoluted way that is just too much, even for Dick. Become More MASCULINE, Manly Man, Alpha Male as an Extra Sexy Man for All to See You as a Super HOT MALE!

Yet, like what Dick suggests in this book, it is all a game, and the thing is that even if you somehow manage to win the game, your opponents generally hold many more cards that you, and even if you play fairly, they don’t necessarily need to, and can use their friends, and their resources, to push you back to where you belong.Many of Phil's pet interests, such as opera, cigars and divorce (Phil would ultimately marry five times) are given an airing, and there is much humor to be had, as well.

Such an abounding, affectionate, friendly, loving feeling will this avocation beget, that at last you will be continually squeezing your co-laborers’ hands, and looking up into their eyes sentimentally.Those vugs, by the way, are never adequately described by Phil; he just tells us that they are "amorphous" and have pseudopods. I’ve actually seen a tweet that goes around everyso often and it describes entrepreneurialism as sort of like a game of darts, and the goal is to hit the centre of the board. There are no references to condoms or other sensual products anywhere on the outside of your parcel.