Submitted by Ted Burke, Jan 18, 2007 16:55

The novel is particularly brilliant, in that the host of Mailer's themes come into place as this demon manipulates the young Hitler. Mailer has made effective use of the war between God and the Devil through out his career, and here he was astute enough to have this complex and insightful novel narrated by a minor demon who is working under Lucifer's orders, in the trenches. The demon, referring to himself as DT, is provocative mashing together of sophistication, cynicism, saintly insight, unspeakable amorality and ironic wit , and is one untrustworthy narrator one cannot ignore. The thrust of the manipulations are clear, to foil any chance for Adolph Hitler to develop any sense of responsibility for anything but his own satisfaction, by whatever means. Moral choice , here , is made impossible. It is a great novel, I think.

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