except Tor, who didn't see it coming even after it had been explained.

I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. I think I was too busy enjoying the side characters. I had decided to ignore the narrator and his hero worship (I thought he was in love with Gonzo for a while, that was my big theory) and focus on the very cool side characters and the larger themes.

And when it hit me I was so annoyed that there weren't anyone around I could talk to about it. I read the book in an isolated cabin without internet. And Tor had not read it. I suspect part of the reason why I have been so adamant everyone should read the book stems from this early trauma.

And the even bigger trauma of Ike and his mimes being the Voiceless Dragon, which I ALSO did not see coming, damn it. And which I also loved. In fact I liked that even more because it so obviously made sense.

I have since re-read the book. I was worried I would be annoyed by the inconsistencies because I was fairly sure I would have caught on if they had never done different things at the same time. I remembered the scene with Gonzo and the narrator in the dojo talking to Ronnie Cheung, for example. But I was pleasantly surprised. It is about the construction of stories. When there is a conflict, it seems Gonzo is always unbelievably amazing. Unbelievable being the key term. Because when he lets his friend out, he constructs a story for himself in which he comes out perfect. It really is very well done.