I read it when it first came out, and I found it genuinely disturbing, as did most of my friends at the time. Some of us even started having nightmares and paranoid experiences related to the book.

I’ve read it several times, and as I’ve gotten older, I find it not at all scary, in fact it’s a wonderful concept piece that satirizes academia research and media, explores typography, and delves into some interesting psychological realms. I also love the hidden messages, games, and cross-over with the author’s sister, Poe, on her album “Haunted”.