Rigidity

The toll Eco demands to see his denouement is high indeed. I've only read "Name of the Rose" and half of "Focaults Pendulum" so far but I believe I've unlocked his dirty tactic.

He begins by establishing some mystery, a murder, a disappearance, a carrot to lure you whichever way he desires. You're fascinated in fewer that 2 short chapters and so decide to see the book through.

Then you're made to sit through a volume of intellectual masturbation. If you were to persevere you would be rewarded not only by a good ending, but by a sense of victory. A victory that might seem Pyhrric when you consider the ruins of your psyche and whole belief system.

Now, like regular masturbation I have nothing against intellectual masturbation. However also like the former I do not enjoy it when the latter is performed by old Italian men for hours on end in my bedroom.

Sidebar: I like his accusations of the publishing industry.

SideSideBar: If "yes, but is it infinite enough?" or "I'm a mathematician, I can't be bothered with numbers" are funny to you, watch this.