An Unlikely Prophet
Thongden explains that he was willed into existence by an explorer Everett Nelson, as he was being taught the mystic way of life in a Buddhist monastery. Rather than dissolve the tulpa Nelson allows him to get away. Nelson is however dead and Thongden's existence is under threat since his life-giving though is no more. He seeks out Alvin Schwartz, the famous writer of Superman, Batman and several other comic book titles in the 40s and 50s, because he feels that Alvin with his own experience of creating Superman would be in a position to think about him with intensity enough to let him keep his physical form.
In return, Thongden helps Alvin discover the true nature of Superman's powers. The influence the character has on people, especially Alvin, is beyond that of a simple storyline. Alvin is lead into a path of self-discovery as he tries to grasp the true nature of Superman.
The subtitle of the book read "A Metaphysical Memoir by the Legendary Writer of Superman and Batman" though I wonder how much of it is actually a "memoir". That doesn't spoil the book, on the contrary, the tantalising possibility that what is stated in the book did indeed happen pushes the reader a bit more towards trying to understand one of the central themes of the book -- "We aren't just ourselves."
If you are not into the new-age angle philosophical look on life, this book may not still be lost on you. It is written in a fast paced, intriguing and easy to read manner with enough thoughtful words here and there to keep you thinking for a while. If you don't buy into that either, it could serve as a younger brother to a more colorful and fantastic "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman.
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