Republished in a thirtieth anniversary edition, Acker's novel is marked by her transgressive style, raw, unflinching, full of graphic language, sex, and violence. The story follows Thivai, a pirate, and his half-robot lover Abhor as they navigate the perilous near-future world of France after an Algerian revolution. It's definitely not for everyone, but it is a challenging, smart novel that confronts reality, identity, and politics head-on.