▁same ▁month ▁as ▁Jason ▁F ag one ' s ▁H ors emen ▁of ▁the ▁Es oph ag us , ▁and ▁since ▁both ▁books ▁cover ▁the ▁sport ▁of ▁compet itive ▁e ating , ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁published ▁reviews ▁covered ▁both ▁books ▁together ▁and ▁drew ▁compar isons ▁between ▁them . ▁ ▁The ▁strong est ▁criticism ▁level led ▁at ▁E at ▁This ▁Book ▁in ▁reviews ▁is ▁that ▁N er z ▁uses ▁pro se ▁that ▁is ▁more ▁sens ational ▁than ▁objective . ▁Jay ▁Jenn ings ▁describes ▁N er z ▁as ▁" more ▁myth ifier ▁than ▁journalist ", ▁and ▁Book list ▁crit iqu ed ▁his ▁book ▁as ▁" bas ically ▁a ▁book - length ▁inf omer cial ▁for ▁the ▁organization ▁and ▁its ▁most ▁famous ▁athlet es ." ▁ ▁Despite ▁this ▁negative ▁criticism , ▁other ▁review ers ▁found ▁the ▁direct ▁invol vement ▁by ▁N er z , ▁and ▁first - hand ▁account ▁of ▁his ▁own ▁personal ▁quest ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁compet itive ▁particip ant ▁both ▁absor bing ▁and ▁entertain ing . ▁Jenn ings ▁comm ends ▁N er z ▁for ▁present ing ▁a ▁bro ader ▁cast ▁of ▁characters ▁who ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁sport , ▁even ▁though ▁N er z ' s ▁book ▁covers ▁a ▁nar ro wer ▁view ▁of ▁the ▁sport ▁than ▁F ag one ' s ▁H ors emen ▁of ▁the ▁Es oph ag us . ▁N er z ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁provide ▁increased ▁coverage ▁of ▁the ▁compet itors ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁em ce eing ▁many ▁cont ests , ▁and ▁therefore ▁obtain ing ▁direct ▁access ▁to ▁many