It’s been so long since I first read Hermann Hesse’s Steppenwolf—back when I was twenty-something—that it feels like I’m encountering it for the very first time. But even barely remembering anything, my subconscious was probably doing its thing, because I’m still at 60% on Caliban’s War—yet for a while now, I’ve been fighting a constant urge to begin following those wolf’s steps one more time.

I couldn’t help myself anymore and started reading it today. Wow! One memory it immediately brought ba...