Roberto Saviano is a living, working author. His works are protected by copyright laws in Italy and internationally (through the Berne Convention). Downloading a pirated PDF is a violation of Diritto d'autore (Law 633/1941). While individual downloaders are rarely prosecuted in Italy for casual use, seeding or hosting the file can lead to fines.

Narrated by Juan García Madero , a 17-year-old aspiring poet. He meets Arturo Belano (Bolaño's alter ego) and Ulises Lima , leaders of the "Visceral Realist" movement. This section ends with a frantic escape from Mexico City into the Sonora Desert.