[1] A dejected lawyer, Lancelot Lamar, murders his wife after discovering that he is not the father of her youngest daughter, Siobhan.

He ends up in a mental institution, where his story is told through his reflections and monologues on his disturbing past, thus having him serve as an unreliable narrator.

The novel compares the protagonist unfavorably to his namesake, Sir Lancelot, as he experiences a vision of an empty and decadent modern American culture which invokes the symbolism of the mythical Wasteland.

These are seen in his commentary of when he sees Lucy, his daughter, as she engages in sexual activity with the two lead actors in Merlin's movie, Troy Dana and Raine Robinette.

Lancelot also values innocence in the rape victim, Anna, who resides in the room next to his in the mental institution.