The Book of the New Sun

Be careful. The first time I attempted reading this book, on the recommendation of a friend, I read a few chapters and finally stopped. I was expecting something else. A fellowship on a quest? Swords and sorcery in full technicolor? A straightforward, but dark, fantasy tale of the future? I'm not sure. It just didn't do it for me though. It seemed to meander without going anywhere! MONTHS later, I still found this little snippet of book nagging at me. Something there...something deep, dark, and mysterious. Colors, sounds, tastes. Something beautiful, but overwhelmingly sad. "The play's the thing" It dawned on me that I had to drop whatever it was that I was reading at the time, and start again and read it without distractions, without assumptions, without trying to shoehorn it into my idea of what a fantasy novel should be. Just let it flow. I am so glad I did. My advice is to just read it and open your mind [possible (small) spoilers below]. If you don't get chills when Severian dreams his dog is alive again and is sleeping next to him in the field, and he awakes, and finds that it really might have happened... If you don't smile when you realize the ancient "painting" (perhaps millions of years old) that he sees of a knight in a desert with a visor of gold and a strange stiff banner is probably of Neil Armstrong... If you aren't shocked at the real relationship between Dr. Talos and Baldanders... If you find yourself wondering if Severian is actually telling the truth...or maybe he is completely insane?... etc. etc. etc. No, it's not for everyone. Try it though. If it is "for you", you'll be so relieved that you experienced it in your lifetime.

This book is incredible, make no mistake about it. The story is rich and powerful and all that good stuff. The thing is, there is one thing that's a little ridiculous about it, and I'd like to expand upon that, as it's more entertaining than listing its numerous positive qualities. Specifically, the dude bones freaking everyone he comes in contact with. Seriously, if there is a woman anywhere in this book whose initial description doesn't include the words ugly, old, wrinkled or fat, you can bet that he'll be doing the no-pants dance with her in about as much time as it takes to describe her career and culture, and possibly to extricate her from some unsavory situation. He's like the Captain Kirk of the dying planet, no exaggeration whatsoever. Indeed, the character's amazing ability to ply the entire female gender out of its collective underclothes gives rise to a notable incongruity in the storyline. Without spoiling too much, in the first book there's a woman who he wants desperately, her being a gorgeous lady of high class, but he's specifically warned against impregnating her, even should she offer herself, lest there be political entanglements. At no time during his initial encounter with her does he mention any sex, but later on he describes in some detail how he was with her numerous times. Perhaps I'm just missing it, but it seems that this man is endowed with the ability to take women RETROACTIVELY! In spite of, or perhaps in part because of these little niggles, the Book of the New Sun is an enthralling read. Even a fast reader will take the better part of a weekend to finish the whole thing, and is practically guaranteed to lose sleep in order to see it to its conclusion. I know I did.

As other reveiwers have mentioned, the plot of this book is so involved it is almost impossible to summarize, so I'm not going to try. I've read a lot of science fiction, and literature in general, and I have to say that Gene Wolfe is one of the best writers I have ever had the pleasure of reading, hands down. It doesn't matter that the story line is so complicated and sometimes confusing; the quality of the writing draws you in and keeps you captivated. I, for one, could not put the book down, even though I should have been doing other things. You should start with the first book, though, or this one won't make very much sense. Have fun!

Have you ever read one of those books that you keep thinking about a year after first reading it, until you find yourself cracking it open to read it again? This is one of those books, and on a second read it is every bit as enjoyable as the first. Through the eyes of Severian the torturer, we see a far-future Earth under a dying sun, where we encounter a variety of interesting people and strange creatures. We witness Severian's rise from apprentice to journeyman in the guild of torturers, see him banished from his home, and follow him on his journey to a new life in a distant village. Wolfe's prose and diction are often archaic but always beautiful, and his characterization and story development are brilliant. Don't go into this expecting light reading. Severian is a liar. His world is unfamiliar to us, but familar to him. For this reason, he is not going to waste words telling us a great deal about ancient history, which for us has yet to happen. If we are careful readers, we will understand certain things about Severian's world better than he leads us to believe he understands them himself. Beware of those reviewers who would have you believe that this book is anything less than great. I have seen some say that the writing is dull; they didn't read the same book that I read. Some say that it is full of events that don't advance the plot; Severian tells us nothing that is unimportant. Many people don't pay attention when they read, which I suspect is the reason that those people don't understand a book such as this one (remember that your narrator is a liar). Wolfe is going to make you work, but he rewards you for it. Wolfe has been called the best writer alive, and after reading this beautiful story, I find it hard to believe that anyone would disagree.