The Citadel of the Autarch (The Book of the New Sun)

'The Citadel of the Autarch' is the final volume in Gene Wolfe's 'The Book of the New Sun', although 'The Book of the New Sun' is itself followed by 'The Urth of the New Sun'. The plot follows Severian's journeys as he finds himself caught up in the Commonwealth's war with the Ascians, before returning to Nessus. The last half of the book many (but not all) questions are answered and plots resolved. Really a wonderful book as soon as I finished it I wanted to pick up the first one again to reread it to catch all the things that I missed before that had now become clear(er). 'The Book of the New Sun' is not an easy read but it is well worth the effort.

Like the other three books of this series, the Citadel is a gorgeously written account of Severian the Torturer's journey to the Autarch's throne in a far future. Gene Wolfe's story is outstanding, if only for the fabulous otherworldly reality he has fashioned with beautiful language and a singular voice. The Urth he has created is real, filled with layered depth and detail. The story reaches a satisfying endpoint in this volume -- I hesitate to call it a conclusion, because like a real history, it could continue forever. This series is one of the best of all time.