The Devil in a Forest

I've read this book a few times. It's a short read, yet each time I read it I realise I've previously missed a lot of what's going on. Kinda like Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun" (which I have also read several times, with the same general result). A lot of the action is only hinted at, and it's up to the reader to fill in the gaps and work out what is really going on. This book will make you think. Highly recommended, particularly if you are interested in History.

This book is aimed at a younger audience than Wolfe's other works. It would probably appeal to intelligent young teens or preteens more than Peace or The Death of Dr Island etc., the books I would recommend to adults reading him for the first time. If you've read his other novels or want to introduce a young friend to this greatest of contemporary fantasy writers, don't hesitate to try this. The Devil in a Forest has surprising depths and is probably Wolfe's most successful work as Bildungsroman.

While not the usual literary labyrinth we are used to from Gene Wolfe, The Devil in a Forest is a great read. Wolfe manages to turn the self-righteous townsfolk into characters as flawed as the bandits, and the king's men are even worse. If you've never read Wolfe before, this is a good place to get a preliminary feel for his writing.