Gene Wolfe (1931–2019)

(Review for both volumes)

A masterpiece of an anachronistic future, Wolfe's seminal work combines so many elements of philosophical musings, epic storytelling styles, unfocused wanderings of prose, literary and mythological references and high concept science fiction, that I doubt I could do justice to it - nor could perhaps anyone.

I can't say 'Severian' was a character I enjoyed following at all times (his many love arcs along with other things that happen, are not for modern sensibilities) show more and his conflicting musings and conversations often gave a contradictory layer to the story which served (deliberately I am sure) only to obfuscate things it had already seemed to clear up. His development was interesting though, with a unique twist I wont spoil here and who he is at the end versus how he started is such steady and subtle development you rarely see in literature. His supporting cast - whether human, sword (damn I loved Terminus Est as a weapon) or "other" - are the ones that provide the true emotion and tragedy to the story and there are some I admit attachments to and sadness at their own story's terminus.

I loved the style of breaking it into informal Acts and set pieces and he keeps the same structure through all four books. I loved the references to other literary works (H G Wells' Morlocks in volume one for example). I loved the anachronisms of the antique fantasy settings and the archaic nomenclature against the backdrop of a farflung future - especially given the information we are provided with by the end, some of which is mind blowing. I especially enjoyed his stories within stories - of which there are many throughout both volumes. Whilst some have analogous links to the narrative, others feel like a cheeky wink to critics of his style - especially after what happens after a particular sequence of three.

Not everything is concluded or explained acceptably for my mind, but I feel the true takeaway from the book is going to be individual for the reader, especially given so much imagery is open to interpretation and the formation of my own theories I have attributed to certain things seem to differ with others (I have yet to order all my thoughts fully on it and probably wont at least until I read it again someday). There will be people who will break down and analyse every chapter and sentence or hang on the beautiful prose that occasions some sections of the story. Fine I guess, but I'm not really a big proponent of that, although I acknowledge the craftmanship in the writing is exemplary. There is also a lot made of Severian as unreliable and a liar. I acknowledge the former, but the latter should be regarded as less clear cut. He doesn't always give the full truth at each point, but he controls it until it's time to reveal details that were missing.

Is it the greatest literary epic since Lord of the Rings? Maybe, I'm not sure. But there are breathtaking bits that as are noteworthy for the surreal mundanity in which they are conveyed as much as their concept. It will reward the patient reader, but there's a lot to take in and points seemingly meaningless and forgotten early on are referred to later - so it is wise to read the entire 1200 odd pages without too much of a gap.

It deserves its masterpiece status, but it's not always a good book. Make of that what you will. show less

In what was touted as the closing volume of Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun, the by now former torturer Severian has survived the fight at the castle of Baldanders, met aliens, had his great executioner's sword Terminus Est shattered, and the mystical gem, the Claw of the Conciliator, likewise broken into a million pieces, leaving Severian with an actual claw, which may or may not retain healing properties.

Now he journeys north to the war between the Ascians and the forces of the Autarch. He show more falls in with various soldiers of both sides; and eventually with the Autarch himself, who reveals that Severian has had a destiny all along...

Read on one level, this is a coming-of-age novel; at one point, Severian returns to the Citadel of the Torturers in Nessus, and his Guild classmates are still there; and we realise that for all his life-changing adventures, Severian is still a young man, though he has acquired more maturity than his contemporaries. But the story is not only about Severian; we see more of the world of Urth and the deep future it represents for us. We also begin to understand the nature of the catastrophe that is overcoming the Sun, and we hear for the first time about the White Fountain that might bring about the New Sun that has been in the background of everyone's thoughts throughout all four books.

So many of Severian's strands are brought to an end here; Dorcas, Vodalus, Dr.Talos and Agia all make their final appearances. Other mysteries remain unresolved - for instance, were Severian's healing powers a consequence of his possession of the Claw, or something he possessed subconsciously all the time? Wolfe's wordplay provides us with clues.

This whole sequence of books provides rich pickings for those who like to concentrate on details; others will revel in the whole rich tapestry of time spread out for us to reflect upon. Our entire span of recorded history so far is just a blink of an eye compared to the ages that have passed between our time and Severian's; we should not expect every aspect of life on Urth to be immediately clear to us.

Although this book is the end of The Book of the New Sun, Wolfe then continued with a coda novel, The Urth of the New Sun, as well as two further series set in the same universe. There is still much to explore here. show less

Peace is a difficult book for me to categorize. Wolfe is mostly famous for writing science-fiction and fantasy but this book is really neither of those things. Well... perhaps it's a modern fantasy, of sorts... 'Pastoral Horror' is about the nearest term I can think of.

In Wolfe's first full-length novel we are told a series of stories, most of them frustratingly incomplete, by an aging first-person narrator. There are ghost stories, tragedies, treasure hunts, forged books, romantic show more entanglements, strange surroundings, even stranger events, meta-physics, a sort of time-travel... All in all, there are a lot of weird happenings. But none of them are stridently visceral. It's all delivered in a languidly matter-of-fact tone that soon imparts to the reader that there is much, much more to these stories than the person doing the telling is letting on.

Now, I love me some first-person story-telling because I always expect the narrator to be unreliable. And this one certainly is. Alden Dennis Weer is a strange old guy and the way he reminisces about people, places and events from his past (and present?) soon makes it abundantly clear that there is more here than meets the eye at first glance. And Peace is definitely that rare type of book that will reveal more of itself with each re-read. I almost want to start over from the beginning right away to see what I missed in the early going that might help clarify where we ended up. Which was where again? Ah yes. The ending, (if one can call it that). Frustratingly incomplete and yet... Oh well, there are too many other books clamoring for their fair share at the moment - but I will be tempted to re-read this one sooner rather than later while it's still relatively fresh. Anyway, I pretty much loved this book - even though I am grinding my teeth a bit at the swooshing sound I keep hearing above my head...

A footnote: Gene Wolfe has never been an easy read for me. He places a heavy demand on his audience. When you pick up one of his books, do not expect to be spoon-fed a plot. That doesn't mean there isn't a plot, only that there will be deeper meanings in his stories than you might at first realize. There are always layers of meaning and hidden events in Wolfe's narratives. This book is perhaps his most confounding that I have read to date - although Castleview is comparably dense with meaning. show less

I never expected so much depth. While it is barely Science Fiction, it is most certainly literature of the highest caliber. Like Faulkner, Wolfe constantly cripples the reader's understanding with his obscure perspectives and elegant suggestion. Chronology and irony are never explicit, and characters are always hiding pieces of their personalities. In a way entirely unique to his oeuvre, Wolfe invents layers beneath the surface narratives - stories surrounding an enigmatic core, like show more onion-skin.

After finishing Fifth Head of Cerberus, I was already convinced that he had deliberately designed a multi-dimensional masterpiece. Possibly even more thoroughly with Peace, he manages to make good on his techniques, and to deepen the modus operandi. We are forced to dig to uncover the rippling insinuations of his world.

A second or third reading will likely reveal more puzzles and subtexts to the seemingly innocuous, and tenuously connected stories of fragmented memories, contradictory doctor visits, Midwestern town life, the nearly Victorian tale of a porcelain egg, an homage to the Arabian Nights and the undercurrent of human deception cutting through it all.

Structured like a memoir, Wolfe's style is never forced, and is always confidently stringing the reader along, no matter how thoroughly razzled your flailing body becomes. It is nonetheless a fascinating joyride, an imaginative dream, half-remembered but sprinkled with divine joy and profound sadness. Witness his use of playful fairy tale, and his staggering ability to engross and entertain you. His voices will haunt you, like the ghosts and banshees in his books, because of the uncanny magic of 'what they know.' Wolfe excels at dangling the forbidden fruit of knowledge before the reader. All you are allowed is a taste, but it is enough to realize the breadth of mystery inherent in any imperfect being's conception of the universe. show less