My favorite book of all time. It completely floored me the second time I read it and I’ve been blown away by it on subsequent reads. It’s amazing how my view of the entire world can turn on just a word alone, or how Gene factors in Severian’s emotional state in descriptions, less detailed when he’s agitated, more when he’s calm. Oh God I wish there were more books like this, where narration can have multiple layers all at once, and things mesh together in interesting ways.
Fantastic video. This is a terrific intro for anyone new to reading Wolfe or his Book of the New Sun. There was a time years ago when I had convinced myself that I couldn't see what others saw in Wolfe. How wonderfully wrong I was. It just took a little time and several readings. Wolfe was so generous a writer that he left room for you and me in every tale he wrote.
It clearly did to you what it did to me. It's my Book of Gold, and though I love the entirety of the Solar Cycle I keep coming back to Severian's world. Thank you for making me feel less alone in that.
I remember you talking to your brother Gavin about Wolfe and it provoked me to read New Sun last year and it’s my favorite work of fiction now so, thank you! There is a book series called Sun Eater written by Christopher Ruocchio and it is truly the spiritual successor to Wolfe. Highly recommend it to anyone who loves BotNS.
You captured the experience of reading BotNS beautifully. I just finished my second read-through, and it was like reading it for the first time. Elements that seemed abrupt or contrived on my first reading now make perfect sense, and things that weren't even on my radar the first time are now huge mysteries that I'm hoping to grapple with on my next attempt. I didn't think I'd find anyone else that could combine science fiction, fantasy, adventure, and liturgical Christianity as well as Cordwainer Smith (my favorite author), but Wolfe does it in spades. His short fiction is phenomenal too
First of all great video. Secondly I just got the book, i was referred to it because im a fan of hidetaka miyazaki's video games. (Dark souls, elden ring) The idea pretty much being if I like dark souls I will LOVE this. I'm not far in, but the fact it's a bit of a puzzle tells me it is like dark souls. I actually just came across the "tower" and the room he mentions. I had to go back and ponder as to why a tower would have that Then I remembered the "tower" on the planet of junk in transformers 1986 and it hit me. So far beautiful stuff!
Gene wolfe gave us the Pinnacle of SF/HF literature. From page 1 of BotNS SotT to the final page of BotSS RttW its a constant enthralling good time. After a few dozen runs through the series i have come to appreciate the complexity, detail and difficulty that Book of the Short Sun(BotSS) provided, and still provides to this day. My only hangup is in the audiobook format i cannot find Tim Hortons version of Return to the Whirl(RttW). If any kind netizen could help find the very last piece to the closest thing to a religious shrine i would be forever indebted
I just cannot get over The New Sun Serries. Neither can I get over Wolfe's Long Sun Short Sun series either. When I try to speak about them I wind up sounding like Patera Ramora at best and Hethor at worst. Absolutely beautiful writing. To much
Great job, I recently bought the book and will start it sometime soon. Have you read any Malazan? I’m almost half way through the series and it’s hard work but so worth it so far!!!
I read The Book of The New Sun some months ago. I loved it. Then I went on to reading some of Gene Wolfe's short stories. I loved them also. Wolfe was becoming my favorite author. Then I decided to go on to other authors to give myself some distance and perspective on Wolfe, but ever time I'd pick up a book by another author I'd read something that reminded me of Wolfe. I would eventually go back to him. His writing is so seductive, dare I say addictive. At least that's my experience. Once you've read a Wolfe story or any book of his Sun cycle, it changes the way you read, and also changes you. Not everyone has such an experience. Some readers get frustrated with Wolfe, and as you say, that's all right too.
Yeah, it’s magnificent. It lives up to the hype and even exceeds it. It’s the GOAT of Science Fiction in the same way LOTR is the GOAT of Fantasy. If you read it, you will never read books the same way again.
I have come back to SF reading. In the last 6 months I have read dozens of books but still have the rest of Dune, Hyperion, Roger Zelazny, Wolfe to read. Currently I am reading rest of The Sprawl Trilogy,The Sparrow, Imajica and trying to write my own book for the fun of it ;). I have read 50 pages of Torturer few years back and since then I have read and heard so many fascinating things about those books that sooner or later I will gather myself to read it.
Gene Wolfe has made me not only a better reader but a better person too. This has become one of my favorite series of all time. Thanks for the excellent video. Out of curiosity have you read or heard of the Sun Eater books by Christopher Ruocchio? It’s a science fiction series that takes a lot of influence from Wolfe but also a lot from Tolkien. For fans of Wolfe it’s my number one recommendation!!
Since I read The Book of the New Sun the first time, I have read Faulkner, Pynchon, and McCarthy. I’m interested to read it now as a completely different person.
If you have read the Short Sun, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. It's difficult to find anyone on youtube who has finished the entire Solar Cycle (which is understandable).
It is my favorite work of literature. Reading it was like going through a haunting dream with so much depth and symbolism about death and rebirth.
Thanks! You've convinced me to give it a go!
Recently read this series and it blew me away. He's just playing a different game than other authors.
yes he is
My favorite book of all time. It completely floored me the second time I read it and I’ve been blown away by it on subsequent reads. It’s amazing how my view of the entire world can turn on just a word alone, or how Gene factors in Severian’s emotional state in descriptions, less detailed when he’s agitated, more when he’s calm. Oh God I wish there were more books like this, where narration can have multiple layers all at once, and things mesh together in interesting ways.
Fantastic video. This is a terrific intro for anyone new to reading Wolfe or his Book of the New Sun. There was a time years ago when I had convinced myself that I couldn't see what others saw in Wolfe. How wonderfully wrong I was. It just took a little time and several readings. Wolfe was so generous a writer that he left room for you and me in every tale he wrote.
Great review of a book and an author I love. Thank you.
thank you for watching
It clearly did to you what it did to me. It's my Book of Gold, and though I love the entirety of the Solar Cycle I keep coming back to Severian's world. Thank you for making me feel less alone in that.
thank you my friend! thanks for commenting!
I remember you talking to your brother Gavin about Wolfe and it provoked me to read New Sun last year and it’s my favorite work of fiction now so, thank you!
There is a book series called Sun Eater written by Christopher Ruocchio and it is truly the spiritual successor to Wolfe. Highly recommend it to anyone who loves BotNS.
And another Wolfe devotee is born!!! Woo-hoo! And I will look for Sun Eater
Ruocchio got me to read BotNS and I have never been the same.
I would say that Sun Eater was inspired by BotNS but isn't a true spiritual successor as it's not ambiguous enough. **shrugs**
You captured the experience of reading BotNS beautifully. I just finished my second read-through, and it was like reading it for the first time. Elements that seemed abrupt or contrived on my first reading now make perfect sense, and things that weren't even on my radar the first time are now huge mysteries that I'm hoping to grapple with on my next attempt. I didn't think I'd find anyone else that could combine science fiction, fantasy, adventure, and liturgical Christianity as well as Cordwainer Smith (my favorite author), but Wolfe does it in spades. His short fiction is phenomenal too
First of all great video.
Secondly I just got the book, i was referred to it because im a fan of hidetaka miyazaki's video games. (Dark souls, elden ring)
The idea pretty much being if I like dark souls I will LOVE this.
I'm not far in, but the fact it's a bit of a puzzle tells me it is like dark souls.
I actually just came across the "tower" and the room he mentions. I had to go back and ponder as to why a tower would have that
Then I remembered the "tower" on the planet of junk in transformers 1986 and it hit me.
So far beautiful stuff!
whoa a dark souls connection! Interesting. I've loved playing Elden Ring all this year. What other connections do you see?
Gene wolfe gave us the Pinnacle of SF/HF literature. From page 1 of BotNS SotT to the final page of BotSS RttW its a constant enthralling good time. After a few dozen runs through the series i have come to appreciate the complexity, detail and difficulty that Book of the Short Sun(BotSS) provided, and still provides to this day. My only hangup is in the audiobook format i cannot find Tim Hortons version of Return to the Whirl(RttW). If any kind netizen could help find the very last piece to the closest thing to a religious shrine i would be forever indebted
4:40 If you take alzabo before you eat Pringles, will you remember what actually happened at the Piteous Gate?
ha! or, become clear headed enough to explain it?
I just cannot get over The New Sun Serries. Neither can I get over Wolfe's Long Sun Short Sun series either. When I try to speak about them I wind up sounding like Patera Ramora at best and Hethor at worst. Absolutely beautiful writing. To much
Patera Remora at your best and hethor at your worst - that's wonderfully said!
Love it. Sometimes I wonder if a horrible interaction with a science fiction fan led Gene Wolfe to come up with Hethor.
great video 👍
Wolfe is the guy on the Pringles can!
That sounds kind of like Malazan, where the reread is even better than the first time.
Ok, you’ve convinced me 😊Great review!
Let us know what you think - and remember, it's fine if it's not for you.
Well said. Thank you.
Great job, I recently bought the book and will start it sometime soon. Have you read any Malazan? I’m almost half way through the series and it’s hard work but so worth it so far!!!
I read The Book of The New Sun some months ago. I loved it. Then I went on to reading some of Gene Wolfe's short stories. I loved them also. Wolfe was becoming my favorite author. Then I decided to go on to other authors to give myself some distance and perspective on Wolfe, but ever time I'd pick up a book by another author I'd read something that reminded me of Wolfe. I would eventually go back to him. His writing is so seductive, dare I say addictive. At least that's my experience. Once you've read a Wolfe story or any book of his Sun cycle, it changes the way you read, and also changes you. Not everyone has such an experience. Some readers get frustrated with Wolfe, and as you say, that's all right too.
Lafferty is different but a legit rival, especially in his 200p and under stuff.
Exactly - it changes the way you read, and it changes you.
Yeah, it’s magnificent. It lives up to the hype and even exceeds it. It’s the GOAT of Science Fiction in the same way LOTR is the GOAT of Fantasy.
If you read it, you will never read books the same way again.
I agree. It changes how you read other books. I've never had a book do that before quite like Wolfe.
I have come back to SF reading. In the last 6 months I have read dozens of books but still have the rest of Dune, Hyperion, Roger Zelazny, Wolfe to read. Currently I am reading rest of The Sprawl Trilogy,The Sparrow, Imajica and trying to write my own book for the fun of it ;). I have read 50 pages of Torturer few years back and since then I have read and heard so many fascinating things about those books that sooner or later I will gather myself to read it.
Gene Wolfe has made me not only a better reader but a better person too. This has become one of my favorite series of all time.
Thanks for the excellent video.
Out of curiosity have you read or heard of the Sun Eater books by Christopher Ruocchio? It’s a science fiction series that takes a lot of influence from Wolfe but also a lot from Tolkien. For fans of Wolfe it’s my number one recommendation!!
thank you for commenting! I have heard about the suneter series - I'll try it on your recommendation!
Since I read The Book of the New Sun the first time, I have read Faulkner, Pynchon, and McCarthy. I’m interested to read it now as a completely different person.
I'm glad. Thanks for commenting!
May I suggest boosting your sound a bit?
I am very much a fan of Wolfe, and am woefully out of the loop of new releases. So thanks for the heads up.
Would you recommend the chapter guide?
Great book
If you have read the Short Sun, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. It's difficult to find anyone on youtube who has finished the entire Solar Cycle (which is understandable).
Yeah, I like BNS! You have to read it several times, though - like all of Wolfe! The answers are there, but it takes time. Let us know how you are.