I tried listening to this, stopped because I decided to start the series first then watch this video. I’m back after trying to listen to some chapters of the audiobook, hoping this video will help me understand this book.
I may have poured everything i have into this video but that doesn't mean i know what i'm talking about. Any feedback, disagreements and theories are very welcome, this is just the start. Either comment on here where I'll try my best to respond to any non-wankers, or better still, join the conversation over on discord.
Some little reactions to this eccentric, extraordinary deep dive …. There is no way to know if the Severian whose story we read is the first one or the second or maybe Severian the 550 …. Because it is about a reset , go back to start situation … How many times has the whole thing been playing out before ? And does it follows the same narrative every time like a never ending loop or is every cycle different ? The ape Men dream scene is , starting from the viewpoint of never ending cycles actually a very disturbing, disappointing scene . We readers existing in an other cycle ( or is it the same cycle ) recognize these ape men . They are a familiar part of our collective memory of humanity… So, let’s hope that the translated books come from the future of our cycle … Because if they are from a different cycle and they contain such familiar scenes than then indicates that nothing is ever learned, nothing ever gained and everything becomes meaningless… I found that a very bleak rabbit hole to fall into. I would like to add Michael Moorcock’s ‘Dancers at the end of Time’ to the list of recommended book you mentioned.
It never occurred to to me that Nessus was on the west coast. I always assumed the city was Buenos Aires and the river was the Amazon on the east coast. Also, Typhon making offers to Severian mirrors Satan tempting Jesus in the bible
Thank you for posting this. Can’t wait to watch it. I read BotNS for the first time this year and really enjoyed it but can’t wait to read all four books again. I listened to hours and hours of Alzabo Soup podcast as I was reading but still…this shit is mad confusing but also brilliant. Thanks again Moid
1:42:25 Was so nostalgic for me. I've always loved Moid's old-school book reviews. He even did the "start saying the name, then realize I don't have the books, get them all, then start again" trope. Bless you, Moid.
I had to stop the video at 26 minutes because I haven’t finished the last 2 books but WOW. This truly is a love letter. I’m definitely going to be finishing this series asap and watching this video in its entirety. A+ stuff
I read this like 20 years ago and I knew I was missing a lot. You can feel things meaning… something , as you read. But I couldn’t put any of it together. Man I needed this! Thank you.
I play a lot of D&D and I modeled a character after Severian in a campaign of The Curse of Strahd. He was a Vampire Hunter and Torturer, who himself happened to be a self-loathing Vampire, he also weilded his sword Terminus-Est. He was a lot of fun to play. And btw such an in depth analysis, of one of my favorite Gene Wolfe series. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this video.
In addition to the excellent deep dive on this tangled timeline of sci-fantasy, the filming of this was also excellent! I really enjoyed being taken on holiday while you broke this story down. Very nice visual touch.
Your passion and authenticity is appreciated, you've turned me on to this series, I read Shadow and started Claw. I can tell I'll be studying this series for years! One of the nice things about this series is I can watch this whole video and I'll still be lost when I go back to read the book 😂 but thank you Moid, you make literature that much more enjoyable
Absolutely essential listening and thoughts on Wolfe's masterpiece. I only recently finished my first read-through and this is just a fantastic resource to have. Thank you. I'm sure it was a monumental effort to put together.
Oh! I listen to Alzabo Soup every week. Great guys, they delve very nicely into Wolfe's works. I read TBotNS 17 years ago and was amazed, in awe. I still am.
I love all of Gene Wolfes’ work. But, The New Sun is my very favorite SF series. I got turned on to it by a woman I knew in the late ‘70s. Never was able to thank her properly. This is the best description and discussion of these challenging books I’ve ever seen. Bravo and many thanks!
The collective Book of the New Sun (meaning all five books) are my favorite books ever and i have read them all at least a dozen times. And I am absolutely loving your overview of them! I'm only 48 minutes into your video, sitting here next to my first editions of these books (and the Books of the Long Sun and the Short Sun) and you are in a fern forest and I'm smiling broadly over and over as I am following the event of the books through your eyes and your comments pulling it all together. I think I'm learning some things in the process! This is great, thank you for doing this! (I am curious if you will also bring in The Castle of the Otter... One can hope.)
MediaDeathCult mentioned Mervyn Peake's evocative Gormenghast trilogy. Great prose - weird characters, & it pulls off the seemingly impossible -: making the crumbling castle the star of the show.
He's something of a writer's writer, like Wolfe. Brian Aldiss' remarked that Peake's prose is so *dense* you wouldn't want to read much of it at a sitting.
@alanpennie8013 It's dense at times, but the story of Gormenghast was still enjoyable. The second volume was my favourite, with that long scene underneath the castle. It felt as if I was there.
Nobody paints a picture with their words like Peake. I tried starting the Wheel of Time and as a result, thought I hated anything but the briefest of "straightforward exposition" for worldbuilding. But then I read Gormenghast and found myself glued to multi-page descriptions of a rotting old sideroom in a castle, smiling, chuckling, and wanting it to keep going.
HOLY SHIT MOID AND CHARLIE! This could be the best MDC video yet. I know y'all were going for that and it was accomplished! Awesome camera work Charlie! The changing perspectives and the audio/video syncing is great. Great set pieces! The sermon in the church is just perfect. True cult leader status. When Metz, Phil, and Michael showed up I yelled. The interviews looked amazing and were very fluid in their placement. Did y'all travel to them to get these segments? And the review......I know Moid was forced to put the review in there, by Roy. It made me tear up when the traditional MDC review popped up and when Moid forgot the books while saying the title, made me feel real good. Moid's reviews helped keep me sane during the pandemic, and I always maintain that Moid is the best book reviewer in the biz. That being said, if we never ever get a traditional book review ever again, this was the way to end it. Hopefully this video causes bookstores to sell out of Gene. Not many people let their copies out of their possession, so good luck everybody. Love you guys. Love MDC. Great work! Long live the cult!
As someone who was there at the time -- I don't mean "in the offices of Tor Books," I mean "alive, reading, and involved in the science fiction community" -- Urth of the New Sun happened thus: Dave Hartwell, one of the finest book editors SF has ever had, had published the first volume of tBotNS at Timescape Books. When he moved to Tor, he was permitted to take Wolfe's contract with him. (No, I don't know why, though Timescape books was quickly headed for collapse.) He edited and published the remaining volumes. In the meanwhile -- between the publication of "Sword" and that of "Citadel" -- Wolfe bowed to public demand and published "The Castle of the Otter," a collection of essays about tBotNS, with a small publisher. (Eventually this was included in one of Wolfe's larger collections, "Gene Wolfe's Castle of Days," which also contained an out of print collection of stories ["Gene Wolfe's Book of Days"] and some other stories. Anyway.) As you said, tBotNS was quite successful. Tor was happy to publish Wolfe's next book ("Free Live Free") which, while nearly as strange as tBotNS, was more "fun," something of a jeu d'esprit. Then Wolfe came up with _Soldier of the Mist_, the first of the "Latro" books. Latro is a kind of anti-Severian, a man whose memory, including the ability to retain new information for more than a few hours, has been lost, due either to a head wound or to a curse from a wronged goddess. It was quite as difficult as tBotNS, and less immediately attractive. Hartwell, who had published tBotNS on faith and without understanding some of it, made Wolfe a deal: if he would write a fifth book in _that_ series, to explain some of what had happened in tBotNS, Tor would take a chance on Latro. Wolfe took the deal, and wrote a book that explained some of the mysteries of the original tetralogy, often in oblique ways, while introducing new ones. And that was the end of Severian's tale -- at least until his brief appearance in the Book of the Short Sun, but that's another story...
OK, you got me to click and I stayed for the whole thing. What a marathon. I predict that in two years we'll see The Ultimate Guide Revisited. 😀 I read the five books in a row with nothing in between and loved them. Soon after that I read The Fifth Head of Cerberus, another top experience that got very trippy towards the end when I realised what Wolfe was doing to my head as the story started to double back on itself. When I'm talking about Wolfe's work I usually suggest that they start with Fifth Head as it will prepare them for the New Sun books. Early this year I read the Sun Eater series so far, which many people say references Dune (which I've not read) but seems to me to mirror New Sun. That was highlighted here a little when you quoted Severian's words, ' Here I pause. If you wish to walk no farther with me, reader, I do not blame you. It is no easy road.' Hadrian has a similar ending for each book in Sun Eater. 'If you would read no further, I understand. You have the luxury of foresight. You know where this ends. I shall go on alone.'
I've finally finished watching this and I have to say this video was almost as much of a masterpiece as the book series itself. You really should feel proud of yourself for creating this, It's even inspired me to go back and read the book series again.
This video is exactly what was needed, I think, there's not enough video presentations on Wolfe on RUclips. It's been five years after his passing and I know he's popular but seeing this honestly made me so happy. I hope it brings new eyes to his amazing work (though spoilers abound!). Really, really great work guys! For anyone interested, there are also great podcasts out there, I highly recommend Re-Reading Wolfe and Alzabo Soup.
Fantastic video! I completely share your love of the BotNS series. It has enthralled me for about 15 years now. I first picked it up second hand in a hurry to have something to read on a long flight. As soon as I read the first chapter, I knew I had discovered something deeper and richer than anything I had ever previously read, or probably ever would again. Thanks for breaking down the timeline, and for evangelising about Urth of the New Sun - I struggle with that book but now I look forward to rereading it with a different light. Thanks again and keep up the great work!
I have read the first book about three times and I didn't even realize some of the points and implications you brought up in your video regarding the first book. Amazing work.
Hands down, one of my favorite novels. A friend of mine loaned me the entire series. Instead of returning the books. I offered him $50 for the entire set of hardcover books. I liked the art on the books and fell in love with the series. Never regretted it.
Loved the video. As an interesting note, Its theorized that the multiple mini-stories told at the begining of the 4th book were a means to pad out the length of that one book, which was left a bit short after the original split into 2 parts!
I can only imagine the many drafts of the script and the hours you spent rewriting. Then of course, how to film it, fab stuff Moid it’s all paid off. I loved it. Will watch it again when I’m reading the books, great idea in the time stamps, just wonderful stuff. I hope your pleased with it as well.
read the books some years ago, also read some theories and this video was a fantastic refresh on a book I had stopped thinking about. Really interesting stuff. I really get the joy of finding hidden implications and hints in stories, but it frustrated me to no end the fact that so many things are left unexplained. Also I still think that with the final book Wolfe didn't really stick the landing. It's a bit like the Dark Souls trilogy, or even Bloodborne: it's so cool that you have to connect the dots in a amazing world, but the fact that inconsistencies and important, unexplained things are still present doesn't let me enjoy those in full. That said, I would really love a video like this for Fifth Head of Cerberus! really crazy stuff in there
Your most ambitious video to date. I have always admired your dedication to what you do, the time and effort you put into such documents is simply amazing and I will always be grateful for your work. Thanks to you, I have discovered this series and many other great books over the last few years. Thank you!
Moid, you've done a great service to all the readers of TBOTNS, and future readers. I've only read it once, but your video makes me want to read it again, which I definitely will as well as the other books in Wolfe's solar cycle. This is definitely a tribute to the sublime, a marvelous frisson.
I’m eager to hear a fellow Wolfe lover’s take on Severen’s story. I’m sure to revisit this again and again. These are my favorite Sci-fantasy books of all time. Read em all 3 times…need to Read the other two Sun series again.
I've read it a few times over the last 15 years or so. Each time feels almost like a first. The Book of the Long Sun is great too but the New Sun is a masterpiece.
Not only am I sad this is over, I'm also tempted to just watch it all over again! Unbelievable job as always Moid! We love your content and your incredible quality.
I just got these 5 books today! So excited to read them. This video was great. I've watched it several times. I've been in and out of the hospital for the last few months and think I will be back in on Friday. So I will have plenty of time to read them. Another great video is the video on The King in Yellow and the tie in to the True Detective TV series. I bought that book too. After I saw the video. I love your videos Moid! If I ever get out and get to stay out of the hospital and get to go back to work I will join the Patreon for your channel. So worth it I'm sure.😊
I am pretty sure every time Severian time travels he simply projects a copy of himself into the new time. The old Severian stays where/when he initially was.
Even though I haven't read Urth yet, I would like to thank you Moid for presenting, and selling, this amazing book series to me. It quickly rose, along with Dune, to my top favorite book series ever. Also, I'm currently reading Seven Surrenders by Ada Palmer and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Which, by the way, I hope Mycroft Canner's story also gets the same treatment as Severian. Terra Ignota is a masterclass in world-building. More people need to know how amazing these books are!
I came across this book in camp one year. Had a buddy who was reading it and enjoyed it very much. I tried to get into it, but reading comprehension for things like proverbs and subtext has always alluded me. My brain just doesn't pickup such things. I greatly appreciate your review of this book it had helped me understand it more and now what i read makes more sense.
my favorite part about Jonas is that the claw ruins him. He was fine. Bringing the meat he was fixed with back to life caused major conflict and destroyed him. Terrifying.
Incredible, thanks for this, I think it will have to be split into a number of sessions to be fully appreciated! I read these books during lockdown and I still ponder it regularly, so much mystery to unpack!!
That's your best film ever man. And I've seen them all. I personally doubt that churchgoing, religious, everyday praying catholic Wolfe wrote something that rejects traditional religion, but I take it as a excuse for my 4th reread.
I haven't finished yet. What a fantastic presentation so far! You hit on something that's been in the back of my brain all this time! The fountain on the tombstone! Thank you so much Moid! I'm very financially strapped. l'll join the cult when l can! When was the last time being in a cult was cool and could be bragged about!
I read the first four books with the cult read-along, but I never read Urth... I think I may need to do that first and then come back to this video... And then read them all again.
Man. When I read it, probably 25 years ago, I loved Shadow of the Torturer. I was left completely flummoxed by Claw of the Conciliator. I barely made it through, and couldn't bring myself to read the next book. I still own them, so we'll see.
The synopsis made perfect sense and I had no further questions at all :D But thank you very much for elaborating! One of my favourite fictional worlds ever...there simply isn't anything like it.
I would definitely add 'A Voyage to Arcturus' by David Lindsay into the mix of books to read post New Sun. One of the main reasons I love Book of the New Sun is because it reminds me of A Voyage to Arcturus. Similar vibes, deep rereadable writing, one person traveling through strange environments while growing and learning and suffering. I'm pretty sure Gene Wolfe claimed this as inspiration in his writings.
i have meant to read these for years. the first few minutes of your video have convinced me to acquire the links to the audiobooks here on yt. the Sword of the Lictor is missing, but i intend to go ahead. thanks for the impetus, and when i have finished them i shall return to your video.
The Book of the New Sun is one of my favorite series ever, but I never read Urth of the New Sun. I really thought it was just a cash grab. You've convinced me otherwise. I paused the video just before you started talking about it. I'll come back to watch the rest when I'm done. Great video so far
At long last I can report back. Amazing book, awesome video. I must say that I struggled through the first part. I was really worried that the whole book was going to be Severian's misadventures on the ship with the test right at the end. I'm glad I stuck with it. From the moment Severian arrived back on Urth, I was completely hooked and I couldn't put it down. It's a satisfying and mind bending conclusion to the story. I really wonder if Gene Wolfe had this all planned out or whether this was just a clever retcon. Either way, it's genius. As for the main theme of the series, I don't think of it as a story about a messiah figure who's an immoral asshole (although he is that), but rather a story about a messiah who's a bumbling fool. A kinder take is maybe to say that it's a story about the awesome and ineffable power of destiny 😀. Severian has very little agency in the story. Sure, he makes decisions and does things, and those things have impact, but it's never the case that he has some well thought out plan where he gradually works towards some desired outcome. He's emotional, impulsive and inconsistent. For all the talk of his perfect memory, he can't seem to stay focused on his goals or the decisions he made earlier. He haphazardly stumbles from one random event to the next. He's almost as much a passenger on this wild ride as we are. Or maybe I'm talking out of my ass 😀. I think I should go read the first four books again. I've read them three or four times already, but the last time was a while back.
P.S. My recommendation in the genre of sci-fi masquerading as fantasy is C. J. Cherryh's Morgaine Cycle. I loved it when I read it, but that was more than 30 years ago when I was in high school, so I don't necessarily trust my own judgement. Maybe it's time for me to revisit it.
Thrice I´ve started this tetralogy: When I was 13, at 18 and at 25 yo and thrice I´ve abandoned it. Mind you, the editions I have are old and not particularly well translated, so it seems to me like an even more dense reading. However whenever I think about it, there is something so evocative about the world Wolfe describes that I need to try to read it again. I think your video will help me with the more obscure parts of the writing. Thank you!
Thank you for introducing me to this awesome book! The first time I read the first instalment I didn't quite understand what was going on, especially in the second half of the book. Then, two years later (1 month ago), I gave it a second chance and now it is one of my favourite series ever
Wow, great video! I thought the part where you carried a table into the woods was really well done (plus the explanation of the fifth book time travel was helpful). And of course, the sequence ending with you speaking from the pulpit was hilarious. I started a re-read of the series before even finishing the video.
Great video. At about half way through. I have loved the book since 1986 when I first run into it in Helsinki uni library. It was a perplexing introducion into English literature in the original language... There is also a great translation into my native Finnish from the early 2000's. I like your video and enthusiasm much. As a pedant I cannot refrain from marking out that Agia originallly placed the Claw in Severians sabretache, not in his boot. ;) Also I think the pivotal moment in the Claw is the autarch showing Severian the mirage of Tzadkiel, the judge of Yesod (a concept from the Kabbalah) , the creature who had already judged the Autarch. Also the scene in the next book with Severian and Typhon gives me the shivers. Severian is offered the three temptations of Christ by the devilish Typhon (whom we meet again in the books of the long sun.) Also Barbatus, Famulinus and Ossipago are Greek names, like the word Hierogrammate is. It always seems anglo speakers spell the latter "heirogrammates", for some reason. Hierogrammates = the keepers of the holy letters. Great forest in the video, by the way.
I love the video and format. I read these books when I was young and didn’t appreciate them, I tried a couple of years ago when you put reviewed them, and mostly didn’t only saw the things the book was saying based on your videos. Might not be as smart as I like to think. Would love to see a similar format on PKD, or Ender’s universe, or Dune.
I enjoyed this video very much. Many thanks to everyone involved. I've read the book of the new Sun three times so far, the first time was around 1988 I think. I have enjoyed each subsequent reading more than the last, (so Wolfe succeeded I think). I intend to re read the book, and I have plans to read the long and short sun series too. I have read the fifth head of Cerberus twice, I found it to be incredible. A bit like my experience reading the Heart of Darkness; I didn't get it the first time, the second reading blew me away!!
Thank you for this wonderful summary. It has been my favourite book series for decades as well, and I have indeed re-read it many times to unravel all its mysteries. I love so many details about it. The one I loved most was the thing with Jonas having an identity crisis because his machine body has been repaired with too many biological components. I wonder whether you caught the links between New Sun and the other ones of the Solar Cycle?
Brilliant exploration of a literary masterpiece. I’m reading the Book of the Long Sun, and it has been a transformative reading experience. I cannot wait to finish the entire Solar Cycle.
I don't know why people call Severian an unreliable narrator. Though it's admittedly not easy to describe dying and being resurrected (at least twice in that first book).
Looking forward to watching all of this. Probably my favorite book series. Love the “we did meet Jolenta earlier at the cafe, but don’t worry about it”
I was worried about spoilers, but I’m NEVER gonna remember this plot
😂
No matter how much you say about BOTNS, it’ll never be a spoiler. Whenever I try to explain it I just sound unhinged. 😂
I tried listening to this, stopped because I decided to start the series first then watch this video. I’m back after trying to listen to some chapters of the audiobook, hoping this video will help me understand this book.
You can’t really spoil it. It takes at least two readings to start to get a grip on it.
How does any adult get interested in this utter garbage.
I may have poured everything i have into this video but that doesn't mean i know what i'm talking about.
Any feedback, disagreements and theories are very welcome, this is just the start.
Either comment on here where I'll try my best to respond to any non-wankers, or better still, join the conversation over on discord.
Heck ya, been waiting for a new video from you!
Some little reactions to this eccentric, extraordinary deep dive ….
There is no way to know if the Severian whose story we read is the first one or the second or maybe Severian the 550 …. Because it is about a reset , go back to start situation … How many times has the whole thing been playing out before ? And does it follows the same narrative every time like a never ending loop or is every cycle different ?
The ape Men dream scene is , starting from the viewpoint of never ending cycles actually a very disturbing, disappointing scene . We readers existing in an other cycle ( or is it the same cycle ) recognize these ape men . They are a familiar part of our collective memory of humanity… So, let’s hope that the translated books come from the future of our cycle … Because if they are from a different cycle and they contain such familiar scenes than then indicates that nothing is ever learned, nothing ever gained and everything becomes meaningless… I found that a very bleak rabbit hole to fall into.
I would like to add Michael Moorcock’s ‘Dancers at the end of Time’ to the list of recommended book you mentioned.
It never occurred to to me that Nessus was on the west coast. I always assumed the city was Buenos Aires and the river was the Amazon on the east coast. Also, Typhon making offers to Severian mirrors Satan tempting Jesus in the bible
Thank you for posting this. Can’t wait to watch it. I read BotNS for the first time this year and really enjoyed it but can’t wait to read all four books again. I listened to hours and hours of Alzabo Soup podcast as I was reading but still…this shit is mad confusing but also brilliant. Thanks again Moid
@@djfoskey1My pleasure, don’t forget the fifth book
There are not enough videos about The Book of the New Sun, love to see more
We need to start sharing Moid’s work in various Sci-fi subreddits. This channel is a true gem.
Please don't invite redditors here
@@randbrannigan2590Alas, we hath arrived in numbers with all the associated lack of glamour you would expect
Get posting in those hecking subreddits folx! 😂😂😂
@@DamianSzajnowski cringe
@@lou-isnt-here As it should be
Him giving a serious warning about the mindbending road to follow while that little chicken guy is bobbling off to the side got me 😂
Moid, please don't ever delete this. I will eventually get around to reading BotNS and I want to watch this right after
It's not going anywhere
@@MediaDeathCultwhat I would give for that to be the case for your culture videos
I absolutely love The Book of The New Sun. Must read it again, and again and ...
1:42:25 Was so nostalgic for me. I've always loved Moid's old-school book reviews. He even did the "start saying the name, then realize I don't have the books, get them all, then start again" trope. Bless you, Moid.
This guy gets it
Best synopsis I've seen. Already shared the link with friends and had my wife watch it because she doesn't get why I love it.
Been trying to get my partner to read these for years. My absolute favorite series ever.
Thank You
My wife just finished *On Blue’s Waters.*🥂11 down, 2 to go.
I had to stop the video at 26 minutes because I haven’t finished the last 2 books but WOW. This truly is a love letter. I’m definitely going to be finishing this series asap and watching this video in its entirety. A+ stuff
Thank you, see you soon
You will like them!
I read this like 20 years ago and I knew I was missing a lot. You can feel things meaning… something , as you read. But I couldn’t put any of it together. Man I needed this! Thank you.
Severian is such a gift of a character
Thank you for this Moid. I can not imagine how many hours , blood , sweat and tears have gone into this .
My pleasure, it took about a month, on and off
Certainly Blood... Certainly Sweat... Not sure if there were any Tears though. Those edit session sessions must have been pretty grueling
I play a lot of D&D and I modeled a character after Severian in a campaign of The Curse of Strahd. He was a Vampire Hunter and Torturer, who himself happened to be a self-loathing Vampire, he also weilded his sword Terminus-Est. He was a lot of fun to play. And btw such an in depth analysis, of one of my favorite Gene Wolfe series. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this video.
This is art. Bravo!
Thank You Jared
Very cool to see you here, Jared!
I love the pringles can just subtly chilling next to you. Gene Wolfe is THE master of Fantasy and Sci-fi.
Bless the Cult Leader, whose sweat is the nourishment of his flock! Thank you Moid.
You're very welcome
Superb storytelling Moid. People will be watching this for years or decades to come.
Thanks mate
This came up in my recommendations. I'm so glad someone covers this series. I don't know anyone else who has read these.
No one has. They just talk about them, and share stories and lore, adding to the mystery of the book.
In addition to the excellent deep dive on this tangled timeline of sci-fantasy, the filming of this was also excellent! I really enjoyed being taken on holiday while you broke this story down. Very nice visual touch.
Thank you
Your passion and authenticity is appreciated, you've turned me on to this series, I read Shadow and started Claw. I can tell I'll be studying this series for years! One of the nice things about this series is I can watch this whole video and I'll still be lost when I go back to read the book 😂 but thank you Moid, you make literature that much more enjoyable
Lovely comment, thank you
I second this post.
Absolutely essential listening and thoughts on Wolfe's masterpiece. I only recently finished my first read-through and this is just a fantastic resource to have. Thank you. I'm sure it was a monumental effort to put together.
Thank you
This is probably the best video I’ve seen on Book of the New Sun, yet somehow the best moment from it is at 1:57:35!!!!
I had to check that, and i agree
1:57:45 to be exact 🤗
Oh! I listen to Alzabo Soup every week. Great guys, they delve very nicely into Wolfe's works. I read TBotNS 17 years ago and was amazed, in awe. I still am.
I love all of Gene Wolfes’ work. But, The New Sun is my very favorite SF series. I got turned on to it by a woman I knew in the late ‘70s. Never was able to thank her properly.
This is the best description and discussion of these challenging books I’ve ever seen. Bravo and many thanks!
You're welcome, thank you
The collective Book of the New Sun (meaning all five books) are my favorite books ever and i have read them all at least a dozen times. And I am absolutely loving your overview of them! I'm only 48 minutes into your video, sitting here next to my first editions of these books (and the Books of the Long Sun and the Short Sun) and you are in a fern forest and I'm smiling broadly over and over as I am following the event of the books through your eyes and your comments pulling it all together. I think I'm learning some things in the process! This is great, thank you for doing this! (I am curious if you will also bring in The Castle of the Otter... One can hope.)
Thank you
MediaDeathCult mentioned Mervyn Peake's evocative Gormenghast trilogy. Great prose - weird characters, & it pulls off the seemingly impossible -: making the crumbling castle the star of the show.
He's something of a writer's writer, like Wolfe.
Brian Aldiss' remarked that Peake's prose is so *dense* you wouldn't want to read much of it at a sitting.
@alanpennie8013 It's dense at times, but the story of Gormenghast was still enjoyable. The second volume was my favourite, with that long scene underneath the castle. It felt as if I was there.
Nobody paints a picture with their words like Peake. I tried starting the Wheel of Time and as a result, thought I hated anything but the briefest of "straightforward exposition" for worldbuilding. But then I read Gormenghast and found myself glued to multi-page descriptions of a rotting old sideroom in a castle, smiling, chuckling, and wanting it to keep going.
@@hardtailgang Yeah. From the first page, I knew that the Gormenghast trilogy was going to be something special.
I'm half way through the video but had to stop and say that your delivery is absolutely brilliant.
Thank you
Omg yessss. Just finished another reread of Botns and Urth. Stoked for a deep dive 🌞
HOLY SHIT MOID AND CHARLIE!
This could be the best MDC video yet.
I know y'all were going for that and it was accomplished!
Awesome camera work Charlie! The changing perspectives and the audio/video syncing is great.
Great set pieces! The sermon in the church is just perfect. True cult leader status.
When Metz, Phil, and Michael showed up I yelled. The interviews looked amazing and were very fluid in their placement. Did y'all travel to them to get these segments?
And the review......I know Moid was forced to put the review in there, by Roy. It made me tear up when the traditional MDC review popped up and when Moid forgot the books while saying the title, made me feel real good. Moid's reviews helped keep me sane during the pandemic, and I always maintain that Moid is the best book reviewer in the biz. That being said, if we never ever get a traditional book review ever again, this was the way to end it.
Hopefully this video causes bookstores to sell out of Gene. Not many people let their copies out of their possession, so good luck everybody.
Love you guys.
Love MDC.
Great work!
Long live the cult!
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it!
As someone who was there at the time -- I don't mean "in the offices of Tor Books," I mean "alive, reading, and involved in the science fiction community" -- Urth of the New Sun happened thus:
Dave Hartwell, one of the finest book editors SF has ever had, had published the first volume of tBotNS at Timescape Books. When he moved to Tor, he was permitted to take Wolfe's contract with him. (No, I don't know why, though Timescape books was quickly headed for collapse.) He edited and published the remaining volumes. In the meanwhile -- between the publication of "Sword" and that of "Citadel" -- Wolfe bowed to public demand and published "The Castle of the Otter," a collection of essays about tBotNS, with a small publisher. (Eventually this was included in one of Wolfe's larger collections, "Gene Wolfe's Castle of Days," which also contained an out of print collection of stories ["Gene Wolfe's Book of Days"] and some other stories. Anyway.)
As you said, tBotNS was quite successful. Tor was happy to publish Wolfe's next book ("Free Live Free") which, while nearly as strange as tBotNS, was more "fun," something of a jeu d'esprit.
Then Wolfe came up with _Soldier of the Mist_, the first of the "Latro" books. Latro is a kind of anti-Severian, a man whose memory, including the ability to retain new information for more than a few hours, has been lost, due either to a head wound or to a curse from a wronged goddess. It was quite as difficult as tBotNS, and less immediately attractive. Hartwell, who had published tBotNS on faith and without understanding some of it, made Wolfe a deal: if he would write a fifth book in _that_ series, to explain some of what had happened in tBotNS, Tor would take a chance on Latro.
Wolfe took the deal, and wrote a book that explained some of the mysteries of the original tetralogy, often in oblique ways, while introducing new ones. And that was the end of Severian's tale -- at least until his brief appearance in the Book of the Short Sun, but that's another story...
Great stuff, thank you so much
@@sturgeonslawyer that's LITERALLY another story!
Yeah... I've *attempted* to read Latro but it's oddly dry
OK, you got me to click and I stayed for the whole thing. What a marathon. I predict that in two years we'll see The Ultimate Guide Revisited. 😀
I read the five books in a row with nothing in between and loved them. Soon after that I read The Fifth Head of Cerberus, another top experience that got very trippy towards the end when I realised what Wolfe was doing to my head as the story started to double back on itself. When I'm talking about Wolfe's work I usually suggest that they start with Fifth Head as it will prepare them for the New Sun books.
Early this year I read the Sun Eater series so far, which many people say references Dune (which I've not read) but seems to me to mirror New Sun. That was highlighted here a little when you quoted Severian's words, ' Here I pause. If you wish to walk no farther with me, reader, I do not blame you. It is no easy road.' Hadrian has a similar ending for each book in Sun Eater. 'If you would read no further, I understand. You have the luxury of foresight. You know where this ends. I shall go on alone.'
I have talked to Ruocchio, he is a huge BOTNS fanboy.
Sun Eater’s author has done a few interviews on RUclips talking about BotNS a lot
I've finally finished watching this and I have to say this video was almost as much of a masterpiece as the book series itself. You really should feel proud of yourself for creating this, It's even inspired me to go back and read the book series again.
Thank you
This video is exactly what was needed, I think, there's not enough video presentations on Wolfe on RUclips. It's been five years after his passing and I know he's popular but seeing this honestly made me so happy. I hope it brings new eyes to his amazing work (though spoilers abound!). Really, really great work guys!
For anyone interested, there are also great podcasts out there, I highly recommend Re-Reading Wolfe and Alzabo Soup.
Thanks
My goodness I can't take anymore. I have got to read these book!
Indeed you do, all five of them
This is a masterpiece just like the book. Well done mate.
Thank you so much
Fantastic video! I completely share your love of the BotNS series. It has enthralled me for about 15 years now. I first picked it up second hand in a hurry to have something to read on a long flight. As soon as I read the first chapter, I knew I had discovered something deeper and richer than anything I had ever previously read, or probably ever would again. Thanks for breaking down the timeline, and for evangelising about Urth of the New Sun - I struggle with that book but now I look forward to rereading it with a different light. Thanks again and keep up the great work!
I have read the first book about three times and I didn't even realize some of the points and implications you brought up in your video regarding the first book. Amazing work.
Hands down, one of my favorite novels. A friend of mine loaned me the entire series. Instead of returning the books. I offered him $50 for the entire set of hardcover books. I liked the art on the books and fell in love with the series. Never regretted it.
Loved the video. As an interesting note, Its theorized that the multiple mini-stories told at the begining of the 4th book were a means to pad out the length of that one book, which was left a bit short after the original split into 2 parts!
Thanks!
No No, than YOU!
Thank you. I have also been obsessed with these books for many years now.
You're welcome
I can only imagine the many drafts of the script and the hours you spent rewriting. Then of course, how to film it, fab stuff Moid it’s all paid off. I loved it. Will watch it again when I’m reading the books, great idea in the time stamps, just wonderful stuff. I hope your pleased with it as well.
Thank You, i'm pretty happy with it
read the books some years ago, also read some theories and this video was a fantastic refresh on a book I had stopped thinking about. Really interesting stuff. I really get the joy of finding hidden implications and hints in stories, but it frustrated me to no end the fact that so many things are left unexplained. Also I still think that with the final book Wolfe didn't really stick the landing. It's a bit like the Dark Souls trilogy, or even Bloodborne: it's so cool that you have to connect the dots in a amazing world, but the fact that inconsistencies and important, unexplained things are still present doesn't let me enjoy those in full.
That said, I would really love a video like this for Fifth Head of Cerberus! really crazy stuff in there
Gotta commend the sheer amount of time and effort to bring all of this together in such an accessible and easy to understand way
Thank you
Your most ambitious video to date. I have always admired your dedication to what you do, the time and effort you put into such documents is simply amazing and I will always be grateful for your work. Thanks to you, I have discovered this series and many other great books over the last few years. Thank you!
My pleasure, thanks
I’m so glad that there are others who appreciate these books like I do.
Moid, you've done a great service to all the readers of TBOTNS, and future readers. I've only read it once, but your video makes me want to read it again, which I definitely will as well as the other books in Wolfe's solar cycle. This is definitely a tribute to the sublime, a marvelous frisson.
thanks
I’m eager to hear a fellow Wolfe lover’s take on Severen’s story. I’m sure to revisit this again and again.
These are my favorite Sci-fantasy books of all time.
Read em all 3 times…need to Read the other two Sun series again.
I've read it a few times over the last 15 years or so. Each time feels almost like a first. The Book of the Long Sun is great too but the New Sun is a masterpiece.
Not only am I sad this is over, I'm also tempted to just watch it all over again!
Unbelievable job as always Moid! We love your content and your incredible quality.
Thank You
This is very good. I set Wolfe aside after The Claw as I was having difficulty. This inspires me to pick him up again. Thank you.
Godspeed
In my opinion it got more difficult for book 3, but like Moid said, Citadel of the Autarch is a satisfying reward 😂😂😂 most of the time 😅
I just got these 5 books today! So excited to read them. This video was great. I've watched it several times. I've been in and out of the hospital for the last few months and think I will be back in on Friday. So I will have plenty of time to read them. Another great video is the video on The King in Yellow and the tie in to the True Detective TV series. I bought that book too. After I saw the video. I love your videos Moid! If I ever get out and get to stay out of the hospital and get to go back to work I will join the Patreon for your channel. So worth it I'm sure.😊
Thank you, get well soon.
Join the patreon as a free member and i can gift you a year's membership.
@MediaDeathCult Wow that sounds great. I'll do that in the morning. It's 4:09 AM in Indiana right now. You are so awesome! Thank you!
@MediaDeathCult ok. I tried it and the free part went away. What am I doing wrong?
No idea, you should be able to just go the patreon page and join as a free member.
@MediaDeathCult ok I will try it again. Thanks
I am pretty sure every time Severian time travels he simply projects a copy of himself into the new time. The old Severian stays where/when he initially was.
Thanks
Thank you
I finally finished this beast, been waiting to hear you talk about it for ages 😂
All five books?
Even though I haven't read Urth yet, I would like to thank you Moid for presenting, and selling, this amazing book series to me. It quickly rose, along with Dune, to my top favorite book series ever.
Also, I'm currently reading Seven Surrenders by Ada Palmer and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Which, by the way, I hope Mycroft Canner's story also gets the same treatment as Severian. Terra Ignota is a masterclass in world-building.
More people need to know how amazing these books are!
Thank you, great comment
I came across this book in camp one year. Had a buddy who was reading it and enjoyed it very much. I tried to get into it, but reading comprehension for things like proverbs and subtext has always alluded me. My brain just doesn't pickup such things. I greatly appreciate your review of this book it had helped me understand it more and now what i read makes more sense.
My pleasure
my favorite part about Jonas is that the claw ruins him. He was fine. Bringing the meat he was fixed with back to life caused major conflict and destroyed him. Terrifying.
Yeah, i'll be talking a lot more about Jonas in the sequel to this video
The quick summary of SotL really reminded me of how cool that book is
Thanks for the ❤! I made a comment early on about poor Jolenta. And now you're talking about her!!!
I’m going to read Urth and come back to this
Very wise
Incredible, thanks for this, I think it will have to be split into a number of sessions to be fully appreciated!
I read these books during lockdown and I still ponder it regularly, so much mystery to unpack!!
Finally 🎉 thank you 🙏 just finished my reread of the 5 books two weeks ago. What a timing ⏱️
Love it, great. The best book ever written
You're welcome
That's your best film ever man. And I've seen them all. I personally doubt that churchgoing, religious, everyday praying catholic Wolfe wrote something that rejects traditional religion, but I take it as a excuse for my 4th reread.
Me neither, but we see what we want right? And thank you
I know what I’m doing tonight. Thanks!!
This is the type of video I love to see on telling and explaining of books with passion, and i do hope to see this done for other stories
Thank You
I haven't finished yet. What a fantastic presentation so far! You hit on something that's been in the back of my brain all this time! The fountain on the tombstone! Thank you so much Moid! I'm very financially strapped. l'll join the cult when l can! When was the last time being in a cult was cool and could be bragged about!
That was almost as extroadinary as the story! Thank you for rekindling my interest in this story, looking forward to diving back in.
My pleasure
I read the first four books with the cult read-along, but I never read Urth... I think I may need to do that first and then come back to this video... And then read them all again.
That would be wise, the video will be waiting for you
I'm back. Just finished Urth of the New Sun. My God... (literally?) Ok, now I'm ready to thoroughly enjoy this video. Thank you for doing this, Moid!
Man. When I read it, probably 25 years ago, I loved Shadow of the Torturer. I was left completely flummoxed by Claw of the Conciliator. I barely made it through, and couldn't bring myself to read the next book. I still own them, so we'll see.
It's not for everyone
The synopsis made perfect sense and I had no further questions at all :D But thank you very much for elaborating! One of my favourite fictional worlds ever...there simply isn't anything like it.
Well great timing uploading this! Just finished Urth last week. Thanks brother
My pleasure, i hope the video flicks a couple of beans for you
Here we go
I would definitely add 'A Voyage to Arcturus' by David Lindsay into the mix of books to read post New Sun. One of the main reasons I love Book of the New Sun is because it reminds me of A Voyage to Arcturus. Similar vibes, deep rereadable writing, one person traveling through strange environments while growing and learning and suffering. I'm pretty sure Gene Wolfe claimed this as inspiration in his writings.
Thanks, we actually made an Arcturus video a few months ago
Amazing work… I am just on my second re read after a long time and this is a great summary…. It gets less confusing after every re read
Until it gets confusing again, just you wait
@@MediaDeathCult 😄
i have meant to read these for years.
the first few minutes of your video have convinced me to acquire the links to the audiobooks here on yt. the Sword of the Lictor is missing, but i intend to go ahead.
thanks for the impetus, and when i have finished them i shall return to your video.
You've just made my next read a return to these books. I love Gene Wolfe and I know I should re read them more
Cool
The Book of the New Sun is one of my favorite series ever, but I never read Urth of the New Sun. I really thought it was just a cash grab. You've convinced me otherwise. I paused the video just before you started talking about it. I'll come back to watch the rest when I'm done.
Great video so far
Thank you
At long last I can report back. Amazing book, awesome video.
I must say that I struggled through the first part. I was really worried that the whole book was going to be Severian's misadventures on the ship with the test right at the end.
I'm glad I stuck with it. From the moment Severian arrived back on Urth, I was completely hooked and I couldn't put it down. It's a satisfying and mind bending conclusion to the story.
I really wonder if Gene Wolfe had this all planned out or whether this was just a clever retcon. Either way, it's genius.
As for the main theme of the series, I don't think of it as a story about a messiah figure who's an immoral asshole (although he is that), but rather a story about a messiah who's a bumbling fool. A kinder take is maybe to say that it's a story about the awesome and ineffable power of destiny 😀.
Severian has very little agency in the story. Sure, he makes decisions and does things, and those things have impact, but it's never the case that he has some well thought out plan where he gradually works towards some desired outcome.
He's emotional, impulsive and inconsistent. For all the talk of his perfect memory, he can't seem to stay focused on his goals or the decisions he made earlier. He haphazardly stumbles from one random event to the next.
He's almost as much a passenger on this wild ride as we are.
Or maybe I'm talking out of my ass 😀. I think I should go read the first four books again. I've read them three or four times already, but the last time was a while back.
P.S.
My recommendation in the genre of sci-fi masquerading as fantasy is C. J. Cherryh's Morgaine Cycle. I loved it when I read it, but that was more than 30 years ago when I was in high school, so I don't necessarily trust my own judgement. Maybe it's time for me to revisit it.
Thrice I´ve started this tetralogy: When I was 13, at 18 and at 25 yo and thrice I´ve abandoned it. Mind you, the editions I have are old and not particularly well translated, so it seems to me like an even more dense reading. However whenever I think about it, there is something so evocative about the world Wolfe describes that I need to try to read it again. I think your video will help me with the more obscure parts of the writing. Thank you!
My pleasure
When i was a freshman in highschool i picked up both of the omnibus books for $.25 at a used book store. They have been my favorite books ever since.
Have been looking forward to this video for weeks now, hype that its finally out
Thank you for introducing me to this awesome book! The first time I read the first instalment I didn't quite understand what was going on, especially in the second half of the book. Then, two years later (1 month ago), I gave it a second chance and now it is one of my favourite series ever
My pleasure
Been waiting for this video Moid! bless you
Wow, great video! I thought the part where you carried a table into the woods was really well done (plus the explanation of the fifth book time travel was helpful). And of course, the sequence ending with you speaking from the pulpit was hilarious. I started a re-read of the series before even finishing the video.
That's great, thanks
Great video. At about half way through. I have loved the book since 1986 when I first run into it in Helsinki uni library. It was a perplexing introducion into English literature in the original language... There is also a great translation into my native Finnish from the early 2000's. I like your video and enthusiasm much. As a pedant I cannot refrain from marking out that Agia originallly placed the Claw in Severians sabretache, not in his boot. ;) Also I think the pivotal moment in the Claw is the autarch showing Severian the mirage of Tzadkiel, the judge of Yesod (a concept from the Kabbalah) , the creature who had already judged the Autarch. Also the scene in the next book with Severian and Typhon gives me the shivers. Severian is offered the three temptations of Christ by the devilish Typhon (whom we meet again in the books of the long sun.) Also Barbatus, Famulinus and Ossipago are Greek names, like the word Hierogrammate is. It always seems anglo speakers spell the latter "heirogrammates", for some reason. Hierogrammates = the keepers of the holy letters. Great forest in the video, by the way.
Thanks
The timing on this drop is crazy, i finished UotNS literally yesterday. Damn good timing.
Hope you enjoy it
I love the video and format. I read these books when I was young and didn’t appreciate them, I tried a couple of years ago when you put reviewed them, and mostly didn’t only saw the things the book was saying based on your videos. Might not be as smart as I like to think. Would love to see a similar format on PKD, or Ender’s universe, or Dune.
Thank You
You already had my attention, but invoking the Judea Peoples Front brought a happy ending off, with a tear of laughter. 🤌🏻
Thank you, I'm glad somebody noticed
I've never thought about a book more after reading it than TBotNS. I went into it blind and I felt like I had discovered something special.
I have shared this everywhere!
Thank You
I enjoyed this video very much. Many thanks to everyone involved. I've read the book of the new Sun three times so far, the first time was around 1988 I think. I have enjoyed each subsequent reading more than the last, (so Wolfe succeeded I think).
I intend to re read the book, and I have plans to read the long and short sun series too. I have read the fifth head of Cerberus twice, I found it to be incredible. A bit like my experience reading the Heart of Darkness; I didn't get it the first time, the second reading blew me away!!
Thank you
Thank you for this wonderful summary. It has been my favourite book series for decades as well, and I have indeed re-read it many times to unravel all its mysteries. I love so many details about it. The one I loved most was the thing with Jonas having an identity crisis because his machine body has been repaired with too many biological components.
I wonder whether you caught the links between New Sun and the other ones of the Solar Cycle?
Brilliant exploration of a literary masterpiece.
I’m reading the Book of the Long Sun, and it has been a transformative reading experience. I cannot wait to finish the entire Solar Cycle.
Thank you
The hype is real! Cannot wait to settle in and watch this later!
Thanks. This was vastly more enjoyable than slogging through the unreliable narration of the first book. Which soured me on the whole series.
I don't know why people call Severian an unreliable narrator.
Though it's admittedly not easy to describe dying and being resurrected (at least twice in that first book).
Great production, mate. Top notch👍
Thank you
At 2+ Hours, even at only the 1:46 mark, I know it is already a masterpiece.
Thank you, MDC.
You're welcome
Looking forward to watching all of this. Probably my favorite book series. Love the “we did meet Jolenta earlier at the cafe, but don’t worry about it”
Charlie actually corrected me while we were filming
Excellent. Well done, Moid. I've only read it once. I think I'll start up round two before the end of the year.
Thank You