Don't Forget to Read a Book!

Hello, Stranger. Let's talk about Gene Wolfe's  Soldier of Sidon. The Short of It Plot:  Our favorite amnesiac soldier is back, but this time he's in Egypt! Page Count:  320 Award:  2006 World Fantasy Award Worth a read : Not really. Primary Driver:  (Plot,  World , or  Character ) Bechdel Test : Fail Technobabble:  No. Review:  Did you like the military adventures of Sir Forgetful the first two times it came out? Then this is a great book for you. A different set of supporting characters and a new location - as well as a significant in-world time jump - offer surface level differentiation from the previous volumes. But once the adventure actually begins it is more of the same. Slow pacing and constant reminders of amnesia punctuated with occasional excellent scenes involving the gods. Also, Wolfe's still terrible at ending books. The Medium of It Spoiler Free LOOK, IT'S THE same book. I don't have anything to say about it. I've already ...

Hello, Stranger. Let's talk about Gene Wolfe's Soldier of Arete. The Short of It Plot:  The great amnesiac adventure continues! Page Count: 354 Award:  None, but books one and three of the trilogy won. Worth a read : No Primary Driver:  (Plot,  World , or Character) Bechdel Test : Fail. Technobabble:  None. Review:  A less-inspired continuation of the Latro's journey. Wolfe's love of obtuse allusions to historical events and figures would make this a compelling mystery if this was even remotely engaging. Neither characters or situations draw the reader in enough to make this feel like more than a slog. Actual quality of writing is quite high - deft use of imagery, poetic phrasing that avoids feeling overdone. But all in service of an underwhelming product. The Medium/Long of It Spoiler Free! But that's all you get! There is almost nothing to say about this one other than that it is more of the same. It’s effectively the same book: a string of semi...

Hello, Stranger. Let's talk about Gene Wolfe's Soldier of the Mist. The Short of It Plot:  Latro forgets everything: he must keep a close record on a scroll. Even his meetings with gods.  Page Count:  335 Award:  1987 Locus Fantasy Worth a read : No Primary Driver:  (Plot, World, or  Character ) Bechdel Test : Fail Technobabble:  Nah. Review:  A lot of fun elements that do not quite gel. All of the basic elements of story are good: interesting cast of characters, particularly the cameos from different gods; cool settings as we wander through ancient Greece; generally good pacing. It is the central conceit of this book that makes it hard to read: it feels like 20% of the text is Latro either being informed or informing others that his memory does not work. It gets exhausting - and while the rest of this is better than competent, it's not enjoyable. Also, Wolfe's terrible at ending books. The Medium of It Spoiler Free Gene Wolfe is an exce...

Hello, Stranger. Let's talk about Gene Wolfe's  The Book of the New Sun. The Short of It Plot:  An epic four book fantasy series chronicling the adventures of Severian of the Torturer's Guild.  Page Count:  - The Shadow of the Torturer: 304 - The Claw of the Concilliator: 303 - The Sword of the Lictor: 302 - The Citadel of the Autarch: 330 Awards:  -  The Shadow of the Torturer:  1980 World Fantasy Award - The Claw of the Concilliator:  1981 Locus Fantasy and 1981 Nebula - The Sword of the Lictor:  1982 Locus Fantasy Worth a read : Yes, but it's an investment. Primary Driver:  ( Plot, World, or Character ) Bechdel Test : Pass Technobabble:  Both Technobabble and Fantasybabble in moderate quantities. Review:  There is no denying that these books are remarkable. The attention to detail is astonishing, the writing is crisp, the characters are complex. Locales have their own personalities, the world is fleshed o...