The Book of the New Sun

(by Gene Wolfe, published 1980-1983)

I read the four main volumes of the series: The Shadow of the Torturer, The Claw of the Conciliator, The Sword of the Lictor, and The Citadel of the Autarch. Particularly impressive is that the four novels are quite different, and that the Severian of Citadel feels a long way from the protagonist of Shadow.

Wolfe’s use of first-person narration to control what we understand about “Urth” of the far future is excellent, with Severian at points taking things we do not understand for granted, and at others not understanding things that seem obvious to a reader. This creates a constant interpretative puzzle for the reader–and even with the help of the sleuths of the Internet I’m afraid you will still have to make decisions about what you think is happening (or has happened, or will happen) to this world.

I don’t generally much enjoy fantasy, so when I give this only four stars it is a testament to how much better I think it is then most in the genre (Pullman’s celebrated His Dark Materials would get three stars from me, for example). I’ll admit to being a bit baffled by those who hold it as literary masterpiece of the twentieth century, though. ★★★★☆