Sword & Citadel: The Second Half of 'The Book of the New Sun' [Paperback]

Indeed, Severian's tale has him travelling from north of Thrax, through the corridors of time, and, ultimately, back to the Citadel of the Autarch. I don't think it unfair to state that Severian, in this tale, doesn't achieve consummate happiness. As with the first book, he seems to radiate health for the unwell and (as with Angela Lansbury in 'Murder She Wrote') unhappiness for those near (up to and including) himself.

At the least, some of the mysteries of the tetralogy are resolved late in the book (4). Given Mr. Wolfe's style, it is not surprising that the book is 'thick' despite being a mere 400 pages. Nonetheless, I found it disappointing that the ending seemed rushed: an "I need 20 more pages" theme seemed to carry it. Hence, in this reviewers eyes, it ended with a whimper and not a bang.

The bottom line: I would recommend 'The Book of the New Sun' (both books, comprised of four volumes). I don't know that I would equate it to the literary masterpieces on its jacket as Wolfe, through his protagonist, does not use the vocabulary of the common man. This will, I fear, cause this tale to fade in its being read. And that would be a great loss.

Unlike some other reviewers, I didn't find Wolfe's prose difficult at all. It isn't even in the same league as Ulysses. I found it very readable, not at all requiring the intense concentration as the work of a Joyce or a Faulkner. And while it certainly doesn't match the work of those masters, it's a pleasure to read and is still a very intelligent, thought provoking book. But if you want good mindless space operas or swashbucklers (which can be fun to read sometimes), read some David Drake or Robert Jordan instead. Wolfe's book is on a different level than most of the pulp sci-fi/fantasy that gets published nowadays.

One caveat - the protagonist of the Book of the New Sun is raised as a torturer in a decadent world. As such, he does some pretty reprehensible things. While it's not any more graphic than it needs to be, I wouldn't recommend this work to younger readers. Severian is not an anti-hero in the vein of Donaldson's Thomas Covenant, but neither is he the idealized sypathetic character many authors choose as their protagonist. Severian is a likable hero, and very human, but he certainly isn't a role model to be emulated.