The Book of the New Sun is unanimously acclaimed as Gene Wolfe's most remarkable work, hailed as "a masterpiece of science fantasy comparable in importance to the major works of Tolkien and Lewis" by Publishers Weekly, and "one of the most ambitious works of speculative fiction in the twentieth century" by The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Shadow & Claw brings together the first two books of the tetralogy in one volume:
The Shadow of the Torturer is the tale of young Severian, an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers on the world called Urth, exiled for committing the ultimate sin of his profession -- showing mercy toward his victim.
Ursula K. Le Guin said, "Magic stuff . . . a masterpiece . . . the best science fiction I've read in years!"
The Claw of the Conciliator continues the saga of Severian, banished from his home, as he undertakes a mythic quest to discover the awesome power of an ancient relic, and learn the truth about his hidden destiny.
"Arguably the finest piece of literature American science fiction has yet produced [is] the four-volume Book of the New Sun."--Chicago Sun-Times
"The Book of the New Sun establishes his preeminence, pure and simple. . . . The Book of the New Sun contains elements of Spenserian allegory, Swiftian satire, Dickensian social consciousness and Wagnerian mythology. Wolfe creates a truly alien social order that the reader comes to experience from within . . . once into it, there is no stopping."--The New York Times Book Review
The Shadow of the Torturer (198o) 210 pages by Gene Wolfe
My friend came to town over Thanksgiving and recommended Gene Wolfe to me. So I looked him up, and saw good things about him, especially the Book of the New Sun.
The tale is recounted in first person by Severian. So every once in a while he mentions something that hasn't happened yet, such as his being kicked out of the guild. Which doesn't happen until half way through the book. We start off with Severian as an apprentice in the Order of the seekers for Truth and Penitence, the torturer's guild.
Sevarian and his friends were out for a swim, when Severian got tangled in the roots of a plant while underwater and nearly drowned. By the time he was recovered enough to walk back the gates were locked, and that's where chapter 1 starts. Anyway they get in, there are two other groups, skirmish, Sevarian removes himself from a bystander role for a couple of minutes, then the story picks up with his life in the guild. Two of his friends make journeyman in the guild, a year later it's Severian's time to become a journeyman.
In Lord of the Rings, first chapter, we have to take the ring and throw it in the fire of Mount Doom. None of that here. We have very little idea of where the story is going. We have no real knowledge of conflict of the outside world. Severian has several mini-adventures in the book, but we don't see anything world shattering, such as the common people being extremely oppressed, or a meteor headed straight for the planet. Right now it looks like Severian is on his way to get a job in Thrax (a city far away from Nessus) as it's carnifex (executioner).
The Claw of the Conciliator (1981) 200 pages
In Claw we get some inkling of the overall plot. Evidently there is a faction that would like humanity to regain its starfaring ways, and another faction that would like to keep the status quo. That brief conversation with Vodalus was just part of Severian's journey to Thrax.
Shortly after Severian left the Citidel, he came into possession of the Claw. Once he knew that he had it a second task for him was to find the Order of the Pelerines and return it to them.
I don't want to give away too much of the plot, so I'll leave it at that.
I'm about a quarter of the way through the second half of The Book of the New Sun, and except for exceedingly high expectations the books have been very good.
I recommend reading the appendicies first. Wolfe defines some of the terms used in the books, which you would otherwise have to infer from context. There is still a lot of that.
I won't say that the Book of the Sun is the greatest SF novel of the past century, but, so far, it appears well worth reading.
