It is no easy road!
5 stars
Although The Book of the New Sun is unquestionably a single novel published as a tetralogy, its second volume is delineated by narrative structures which set it apart. Severian, the narrator and protagonist, skips over a period of time and resumes his tale without revealing precisely what happened immediately after the events at the end of the first book. He ends this volume, like the first, with the characteristic words "here I pause", followed by a warning that his tale is a difficult one. He will not blame the reader who gives up and does not continue to follow his tale.
In the middle are surreal events of bewildering, even frustrating opacity. At the same time, there are breathtaking imaginary creations which stay with you long after you turn the last page. If you have succumbed to Severian's tale, by now you are addicted. You must keep reading, if only …
Although The Book of the New Sun is unquestionably a single novel published as a tetralogy, its second volume is delineated by narrative structures which set it apart. Severian, the narrator and protagonist, skips over a period of time and resumes his tale without revealing precisely what happened immediately after the events at the end of the first book. He ends this volume, like the first, with the characteristic words "here I pause", followed by a warning that his tale is a difficult one. He will not blame the reader who gives up and does not continue to follow his tale.
In the middle are surreal events of bewildering, even frustrating opacity. At the same time, there are breathtaking imaginary creations which stay with you long after you turn the last page. If you have succumbed to Severian's tale, by now you are addicted. You must keep reading, if only to have the drug-like thrill of further phantasms. You will simultaneously crave explication. But be warned: for every answer you receive, at least one new question will arise. That is the reality Severian's world, and the way he chooses to recount it.
For those who have read Jack Vance's "Dying Earth" books, the parallels (acknowledged by Wolfe) are clear: both sagas tell of a somewhat duplicitous protagonist who carries a powerful gemstone through a perilous and unpredictable earth in its endtimes. Vance's Cugel is a rogue. Wolfe's Severian, as the narrator, does not admit to as many faults, although throughout the course of this second volume, it becomes clear that like Cugel, Severian will fuck anything that moves.
The torturer tells his story as if he is powerless and clueless about the events that take place. But the people he encounters treat him differently... he seems to have protection, he swears allegiance to both sides, he has various gifts and powers and he seems to know how to use them. Severian is the chosen one, but we don't know why, or by whom. Will we ever find out?
One thought that occurs to me, is that there is no logical reason why any character in our myths and fairy tales should be the chosen one, but the stories themselves create a narrative where it SEEMS to make sense. So far, The Book of the New Sun creates the opposite impression - the book itself provides absolutely NO reason why Severian would be the one designated by fate to be such a pivotal figure in the destiny of the earth and its people... unless you the reader, concoct such a reason.
In recounting the events in this second volume, Severian reproduces a story from a book of legends he carries with him. It's a future mutation of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Later he transcribes a play he performs in as part of a traveling troupe led by the mysterious Doctor Talus. I admit that the play was largely incomprehensible to me. One day I will return and read it more carefully. As it is being performed, Severian overhears members of the audience talking about the play, revealing they derived meaning from it which its author had never intended to express. The same is so for The Book of the New Sun. Your mileage may vary, but it's meant to be that way.
