7 ms·
I'm surprised that an article about literature and scifi doesn't mention Gene Wolfe, the only scifi author I know who gets occasionally placed in the literature
by akvadrako 9y ago
I'm surprised that an article about literature and scifi doesn't mention Gene Wolfe, the only scifi author I know who gets occasionally placed in the literature section at book stores.
Literature should not really be it's own genre, since the language used to tell a story isn't related to the contents of that story.
- old_chap 9y agoThis, easily one of the greatest writers in the genre but largely ignored in regards to marrying literature and sci fi. I suspect he is too dense for most, although they will never admit it.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- zellyn 9y agoCan you recommend something of his to try? Go for best, not most palatable :-)
- root_axis 9y agoBook Of The New Sun. I've read about 300 fiction novels over the course of my life and that book still maintains a hold on me like nothing else ever has. It is easily the best fiction novel I've ever read.
- zellyn 9y agoInteresting. It shows Hyperion in the "People also searched for" section in Amazon. I liked Hyperion: it showed such promise. It's tricky: if your writing feels mythical, you shouldn't resolve/reveal too much at the end.
- root_axis 9y agoI also enjoyed Hyperion, but I would say that they are on two totally different levels from a literary perspective. I don't mean to sound dismissive of Hyperion, I think it's very good, but BoTNS is exceptional.
- zellyn 9y agoNo worries. Hyperion was ultimately a letdown (compared to its promise), so better than that is good!
- akvadrako 9y agoI consider the Solar Cycle (including this book) possibly the best work of fiction ever, but it's quite heavy. I'm not sure I'll ever reread them, because I remember feeling a bit like I'm drowning in the story. For someone new to Gene Wolfe, The Fifth Head of Cerberus gives a good taste about what's in store without so much commitment. Besides those I also strongly remember these works: - The Wizard Knight: straight-up fantasy but quite philosophical like sci-fi should be - Pirate Freedom: an interesting "historic" view of pirate life
- root_axis 9y agoAgreed on the entire Solar Cycle. IMO the interplay between the Long Sun series and Short Sun series is its own kind of magnificence. Like many Wolfe readers, I came into Long Sun looking for "more" New Sun, and it took me quite a while (probably 2 books in) to dispense with that expectation and start appreciating Long Sun on its own merit. By the end of Long Sun I was enjoying it very much, but it wasn't until I started reading Short Sun that I began to see the brilliance of what the author was trying to accomplish between the two stories.
- kabdib 9y agoWolfe's short story collection The Death of Doctor Island and Other Stories and Other Stories [not a typo] is an excellent introduction to his work. Some of these stories have stayed with me for 30 years. For non-SF, I recommend reading Peace. Twice.