Patty P. (Patouie) -
Helpful Score: 2
Layer upon layer, layer upon layer. Rather than building a story, Wolfe peels it away, page by page, revealing a glimse here, a fragment there. I couldn't put it down! This is the second volume in the Book of the New Sun.
Kibi W. (Kibi) reviewed The Claw of the Conciliator (Urth : Book of the New Sun, Bk 2) on + 582 more book reviews
The Torturer's Wondrous Journey Continues, December 14, 2003
Reviewer: Dave Deubler (Pennsylvania)
The young torturer Severian continues his journey in this, the second volume of Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun" series. Skipping the first volume (The Shadow of the Torturer) is not recommended - this series is difficult enough to follow even for those who read every page. References to events that took place earlier are explained only in the briefest detail.
In this volume, Severian's uneasy allegiance to both the Autarch and the mysterious revolutionary named Vodalus is severely tested. While journeying to Thrax where his guild has a position awaiting him, he takes part in the brutal execution of an innocent woman, has a mysterious assignation with his late beloved Thecla, battles a horde of man-apes, is captured by Volalus, participates in the bizarre sharing ceremony of the alzabo, and suffers a lengthy imprisonment before a portentous encounter in the picture room at the House Absolute, among other adventures.
Once again, Wolfe uses language to create the other-worldly locale, employing archaic words to describe objects that are common enough on "Urth", but are unfamiliar to us. And even though the practical-minded Severian frequently doesn't seem to react to the astounding things he sees and experiences, most readers will find themselves intrigued, even though the question "What does it all mean?" remains unresolved.
Reviewer: Dave Deubler (Pennsylvania)
The young torturer Severian continues his journey in this, the second volume of Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun" series. Skipping the first volume (The Shadow of the Torturer) is not recommended - this series is difficult enough to follow even for those who read every page. References to events that took place earlier are explained only in the briefest detail.
In this volume, Severian's uneasy allegiance to both the Autarch and the mysterious revolutionary named Vodalus is severely tested. While journeying to Thrax where his guild has a position awaiting him, he takes part in the brutal execution of an innocent woman, has a mysterious assignation with his late beloved Thecla, battles a horde of man-apes, is captured by Volalus, participates in the bizarre sharing ceremony of the alzabo, and suffers a lengthy imprisonment before a portentous encounter in the picture room at the House Absolute, among other adventures.
Once again, Wolfe uses language to create the other-worldly locale, employing archaic words to describe objects that are common enough on "Urth", but are unfamiliar to us. And even though the practical-minded Severian frequently doesn't seem to react to the astounding things he sees and experiences, most readers will find themselves intrigued, even though the question "What does it all mean?" remains unresolved.
Stephen P. (thelad48) reviewed The Claw of the Conciliator (Urth : Book of the New Sun, Bk 2) on + 495 more book reviews
strange but interesting
Bowden P. (Trey) -
Not as good as The Shadow of the Torturer, but still very, very good. Four-and-a-half stars.
The Claw of the Conciliator picks up shortly after The Shadow of the Torturer ended with Severian preparing for a pair of executions at a festival at the town of Saltus. Jonas is present as his aide. Of the rest of the troupe, they cannot be found. The local alcalde retained them for a pair of executions. One is a spy for Vodalus, the other is Morwenna a woman who may have poisoned her husband and son. I say may because someone else confesses to the crimes. That doesnt move the legalist Severian and he carries out the execution and torture so quickly as to be merciful.
From there Severian walks into a transparently obvious trap and from the pan to the fire. While Severian does pick up the idiot ball with this, it does allow Wolfe to show off how old the world is, with a mine that is the ruins of a high tech city. It also allows him to introduce the Morlock like ape men. Then he meets Vodalus again and is a guest of honor at a ritual cannibal feast with Thecla as the entrée. All of this to more tightly bind Vodalus followers to him. With this in place, Vodalus sets Severian a task at the House Absoloute. There, he re-encounters the troupe, carries out his mission and makes a decent guide to the House Absoloute, courtesy of Theclas memories. I could go into more detail, and even though the book is almost thirty years old, Im loathe to spoil it for people discovering it for the first time.
Its a very good book. Not as good as The Shadow of the Torturer, but still very good. What makes it weaker than the first?
Still, for the flaws, Gene Wolfe is who writers want to write like when they grow up.
Verdict: Four and ½ stars
Likes: Severian is growing as a character (against my memories as a twenty year old, he seems real); He drops hints that hes risen high in the world, the question remains how high? Genesis and Eschatology was very good reminding me of John M. Ford and Shakespeare; The Student and His Son was a wonderful fairy tail retelling of Theseus and the Minotaur with a unique feel; Baldanders and Talos were seeing something new here between those two; Poor Jolenta, she paid far too high a price for beauty; Mysteries are still there the man in the crypt from The Shadow of the Torturer is a pre-Columbian ruler, but how did he get there? What are the witches up to? And what is the Autarch playing at?
Dislikes: Not too many the setting seems smaller than in The Shadow of the Torturer; The future is grim given the fate of the city in the mines of Saltus.
Suggested for: Same as The Shadow of the Torturer; fans of Gene Wolfe, science fantasy, the New Weird, Jack Vance. Also for anyone who enjoys a book that can be a bit of a challenge.
The Claw of the Conciliator picks up shortly after The Shadow of the Torturer ended with Severian preparing for a pair of executions at a festival at the town of Saltus. Jonas is present as his aide. Of the rest of the troupe, they cannot be found. The local alcalde retained them for a pair of executions. One is a spy for Vodalus, the other is Morwenna a woman who may have poisoned her husband and son. I say may because someone else confesses to the crimes. That doesnt move the legalist Severian and he carries out the execution and torture so quickly as to be merciful.
From there Severian walks into a transparently obvious trap and from the pan to the fire. While Severian does pick up the idiot ball with this, it does allow Wolfe to show off how old the world is, with a mine that is the ruins of a high tech city. It also allows him to introduce the Morlock like ape men. Then he meets Vodalus again and is a guest of honor at a ritual cannibal feast with Thecla as the entrée. All of this to more tightly bind Vodalus followers to him. With this in place, Vodalus sets Severian a task at the House Absoloute. There, he re-encounters the troupe, carries out his mission and makes a decent guide to the House Absoloute, courtesy of Theclas memories. I could go into more detail, and even though the book is almost thirty years old, Im loathe to spoil it for people discovering it for the first time.
Its a very good book. Not as good as The Shadow of the Torturer, but still very good. What makes it weaker than the first?
- Getting used to the techniques Wolfe uses they arent as novel any more.
- Sub-elements (The Student and His Son and Eschatology and Genesis) were both very good throwing the rest of the book into relief.
- Realizing we arent seeing as much of the world as it seemed in The Shadow of the Torturer.
Still, for the flaws, Gene Wolfe is who writers want to write like when they grow up.
Verdict: Four and ½ stars
Likes: Severian is growing as a character (against my memories as a twenty year old, he seems real); He drops hints that hes risen high in the world, the question remains how high? Genesis and Eschatology was very good reminding me of John M. Ford and Shakespeare; The Student and His Son was a wonderful fairy tail retelling of Theseus and the Minotaur with a unique feel; Baldanders and Talos were seeing something new here between those two; Poor Jolenta, she paid far too high a price for beauty; Mysteries are still there the man in the crypt from The Shadow of the Torturer is a pre-Columbian ruler, but how did he get there? What are the witches up to? And what is the Autarch playing at?
Dislikes: Not too many the setting seems smaller than in The Shadow of the Torturer; The future is grim given the fate of the city in the mines of Saltus.
Suggested for: Same as The Shadow of the Torturer; fans of Gene Wolfe, science fantasy, the New Weird, Jack Vance. Also for anyone who enjoys a book that can be a bit of a challenge.
