Thank you! I appreciate that.

Thank you, Alexander. Much appreciated!

Yes I've heard it's a great work.

@@bramleygladebooks9440 It is the best. My favourite novel bar none.

The book is a career defining masterpiece, and quite possibly the greatest work of fantasy - and arguably literature - of the 20th century. If Wolfe hadn't been a fantasy writer, he'd be recognised amongst the very greatest writers of the last hundred years.

I’ve been reading fantasy my entire life. 20+ years of a deep obsession. And I can tell you; Tolkien nor Martin paint such a masterful series like Wolfe. Nothing has kept me up at night pondering the depths of a world I needed to understand more than that of Urth. It’s a tough read. But the single best series I’ve ever read.

@@lukepoplawski3230 I share your passion for fantasy fiction generally and deep world-building specifically, and yet I have never read any Wolfe (aside from some short fiction as an undergrad). Your comment convinced me to take the plunge. Will be purchasing this edition tonight. Do you recommend reading the whole series consecutively? Or will I need a break between volumes?

@@uptown3636 his Book of the New Sun series is where I started and have the most experience. It’s a four book series but they can be found as collections (ie books 1&2 sold together as Shadow and Claw); these books then culminate into an ending with Urth of the New Sun which is where I spent the entire read asking “holy crap is that why xyz happened?!? Is that!???” And then frantically reviewing the previous chapters. I had to read Shadow and Claw 3 times before I progressed to the next book, so to avoid some of that dread I had gotten some great advice I’d like to pass to you. Wolfe even admitted that he uses near dead language descriptions to describe things in this distance version of our planet. I’m talking like, hardcore words you’ve never heard of but are correct I’m their use. Wolfe says they’re not so much used to confuse the reader but instead inspire a sense of awe or personal imagination. Avoid what I did the first time and sit there with a dictionary trying to get literal examples. As a heads up, a smilodon is a sabertoothed cat. The novels never explain just how far in the future they are from us, but I imagine it’s like, Dune level future; 10,000+ AD. With that in mind you can try to connect what Severian describes as something we know today. Wolfe won’t tell you, he’ll describe it, it’s almost like having a color described to you, or how would you explain how a radio works to a man 10,000 years in the past. Lastly, pay close the Severin’s narrations. Very. Very. Closely. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

@@lukepoplawski3230 Thanks for the primer in Wolfe. I had heard that he used archaic language, and your example of the smilodon illustrates that perfectly. I’m also vaguely aware that Severian is a wily narrator, and I will heed your advice to pay close attention. Thanks again-you’ve got me quite excited to read these books!

@@uptown3636 if you can remember I’d love for you to come back to this thread and tell me what you thought. Enjoy and all the best!

Well worth it! Beautiful edition.