Completing the Solar Cycle

[Evan]

I am a newcomer to Gene Wolfe having recently read the Book of the New Sun and Urth of the New Sun. My knowledge of the Short Sun and Long Sun is extremely limited. Should I just dive right in or should I re-read New Sun?

[Bart]

Time spent re-reading the New Sun is never wasted. Read that one backward and forward, out loud and upside down, until you've penetrated its deepest mysteries. Then read it again because you missed something.

Those other books are good but they don't really compare in my opinion.

[Will]

I think Short Sun stands well against New Sun once you shake out the came-first-syndrome.

I do recommend reading New Sun again before launching into Long Sun (and then again before launching into Short Sun... and again afterwards)

[Adam]

The main caveat I have with the other sun books and why I've never made it that far(though I am one book away from finishing Long Sun)is the narrative style changed. The baroque, hilarious, and partially mad voice of Severian is the main appeal to me of the first books.

[Evan]

Adam, I haven't picked up the Long Sun yet. How does the narrative voice change from New Sun? Does it go from first person to a third person narrative or do you mean the narrator doesn't draw you in with the quite the same force as Severian?

[Zach]

I found the Long Sun books pretty flat and uninteresting, but I loved Short Sun almost as much as New Sun.

[Zach]

oh also: New Sun isn't really necessary to understand and enjoy LS or SS, but SS builds too much on LS to skip those.

[Adam]

It's a third person. Though I believe it's narrated by one of the side characters. It has lots of dialogue(which reveals characters thoughts and motives) lots of intrigue. Complex and more dry. Hard to get through.But I may have a different opinion when I finally finish it.

[Jeremy]

I started out with the Long Sun and loved every page. I think I've read the whole series so many times I might need to get another copy. The Short Sun books are also very good. The tone and voice in each series is so different I think you should just focus on enjoying each series on its own merits.

[Ed]

I just posted a similar sentiment in another thread here, so I apologize for the duplication, but I really think the Short Sun books are Wolfe's crowning achievement. The Short Sun series stands up very well to New Sun, I think, but, as you can see from this thread, each series has its fans. When I got to the end of Short Sun though, I was awestruck at the literary achievement of the whole Solar Cycle. It's the SF-equivalent of cliimbing Mt. Everest.