Many are the
reviews declaring Gene Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun to be incomprehensible rubbish.
Certainly not a book (or series, depending how you look at it) for
everybody, it does often require a puzzling out of the scenes and thoughts that
Severian experiences and expresses—and knowledge of mythology, paganism,
anthropology, and other historical and cultural elements doesn’t hurt. Far from entertainment-lite, it’s definitely
for readers who prefer the more thought-provoking side of genre. Perhaps in response to comments about this
perceived opacity, Wolfe published Urth
of the New Sun in 1987 (four years after Citadel of the Autarch) as a pseudo-coda. Not a continuation of the main storyline per se, the book is rather that last
hammer blow which ensures the nail is properly set even if it was already
flush. (It goes without saying; do not
attempt this book without having read New
Sun.)
Hinted at but left to the reader’s
imagination at the conclusion of Book of the New Sun, Urth of the New Sun
is the story of Severian’s final judgment to determine whether he, and
subsequently Urth, are commendable enough to have their dying sun
revitalized. The story opening on a
spaceship of proportions nearly impossible to visualize, Severian is on his way
to Yesod, the planet where he will plead his case. Climbing the ship’s rigging to toss his
memoirs from New Sun into space, not
everything goes as planned, and Severian soon finds himself caught up in
strange events: a murder, a hollow android, aliens, the Hierodules, and a zoo
of strange proportions. Eventually put
on trial, characters from New Sun
return to offer witness and testimony, and whether Severian and Urth are worthy
of redemption is never a certain thing.
If fantastical ideas were a treat in New Sun, they carry over in Urth.
Wolfe continues to offer a visual story that is a joy to imagine. The space-spanning ship, the bizarre events
leading up to the trial, and, in particular, the cycles of life in the
denouement show the author is still in form creatively. What doesn’t carry over, however, is the mode
of storytelling. Abandoning the
bildungsroman format which saw Severian develop from a naïve young man into a
responsible leader, the focus of Urth
is on aggregating the deeds which comprised his development into a cohesive
statement that defines whether he is worthy of redemption. Tzadzekiel presiding over the procedural,
Severian must now face those who died in New Sun, including Thecla and Master Malrubius, as his case is discussed. Presented in less overt form in the Book of the New Sun, Urth collects this input, delivering
judgment and its aftermath in closing fashion.
Keeping standards high, the resolution is chock full of symbolism in
interesting and often surprising form.
In the end, Urth of the New Sun is not an integral part of the Book of the New Sun. It is, however, enjoyable reading that
confirms the ideas and themes at work in the series with fresh imagination in a
new setting. Starting as a
straightforward story, shifting gears once the trial begins, then dividing
itself into parallel narratives toward the conclusion, it’s possible that
readers perplexed by Book of the New Sun
who expect a transparent narrative that answers all their questions will only
be further disappointed by Urth. (I have read comments on Urth likewise declaring it inexplicable nonsense). And it’s true; Urth is not as accessible as the Book of the Long Sun or The Wizard Knight. If you were put off
by New Sun, Urth will probably only further disappoint. Nevertheless, it does encompass all of
Wolfe’s ideas in less disguised form.
The bottom line is, if you read and followed New Sun, Urth will
probably not reveal anything new and spectacular. It is, after all, a summation in a different
mode rather than a linear progression of the overall storyline. However, if you fell in love with Wolfe’s
style in New Sun and want more of the
same imagination, narrative games, and rich content, then check out Urth.
It may be extraneous, but it’s still enjoyable.
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