[books 2010] The Sorcerer's House

[inulro]

34. The Sorcerer's House by Gene Wolfe

On just about the only day I've had time to read Neil Gaiman's blog in months, he put up a link to this book. I couldn't resist the premise - con man inherits big crazy house in the American Midwest which turns out to be a portal to Faerie. So I bought it.

I've never read any Gene Wolfe before so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't this.

This is not a bad thing. I really like it, but it's - odd. In ways I can't quite articulate. For example, it's set in the modern day (there's mobile phones) but it feels like it's set some time between the 1920s and the 1950s.

Wolfe's another one to put in the "read more when I've got my to-read lists more under control" pile. Which is growing.

Comments

[the_axel]

I highly reccomend his Soldier series (Soldier of the Mist, of Arete and of Sidon). They are set in ancient Greece. The protagonist has amnesia (similar to the lead in Memento) and can see gods, ghosts, etc. and doesn't realise that nobody else can. I liked them an awful lot.

I was only able to get about half-way through the New Sun series - I tried a couple of times and fizzled out at the middle both times, not because I didn't like them but because they are very dense and require more effort than most books. I had a similar experience with Gormenghanst but got through them when I went backpacking and had a lot of do nothing time. You've reminded me that it's been over a decade since my last attempt and I need to have another go.

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

I read "The Book of the New Sun" recently which was my first exposure to Gene Wolfe. Really, really rated it but, like you, it wasn't what I was expected at all.

[zotz]

I'm a big fan. That sounds in some ways like his last one, An Evil Guest, which was set at least decades in the future but read very like (and had social attitudes from) the Thirties. I actually have a copy of this, due to graduate from my own to-read pile any day now.