{ "export": { "source": "https://urth.darkrealm.vip/thread/usenet/65", "note": "Exported from an unofficial mirror of a public mailing list. Copyright in each message remains with the person who wrote it. Email addresses are obscured as `user at host`, the form the original archive published. This file was rebuilt from parsed fields rather than retained headers, so it is faithful in content but not byte-exact.", "addresses": "obscured as 'user at host'" }, "archive": "usenet", "thread": { "id": 65, "subject": "Gene Wolfe Books", "messages": 20, "voices": 14, "first": "2005-11-21T13:46:46+00:00", "last": "2005-11-23T11:31:31+00:00" }, "messages": [ { "message_id": "<2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415@fe12.lga>", "from": { "name": "Evelyn C. Leeper", "address": "eleeper at optonline.net" }, "date": "2005-11-21T13:46:46+00:00", "subject": "Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": null, "reply_link": null, "blocks": [ { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Assume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim \ndown one's collection:\n\tBook of the New Sun (4 vols.)\n\tDevil in a Forest\n\tFifth Head of Cerberus\n\tNightside the Long Sun\n\tSoldier of the Mist\n\tUrth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten rid \nof? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way lies \nmadness.)" }, { "kind": "sig", "depth": 0, "text": "Evelyn C. Leeper\nA passionate commitment to social justice is no substitute for\nknowing what the hell you're talking about. --Thomas Sowell" } ] }, { "message_id": "", "from": { "name": "Nancy Lebovitz", "address": "nancyl at panix.com" }, "date": "2005-11-21T14:27:57+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "<2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415@fe12.lga>", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "In article <2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415 at fe12.lga>," }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:\nAssume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim \ndown one's collection:\nBook of the New Sun (4 vols.)\nDevil in a Forest\nFifth Head of Cerberus\nNightside the Long Sun\nSoldier of the Mist\nUrth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten rid \nof? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way lies \nmadness.)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Do I gather you haven't read some or all of them so that you aren't sure\nwhat you'd want to reread or refer to?" }, { "kind": "sig", "depth": 0, "text": "Nancy Lebovitz http://www.nancybuttons.com \nhttp://livejournal.com/users/nancylebov\n\nMy two favorite colors are \"Oooooh\" and \"SHINY!\"." } ] }, { "message_id": "", "from": { "name": "Evelyn C. Leeper", "address": "eleeper at optonline.net" }, "date": "2005-11-21T14:38:23+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Nancy Lebovitz wrote:\nIn article <2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415 at fe12.lga>,\nEvelyn C. Leeper wrote:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "Assume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim \ndown one's collection:\nBook of the New Sun (4 vols.)\nDevil in a Forest\nFifth Head of Cerberus\nNightside the Long Sun\nSoldier of the Mist\nUrth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten rid \nof? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way lies \nmadness.)" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Do I gather you haven't read some or all of them so that you aren't sure\nwhat you'd want to reread or refer to?" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Correct. I think the only Wolfe I have read are short stories (those \ncollections I will keep).\n\nMy initial implulse is to keep BotS and get rid of the rest. (We have \nreached a point when we are really trying to at least hold the line on \nthe book volume in the house. This concept is, of course, a whole \nnother thread. As are infixes.)" }, { "kind": "sig", "depth": 0, "text": "Evelyn C. Leeper\nA passionate commitment to social justice is no substitute for\nknowing what the hell you're talking about. --Thomas Sowell" } ] }, { "message_id": "", "from": { "name": "Nancy Lebovitz", "address": "nancyl at panix.com" }, "date": "2005-11-21T14:53:20+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "In article ," }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:\nNancy Lebovitz wrote:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "In article <2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415 at fe12.lga>,\nEvelyn C. Leeper wrote:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 3, "text": "Assume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim \ndown one's collection:\nBook of the New Sun (4 vols.)\nDevil in a Forest\nFifth Head of Cerberus\nNightside the Long Sun\nSoldier of the Mist\nUrth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten rid \nof? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way lies \nmadness.)" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "Do I gather you haven't read some or all of them so that you aren't sure\nwhat you'd want to reread or refer to?" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Correct. I think the only Wolfe I have read are short stories (those \ncollections I will keep).\n\nMy initial implulse is to keep BotS and get rid of the rest. (We have \nreached a point when we are really trying to at least hold the line on \nthe book volume in the house. This concept is, of course, a whole \nnother thread. As are infixes.)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "For what it's worth, BotNS is the only one on the list I'm enthusiastic\nabout, but I'm not a huge Wolfe fan and I haven't read all of them. You\nmight want to keep Urth of the New Sun since it's a sequel.\n\nI recommend going with your impulse--used copies of reasonably common sf \nbooks are cheap and easy to get these days, and I suspect they're going to\nget cheaper for a while --you're not the only person who feels a need to\ndeclutter. " }, { "kind": "sig", "depth": 0, "text": "Nancy Lebovitz http://www.nancybuttons.com \nhttp://livejournal.com/users/nancylebov\n\nMy two favorite colors are \"Oooooh\" and \"SHINY!\"." } ] }, { "message_id": "", "from": { "name": "Steve Simmons", "address": "scs at not.di.these.org.words" }, "date": "2005-11-21T15:03:22+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Evelyn wrote on 11/21/05 at 14:38:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Nancy Lebovitz wrote:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "Do I gather you haven't read some or all of them so that you aren't sure\nwhat you'd want to reread or refer to?" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Correct. I think the only Wolfe I have read are short stories (those \ncollections I will keep)." }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "My initial implulse is to keep BotS and get rid of the rest. (We have \nreached a point when we are really trying to at least hold the line on \nthe book volume in the house. This concept is, of course, a whole \nnother thread. As are infixes.)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "If you've not started reading any of these, I'd question keeping any of\nthem except 'Fifth Head.' Wolfe is likely to remain in print for many\nyears to come, so should you suddenly become addicted to Wolfe there will\nbe plenty of opportunity to fix.\n\nBut keep 'Fifth Head.' Every time you get to wondering if you should read\nhis longer works, consider it a push towards 'Fifth Head.' If you finally\nread it (all of it) and like it, then go get some of his other novels." }, { "kind": "sig", "depth": 0, "text": "Realize that life is a situation comedy that will never be canceled. A\nlaugh track has been provided, and the reason why we are put in the\nmaterial world is to get more material. \n From \"Swami Beyondananda's Guidelines for Enlightenment\"" } ] }, { "message_id": "", "from": { "name": "Pete Fenelon", "address": "pete at fenelon.com" }, "date": "2005-11-21T16:24:31+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "<2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415@fe12.lga>", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:\nAssume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim \ndown one's collection:" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Major:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": " Book of the New Sun (4 vols.)\n Fifth Head of Cerberus\n Urth of the New Sun" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Minor:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": " Soldier of the Mist\n Devil in a Forest\n Nightside the Long Sun" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "pete" } ] }, { "message_id": "", "from": { "name": "Thomas Lindgren", "address": "***********@*****.***" }, "date": "2005-11-21T18:01:36+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "<2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415@fe12.lga>", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "\"Evelyn C. Leeper\" writes:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Assume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim\ndown one's collection:\n\tBook of the New Sun (4 vols.)\n\tDevil in a Forest\n\tFifth Head of Cerberus\n\tNightside the Long Sun\n\tSoldier of the Mist\n\tUrth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten\nrid of? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way\nlies madness.)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "A bit of triage, then? Keep Book of the New Sun, Fifth Head,\nSoldier. I might keep the Long Sun there as well, but you only seem to\nhave the first volume and it doesn't sound like you want to buy\nmore. (Soldier isn't a solo volume either, of course, but why be\nconsistent?)\n\nIf space is at a premium, just keep a slim first edition Fifth Head\nand snort or give a silent, unnerving hooded stare when people mention\nhis later work.\n\nBest,\n Thomas" }, { "kind": "sig", "depth": 0, "text": "Thomas Lindgren\n\"It's becoming popular? It must be in decline.\" -- Isaiah Berlin" } ] }, { "message_id": "", "from": { "name": "Jesper Svedberg", "address": "jesv8435 at studentnospam.uu.se" }, "date": "2005-11-21T18:25:35+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "<2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415@fe12.lga>", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:\nAssume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim \ndown one's collection:\n Book of the New Sun (4 vols.)\n Devil in a Forest\n Fifth Head of Cerberus\n Nightside the Long Sun\n Soldier of the Mist\n Urth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten rid \nof? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way lies \nmadness.)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Haven't read them all, but BotNS and Fifth Head definite keepers; being \namong the greatest works of sf of all time and all that. Soldier might \nbe a bit more minor, but the writing is beautiful and it's a must read \nfor anyone who has an interest in ancient Greece.\n\n\n // Jesper" } ] }, { "message_id": "<8764ql4up9.fsf@gw.dd-b.net>", "from": { "name": "David Dyer-Bennet", "address": "dd-b at dd-b.net" }, "date": "2005-11-21T20:22:42+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "<2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415@fe12.lga>", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "\"Evelyn C. Leeper\" writes:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Assume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim\ndown one's collection:\n\tBook of the New Sun (4 vols.)\n\tDevil in a Forest\n\tFifth Head of Cerberus\n\tNightside the Long Sun\n\tSoldier of the Mist\n\tUrth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten\nrid of? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way\nlies madness.)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Well, BotNS is clear a major work. But I wouldn't keep it. I'd keep\n4th Head and nothing else, myself, assuming I were actually going to\ndispose of books." }, { "kind": "sig", "depth": 0, "text": "David Dyer-Bennet, , \nRKBA: \nPics: \nDragaera/Steven Brust: " } ] }, { "message_id": "<3Eqgf.28625$rc7.14182@fe12.lga>", "from": { "name": "Evelyn C. Leeper", "address": "eleeper at optonline.net" }, "date": "2005-11-21T21:05:02+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "<8764ql4up9.fsf@gw.dd-b.net>", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "David Dyer-Bennet wrote:\n\"Evelyn C. Leeper\" writes:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "Assume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim\ndown one's collection:\nBook of the New Sun (4 vols.)\nDevil in a Forest\nFifth Head of Cerberus\nNightside the Long Sun\nSoldier of the Mist\nUrth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten\nrid of? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way\nlies madness.)" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Well, BotNS is clear a major work. But I wouldn't keep it. I'd keep\n4th Head and nothing else, myself, assuming I were actually going to\ndispose of books." }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Is 4th Head 20% slimmer than 5th Head? :-) :-)" }, { "kind": "sig", "depth": 0, "text": "Evelyn C. Leeper\nA passionate commitment to social justice is no substitute for\nknowing what the hell you're talking about. --Thomas Sowell" } ] }, { "message_id": "<8764ql3b5p.fsf@gw.dd-b.net>", "from": { "name": "David Dyer-Bennet", "address": "dd-b at dd-b.net" }, "date": "2005-11-21T22:10:10+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "<3Eqgf.28625$rc7.14182@fe12.lga>", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "\"Evelyn C. Leeper\" writes:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "David Dyer-Bennet wrote:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "\"Evelyn C. Leeper\" writes:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 3, "text": "Assume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim\ndown one's collection:\nBook of the New Sun (4 vols.)\nDevil in a Forest\nFifth Head of Cerberus\nNightside the Long Sun\nSoldier of the Mist\nUrth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten\nrid of? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way\nlies madness.)" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "Well, BotNS is clear a major work. But I wouldn't keep it. I'd keep\n4th Head and nothing else, myself, assuming I were actually going to\ndispose of books." }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Is 4th Head 20% slimmer than 5th Head? :-) :-)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Or shorter; one or the other. " }, { "kind": "sig", "depth": 0, "text": "David Dyer-Bennet, , \nRKBA: \nPics: \nDragaera/Steven Brust: " } ] }, { "message_id": "<_Drgf.1826$aA2.991@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>", "from": { "name": "John VanSickle", "address": "evilsnack at earthlink.net" }, "date": "2005-11-21T22:13:14+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "<2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415@fe12.lga>", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:\nAssume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim \ndown one's collection:\n Book of the New Sun (4 vols.)\n Devil in a Forest\n Fifth Head of Cerberus\n Nightside the Long Sun\n Soldier of the Mist\n Urth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten rid \nof? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way lies \nmadness.)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "No, that way lies good taste.\n\nRegards,\nJohn" } ] }, { "message_id": "<5vr4o1poaq802ttimcjva40r79b55a0m87@4ax.com>", "from": { "name": "Rich Horton", "address": "rrhorton at prodigy.net" }, "date": "2005-11-22T01:13:08+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "<2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415@fe12.lga>", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "On Mon, 21 Nov 2005 08:46:46 -0500, \"Evelyn C. Leeper\"\n wrote:\nAssume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim \ndown one's collection:\nBook of the New Sun (4 vols.)\nDevil in a Forest\nFifth Head of Cerberus\nNightside the Long Sun\nSoldier of the Mist\nUrth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten rid \nof? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way lies \nmadness.)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Of course you should keep everything. Seriously, Wolfe is perhaps our\nbest -- why not?\n\nThat said, of the books above, perhaps _Nightside the Long Sun_ would\ngo first because it really doesn't stand alone -- you need the other\nthree books in the Long Sun series.\n\nAfter that, _The Devil in a Forest_ is a very good juvenile but not\nabsolutely brilliant.\n\nAnd _The Urth of the New Sun_ is an intriguing but not really\nnecessary coda to _The Book of the New Sun_.\n\nOf course we would have to punish you if you got rid of _The Book of\nthe New Sun_, very clearly an essential SF series, or _The Fifth Head\nof Cerberus_, a great novel, from which in many ways almost all of\nWolfe descends." } ] }, { "message_id": "<1132623423.827884.143420@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>", "from": { "name": "Will", "address": "wrbriggs at gmail.com" }, "date": "2005-11-22T01:37:03+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "<2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415@fe12.lga>", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Humm, where to begin... I'll probably sound like a broken record after\nthe rest of the replies, but Book of the New Sun is most definitely a\nkeeper, as is Fifth Head of Cerberus. If you are keeping New Sun, you\nshould keep Urth of the New Sun, for while it is not essential, it does\nclarify a few things (and raise additional questions).\n\nDitch Nightside, since you don't have the rest of the Long Sun novels.\nI've not read Devil in a Forest, so I'm not prepared to comment on that\none, but it can probably go.\n\nNow - I'm probably a minority, but I found the Soldier books to be\namongst Wolfe's finest, probably because I have a weakness for Greek\nmythology. If you don't intend to acquire the sequel, then you can\ndispose of it, but it really would be a shame.\n\nAs an aside, if you're disposing of many books, most of them are\nprobably far below Wolfe's caliber, in which case you can safely retain\nthe Wolfe books and still considerably pare down your collection." } ] }, { "message_id": "", "from": { "name": "Mike Beede", "address": "beede at visi.com" }, "date": "2005-11-22T04:46:11+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "In article ," }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": " \"Evelyn C. Leeper\" wrote:\nMy initial implulse is to keep BotS and get rid of the rest. (We have \nreached a point when we are really trying to at least hold the line on \nthe book volume in the house. This concept is, of course, a whole \nnother thread. As are infixes.)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Soldier of the Mist is one of the best fantasies I've\never read. None of his other long fiction has done\nanything for me. I suggest you keep it, and further,\nthat you read it immediately.\n\n Mike Beede" } ] }, { "message_id": "<1132644489.899480.10780@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>", "from": { "name": "JavaJosh", "address": "javajosh at gmail.com" }, "date": "2005-11-22T07:28:09+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "<2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415@fe12.lga>", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:\nAssume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim\ndown one's collection:\n\tBook of the New Sun (4 vols.)\n\tDevil in a Forest\n\tFifth Head of Cerberus\n\tNightside the Long Sun\n\tSoldier of the Mist\n\tUrth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten rid\nof? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way lies\nmadness.)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Gene who? You should sell all of those nasty books and buy something\n*good* by Weiss & Hickman.\n\nSeriously though, I'd keep them all because of the books I've read in\nthat list they've all been quite thought-provoking. Soldier of the Mist\nwas my least favorite." } ] }, { "message_id": "", "from": { "name": "Nancy Lebovitz", "address": "nancyl at panix.com" }, "date": "2005-11-22T11:33:25+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "In article ,\n\"Evelyn C. Leeper\" wrote:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "My initial implulse is to keep BotS and get rid of the rest. (We have \nreached a point when we are really trying to at least hold the line on \nthe book volume in the house. This concept is, of course, a whole \nnother thread. As are infixes.)" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Soldier of the Mist is one of the best fantasies I've\never read. None of his other long fiction has done\nanything for me. I suggest you keep it, and further,\nthat you read it immediately." }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Alternatively, read it and see if you like it. If you do, sell it and\nget the trade paperback duology--it's got a spectacular cover.\n\nI suppose I should ask--do people who've read both think _Soldier of\nArrete_ is as good as _Soldier of the Mists_?" }, { "kind": "sig", "depth": 0, "text": "Nancy Lebovitz http://www.nancybuttons.com \nhttp://livejournal.com/users/nancylebov\n\nMy two favorite colors are \"Oooooh\" and \"SHINY!\"." } ] }, { "message_id": "", "from": { "name": "Mike Beede", "address": "beede at visi.com" }, "date": "2005-11-22T17:14:18+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "I suppose I should ask--do people who've read both think _Soldier of\nArrete_ is as good as _Soldier of the Mists_?" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "I didn't think so. In fact, I never got more than a little\nbit through it. \n\n Mike Beede" } ] }, { "message_id": "", "from": { "name": "Ron Henry", "address": "ronhenry at clarityconnect.com" }, "date": "2005-11-22T20:56:15+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "\"Evelyn C. Leeper\" wrote in message \nnews:rZkgf.1264$Jq4.1034 at fe09.lga..." }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Nancy Lebovitz wrote:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "In article <2dkgf.27307$rc7.1415 at fe12.lga>,\nEvelyn C. Leeper wrote:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 3, "text": "Assume one has the following books by Gene Wolfe and is trying to trim \ndown one's collection:\nBook of the New Sun (4 vols.)\nDevil in a Forest\nFifth Head of Cerberus\nNightside the Long Sun\nSoldier of the Mist\nUrth of the New Sun\n\nWhich would people say are his major works and which could be gotten rid \nof? (Yes, I know some will say \"keep everything\", but that way lies \nmadness.)" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "Do I gather you haven't read some or all of them so that you aren't sure\nwhat you'd want to reread or refer to?" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Correct. I think the only Wolfe I have read are short stories (those \ncollections I will keep).\n\nMy initial implulse is to keep BotS and get rid of the rest. (We have \nreached a point when we are really trying to at least hold the line on the \nbook volume in the house. This concept is, of course, a whole nother \nthread. As are infixes.)" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "Given only this list, I'd keep BotNS and Fifth Head of Cerberus; I'm \nassuming you won't be buying any additional books to fill out series (since \nNightside the Long Sun is part of a 4-book series and Soldier of the Mist \nhas a companion volume).\n\nUrth of the New Sun is a more difficult-to-read (or perhaps \ndifferently-difficult to read?) sequel to the New Sun series, and some \npeople don't like it; in any case it's not essential to the main story. The \nDevil in a Forest is (imho) a minor Wolfe novel.\n\nRon Henry" } ] }, { "message_id": "<1132745491.309995.133390@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>", "from": { "name": "westprog", "address": "westprog at hotmail.com" }, "date": "2005-11-23T11:31:31+00:00", "subject": "Re: Gene Wolfe Books", "in_reply_to": "", "reply_link": "header", "blocks": [ { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "In article ,\n\"Evelyn C. Leeper\" wrote:" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 3, "text": "My initial implulse is to keep BotS and get rid of the rest. (We have\nreached a point when we are really trying to at least hold the line on\nthe book volume in the house. This concept is, of course, a whole\nnother thread. As are infixes.)" }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 2, "text": "Soldier of the Mist is one of the best fantasies I've\never read. None of his other long fiction has done\nanything for me. I suggest you keep it, and further,\nthat you read it immediately." }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "Alternatively, read it and see if you like it. If you do, sell it and\nget the trade paperback duology--it's got a spectacular cover." }, { "kind": "quote", "depth": 1, "text": "I suppose I should ask--do people who've read both think _Soldier of\nArrete_ is as good as _Soldier of the Mists_?" }, { "kind": "text", "depth": 0, "text": "I'd have to think about it. However, Wolfe tends to not want to do the\nsame thing in part 2, or 3 or 4. The denoument he is building towards\nseems to go missing. That can seem a bit disconcerting.\n\nMy advice would be to get rid of the TV, shower, bed, dividing walls\netc, and get spare copies of all the Gene Wolfes. If I had to trim down\nto twenty books, I suspect he'd make up about a third of them.\n\nJ/" } ] } ] }