Gene Wolfe: Book of the New Sun

Randy Murray · 07 Mar 1986, 19:42 · from sf-lovers.1986.mbox

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From: cbosgd!rtm at caip.rutgers.edu (Randy Murray)
Subject: Re: Gene Wolfe: Book of the New Sun
Date: 7 Mar 86 19:42:30 GMT
Message-ID: <sflovers-v11-40-10 at digest.sf-lovers>
X-Digest-Issue: SF-LOVERS Digest V11 #40
X-Urthmirror-Source: https://archive.org/details/sf-lovers-digest-vol-11

I've really been shocked at all the net-talk about how difficult it
is to read Wolfe's work.  His novel and short stories have been
absolutely spellbinding to me.  It seem as if a number of you claim
to understand fiction (let alone science fiction), yet haven't
learned to willingly suspend your disbelief.

While recently reading one of his short stories "The eyeflash
miracles" I had one of those revelations that makes you want to
abuse innocent and uncaring bystanders.  Wolfe understands that the
reader is blind.  The reader can never truly see anything, no matter
how detailed or complex the description.  The writer can only delude
his audience into believing they see and understand.  Wolfe can be
painfully truthful in his fiction.  The reader must not fix images
in his mind and rely on them as stable.

I can't believe that Wolfe is causing such a stir because he uses
difficult language.  The work in BotNS comes in not fighting the
author.  Let him take you where he wants to go.  And if you think
you were confused with BotNS, you should try one of his earlier
novels, _Peace_.

You can get lost in Wolfe's work.  Why not sit in the dark and let
Gene tell you a story.

By the way, I was just introduced to the net.
I love it.
So let's hear from y'all.

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