_The Wizard_ by Gene Wolfe - too much like previous Wolfe

Andrew Wheeler · 07 Nov 2005, 23:53 · from rec.arts.sf.written.2005.mbox

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From: Andrew Wheeler <acwheele at optonline.com>
Subject: Re: _The Wizard_ by Gene Wolfe - too much like previous Wolfe
Date: Mon, 07 Nov 2005 18:53:28 -0500
Message-ID: <436FE8FA.79611C1 at optonline.com>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
References: <1131110580.237908.247530 at g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <1131155926.362586.111770 at g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>

JavaJosh wrote:
> 
> JavaJosh wrote:
> > _The Wizard_ is volume two of "The Wizard Knight" saga....
> 
> I have to admit that I'm a little suprised that these reviews haven't
> sparked more conversation. Is the subject uninteresting? Is my review
> really that badly done that it doesn't inspire any critical thoughts?
> 
> Just curious (and I haven't and won't take offence if there are no
> replies to this, either. :)

I had a reaction somewhat similar to yours. I read the two novels
back-to-back, though, and I've wondered since then if the fact that
_Knight_ was set in type and _Wizard_ was in manuscript made it feel
like the latter was slower and less interesting. But you seem to have
had a very similar reading experience, without the format issues.

As you say, Wolfe is the master of the scene in which things almost
happen, but don't quite do so. Sometimes (as in "Book of the New Sun" or
"Book of the Short Sun"), the things that *don't* happen are important
and clear and stunning. I didn't feel that way with _Wizard_; I got lost
with Young Knight #1 narrating the stories of Young Knight #2 and Young
Knight #3, and I thought, as you seem to, that the extended
murder-mystery plot among the giants didn't help anything.

It's a shame, because I *really* wanted the sequel to _The Knight_ I
thought I was about to get.

-- 
Andrew Wheeler
-- 
I have fallen to the dark side:
http://antickmusings.blogspot.com

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