Kirkus review of RttW

akt · 15 Dec 2000, 20:18 · from whorl-v0012.mbox · original

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From: <akt at attglobal.net>
Subject: (whorl) Kirkus review of RttW
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2000 20:18:58
Message-ID: <whorl-v0012-0067 at digest.urth.net>
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IMO, this early review for booksellers does not include spoilers (yes, I
am also one of the people you can put on your hate list), but if you are
super-sensitive, you may want to skip it. I do not believe in "spoiler
space." Caveat lector.

RETURN TO THE WHORL. This, the third and final part of Wolfe=E2=80=99s Shor=
t Sun
trilogy, itself the sequel to a tetrology, the Book of the Long Sun,
concludes the saga of Patera Silk, the one-time ruler of an immense
starship, the Whorl, the story=E2=80=99s narrator, Horn, various other
characters--some of whom may have become composite--and the planets that
the Whorl=E2=80=99s colonists have populated. So much is clear. For the
remainder, Wolfe includes his usual teasing list of =E2=80=9Cproper names i=
n the
text,=E2=80=9D which helps less than not at all. Also, this time, Wolfe pro=
vides
a typically elusive recap and update guaranteed to disconcert readers
not already perplexed--Wolfe=E2=80=99s demands on his readers grow more one=
rous
with every volume. If by this point you have even a tenuous idea of what
the series is all about, you=E2=80=99ll certainly enjoy the finale. For the=
 rest
of us mere mortals, Wolfe=E2=80=99s grace and power evoke gleams of admirat=
ion
even as we float away on a tide of indifference.

-alga

*This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun.
*More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.moonmilk.com/whorl/
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*If it's Wolfe but not Long Sun, please use the URTH list: urth at lists.best.=
com

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