Urth Digest, Vol 45, Issue 17

I was wondering why there was so much traffic on the list all of a sudden and feared it was bad news followed by a rash of shocked comments. Glad to find out it's a roll call instead -- I'll briefly add my voice to the choir. I'm a Canadian, first bought a Wolfe novel (Shadow) in 1981, the day before my 17th birthday. I've met Gene, he's a very nice guy. His work has influenced my writing -- I used to joke I wanted to be Gene Wolfe when I grew up. I'll second the recommendations for Vance and Crowley enthusiastically. I really liked Mieville's Perdido Street Station and The Scar. Iron Council, on the other hand, feels to me like his writing has gone sloppy. I stopped about halfway through it and expect to finish it some day, but it's been a disappointment. - Yves

Judging by Wizard Knight, there seems to be a feedback loup of influence.

I have started and abandoned two Crowley novels, Little, Big and The Solitudes. I want to like Crowley, but The Solitudes just seemed pretentious and boring to me. Everyone who reads Wolfe says he is great, and Alice Turner wrote a whole book on him. What am I missing? Matt G.

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