Reviews

Sword & Citadel: The Second Half of the Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe

stephanlv's review

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adventurous challenging dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

lucardus's review against another edition

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5.0

Reread, this time with the Alzabo Soup podcast as background commentary.

tylawrencium's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

outcolder's review against another edition

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5.0

Every bit as excellent as the first half. There is lots of philosophy to chew on, I suspect swimming in the same waters as [b:Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia|118317|Anti-Oedipus Capitalism and Schizophrenia|Gilles Deleuze|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347698453s/118317.jpg|113899] ? In any case there is definitely some of that doomed-to-repetition Nietzsche, that beyond good and evil Nietzsche, and definitely lots of multiple personalities. I maybe didn't need so many tiny threads to tie up in the final pages, but it does add to the coolness of it all when you realize that half-forgotten episodes at the beginning hold more significance at the end. Truthfully, I am kind of blown away. This series is surely one of the best in the fantasy genre.

erlend_viggen's review

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

avsdhpn's review

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adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

bozonbozonski's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

fauxclore's review against another edition

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4.0

Bom, antes que fãs de Gene Wolfe se chateiem, deixem-me dizer que o livro é bom, ok?
(conto como livro os 4 volumes, uma vez que são tão indissociáveis como o Senhor dos Anéis)

Mas a verdade é que... o facto de ter sido escrito propositadamente complexo e arcaico também retira algum do desfrutar da leitura. Para quem gosta de puzzles e de "escarafunchar" gramáticas e enciclopédias, então acredito que possa ser divertido. Contudo é difícil negar que se torna muito difícil de reter qualquer ritmo de leitura.

É de salientar, no entanto, que me passou umas sensações semelhantes ao Crime e Castigo de Dostoieski, tendo um narrador não confiável e em muitos aspectos bastante monstruoso. Também é interessante pensar na "meta-ficção" de estarmos a ler um relato em primeira mão de um imperador autocrata. Deste modo, bastantes acontecimentos aparentemente inócuos tornam-se perniciosos por se tornar dúbia a veracidade dos factos tal qual são relatados. E como dizem muitos dos que lêem esta obra, as omissões são ainda mais marcantes que as mentiras.

Recomendo a quem goste de ficção mais densa, mas estejam avisados que é uma leitura difícil e lenta.

justshua's review

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adventurous challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

crustieloaf's review against another edition

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I,,,need to think for a couple of days before I write this review. I think being a first time reader will really impact my review, though