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chrissych 's review for:
Shadow & Claw
by Gene Wolfe
What a weird time this read was. Not because it was especially unusual, difficult, or confusing, but rather because of the two very different paths it takes simultaneously in telling its story.
On the one hand, these two books contain some of the most fascinating world-building I've come across in fantasy. Introducing sci-fi concepts as a medieval-like populace would understand them millions of years in a dying earth future, long after the original knowledge of science had faded into oral history, made for a thrilling mental exercise. The invented vocabulary, for me at least, added to the excitement of the puzzle. Wolfe has clear skill in laying out breadcrumbs for a grand picture, and I am on board with following them. To not mince words: this is an extraordinarily good sci-fi/fantasy blend.
On the other hand, what the heck is this protagonist supposed to be?! Severian (cool name, bro) spends the first half of Shadow as a weak and wimpy kid who is made uncomfortable by sexuality, and then at the turn of a dime he becomes the big, buff, sword-wielding object of desire for every female in the series, despite having exactly zero personality to endear him. He is cold an uncaring toward every one of his many paramours, completely lacking in charm, and apparently fumbling his way unknowingly toward some grand destiny that he seems to have no interest in pursuing. Around the middle of Claw, I began to suspect he might be intended as satire for dick-lit tropes. As an example: he harps on repeatedly about his perfect memory, much stronger than a mere mortal's, oh you dear reader, you wouldn't understand how life-like and crisp his memories are. But over the course of two books it becomes clear that he's extremely unobservant and probably full of shit.
A satirical narrator who doesn't realize how unreliable he is definitely a choice an author can make, and maybe it's even a clever one. But Poe's law is strong, and this asshole almost ruined the read for me. Once I decided to press on treating him as a satirical joke, it became much easier. So many of the characters who (for some reason choose to) surround him are extremely interesting where he is tired, base, and boring; learning about them through this idiot's eyes is some reward, perhaps made sweeter because of how slowly he notices, and thus relays to the reader, revelations that could have been obvious to a different narrator. But though I might imagine Severian has invented or embellished all of his many romances, it is extremely hard to just ignore the rampant misogyny plaguing this series, and I'm honestly not sure I'll be able to make it through two more books if they follow the trend of increasing dick-lit tropes.
I'm feeling optimistic today, so only 1 star docked. But good god, it is a BIG one star.
On the one hand, these two books contain some of the most fascinating world-building I've come across in fantasy. Introducing sci-fi concepts as a medieval-like populace would understand them millions of years in a dying earth future, long after the original knowledge of science had faded into oral history, made for a thrilling mental exercise. The invented vocabulary, for me at least, added to the excitement of the puzzle. Wolfe has clear skill in laying out breadcrumbs for a grand picture, and I am on board with following them. To not mince words: this is an extraordinarily good sci-fi/fantasy blend.
On the other hand, what the heck is this protagonist supposed to be?! Severian (cool name, bro) spends the first half of Shadow as a weak and wimpy kid who is made uncomfortable by sexuality, and then at the turn of a dime he becomes the big, buff, sword-wielding object of desire for every female in the series, despite having exactly zero personality to endear him. He is cold an uncaring toward every one of his many paramours, completely lacking in charm, and apparently fumbling his way unknowingly toward some grand destiny that he seems to have no interest in pursuing. Around the middle of Claw, I began to suspect he might be intended as satire for dick-lit tropes. As an example: he harps on repeatedly about his perfect memory, much stronger than a mere mortal's, oh you dear reader, you wouldn't understand how life-like and crisp his memories are. But over the course of two books it becomes clear that he's extremely unobservant and probably full of shit.
A satirical narrator who doesn't realize how unreliable he is definitely a choice an author can make, and maybe it's even a clever one. But Poe's law is strong, and this asshole almost ruined the read for me. Once I decided to press on treating him as a satirical joke, it became much easier. So many of the characters who (for some reason choose to) surround him are extremely interesting where he is tired, base, and boring; learning about them through this idiot's eyes is some reward, perhaps made sweeter because of how slowly he notices, and thus relays to the reader, revelations that could have been obvious to a different narrator. But though I might imagine Severian has invented or embellished all of his many romances, it is extremely hard to just ignore the rampant misogyny plaguing this series, and I'm honestly not sure I'll be able to make it through two more books if they follow the trend of increasing dick-lit tropes.
I'm feeling optimistic today, so only 1 star docked. But good god, it is a BIG one star.