What do You think about Litany Of The Long Sun (2000)?
I had read that the Long Sun books are, superficially at least, less tricksy than Gene Wolfe's work usually turns out to be. I found this to be true, on a first reading. Indeed, I'm not sure I missed anything of significance; but then, I'm a veteran Wolfie.A reviewer on Amazon complained that the first of the two books compiled here, Nightside the Long Sun, was slow and tedious - that the hero, Silk, spends a hundred pages failing to sacrifice a crow and breaking into a house. Those two events, as well as some others of considerably greater significance, do indeed take about a hundred pages to tell, and while I appreciated the deeper undercurrents which are really what we acolytes read Wolfe for, I agree with that groundling reviewer that the break-in scene, in particular, is too long extended. However, it should be added that all the action of Nightside takes place over a period of three days.The second book in the compilation, Caldé of the Long Sun sets a snappier pace; indeed, it's all action, especially towards the end. I enjoyed it very much, especially the revelation of what the Whorl really is (even though this should come as no surprise to anyone who has paid attention to the preceding text).However, Caldé may contain, nearly at the end, the biggest flaw I've ever seen in a Gene Wolfe novel: a gaping hole in the scenery through which the mechanics of the plot, usually in Wolfe a marvel of invisible subtlety, are embarrassingly evident. It concerns the death of a character, a minor one with obvious major potential. The death comes as a surprise, so much so that I was moved to wonder why the character was killed off. The obvious answer, I am sorry to say, is that it was necessary for the character to die in order that there might be two more books in the cycle. If the death had not occurred, all would have been explained to Silk (and thus to the reader) far too early.Yet writing this, I find I am not so sure as I thought I was. That character, though minor, was very active while on stage, and very fully drawn. I have yet to read the second volume of this Long Sun omnibus edition, Epiphany of the Long Sun; it is sitting upstairs on my bedside table. I shall not be surprised to find the character returning in it, either resurrected or not actually dead in the first place. Such things often happen in the stories of Gene Wolfe.Yet I cannot help thinking that the point at which this 'death' occurs in the narrative is rather too convenient - for the author.Still, the great virtue of Wolfe's writing is that it promotes and rewards speculation of this kind. For those who like to read 'from between the shoulder-blades' as Nabokov put it, no science-fiction writer, either living or dead, compares with him. Indeed, his work invites comparison with that of Nabokov (or even Proust, a comparison Wolfe encourages). I'm not sure he is fully on that level; he is a religious man and a conservative, and is blind to human nature, particularly female human nature, in precisely the degree those adjectives imply. Certainly he cannot match Joyce or Nabokov for insight. But he is indubitably a great writer, worthy to be compared with those immortal names and to sit at the same high literary table.
—Palmyrah
Despite the similar name, and the recurrence of one (sort of) character from the dark brilliance of The Book Of The New Sun, the Long Sun books bear little resemblance to their better-known predecessor. Stylistically and tonally they owe more to Wolfe's Latro sequence than to the labyrinthine complexities of BOTNS - they are lighter, airier, and filled with a gentle pastoral beauty that makes the darker undertones of the text feel far more arresting and powerful when they occasionally burst through. The story of a young priest, Patera Silk, who is enlightened by a 'minor' God and charged with saving his church in a small, run-down part of the city of Viron; The Long Sun is a beautiful, sprawling reflection on love, religious and personal duty, and the nature of faith itself. Wolfe's prose is often exceptionally dense and elusive; and whilst BOTLS is certainly more accessible than BOTNS, newcomers to his work may find it frustrating. Additionally, Wolfe takes an unusually long-winded approach to setting the opening scenes, given the steady pace of the rest of the book, and the first 100 pages drag somewhat. Otherwise, a wonderful story told with Wolfe's customary imagination, skill and grace.
—Richard Gogarty
The Book of the Long Sun is really one long multi-volume work. This review of only the first half of the multi-volume “book” will therefore be inadequate. However, this is one of Wolfe’s easiest to read, making the journey much less confusing and difficult when compared to some of his other work.Before starting the review proper, there is another disclaimer. Viewing this book as a sequel series to the Book of the New Sun is misleading. Aside from the obvious tie in with the series’ title, there has been a grand total of one reference to anything related to the Book of the New Sun, which is very easy to miss completely. Because of this, it is better to have the expectations not of a direct sequel series; they are technically in the same fictional universe, but are more complementary thematically than anything else.In the novel itself, Wolfe is doing something most unexpected; he’s easy to read. There are a few archaic words like manteion and patera, but they are easily deciphered from the text. The narration is third person omniscient, which evades the common critique that Wolfe’s works are too unreliable to read coherently. I never found myself rereading passages to understand basic plot points or character motivations. Because of this, I am almost tempted to say this is a better starting point for those new to Wolfe than the New Sun.Characterization is perhaps the strongest part of these first two novels. Each and every character has a unique voice when they speak, and Wolfe never loses touch with those characterizations. This adds not only to the ease of reading, but also allows the reader to see how brilliantly the characterizations really shine. Motivations and intent can be followed effortlessly. This may seem like a silly compliment, but with Wolfe, his characterizations are so deep and nuanced, that having a simple presentation allows the reader to simply enjoy the ride.That is nothing to say of the most intriguing and well written character, the protagonist Patera Silk. I have never connected so much with a protagonist before, though this may be because I am also a 23 year old blonde haired male with extensive knowledge and personal faith in Christianity. The character is innocent and naïve, yet intelligent and charming to everyone he meets. Watching him act is seeing where his story leads is the main driving force of the first book especially. I kept wanting to read more after each chapter. Whether it was the fascinating spiritual religion of gods and demons Wolfe has created, the plots and motivations of various characters, or simply wanting to know more about the cylindrical whorl with its literal long sun, I always wanted to keep reading. It was a relief to simply enjoy Wolfe’s work without all of the consternation that usually accompanies such a challenging writer.
—Davis
