I should probably explain the title of the blog. It's from Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun.The book is set in the far future, when the sun is getting old and red. The Claw is a relic which the protagonist, Severian, finds in his travels. It reportedly belonged to a legendary character called The Conciliator, who, it is believed, will return to 'Urth' someday as the New Sun, bringing light and life back to a dying planet.
This may sound like a not-so-interesting pulp fantasy novel, and that's certainly where Wolfe has gotten some of these ideas from. But to call it a pulp fantasy novel would be like calling Hamlet a rabble-rousing revenge fantasy. I've sung Wolfe's praises enough in my life, so I'll just say that he's probably my favorite author, and that it's no accident that critics compare him to Dickens, Nabokov, Melville, Borges, and other famous types. (Yes, I have read books by them and I can see where the critics are coming from!)
The cover art is by Don Maitz, a prolific fantasy artist.
Mr. Wolfe doesn't have too much of a web presence - the most notable fan-site is by Paul Duggan.
Why did I pick the name for my blog? It sounds catchy, I love Wolfe's book, and it wasn't taken yet!
I hope.
7 comments:
Because "Shadow of the Torturer" would probably give visitors quite the wrong impression about your blog's content...
Yes, that too!!
And the titles of the later books aren't nearly as catchy:
The Sword of the Lictor &
The Citadel of the Autarch.
Plus "The Blog of the New Sun" lacks panache.
You just couldn't leave Gene out of it, could you? Geek. Although, I suppose the only reason I even know you is because I joined your science fiction group...
Yeah, and what does that say about YOU?! You're like, a hanger-on geek! :-)
The only one of Wolfe's books I've read to date is Free, Live Free, which almost isn't even sci-fi. I did enjoy it, though, and wouldn't mind reading more of his work at some point.
Do, Wolfe is amazing. My personal favourite so far is his recent The Knight, though I am now reading the book of the new sun, and I certainly have high hopes for it. The man is a serious legend.
Don't forget The Fifth Head of Cerberus. My personal favorite Wolfe work.
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