The Knight - Gene Wolfe
A short review of Gene Wolfe's best book to date,
imo.
You absolutely must read Gene Wolfe's latest
novel, _The Knight_. Sure, it's fantasy - but there's poetry in that prose and
an amazingly rich multiverse of amusement. Oh yeah, you're sold now, 'fantasy
and poetry.' ;-) Seriously, it's tough to explain... this is Wolfe's most
accessible novel, while losing nothing. You owe it to yourself to read this
author, he's the best craftsman writing sci-fi/fantasy or
otherwise.
But what is it about? The
narrator is a 16 year old boy, probably from the Midwest, writing a letter to
his brother (and all other readers) about this world he inhabits, as a true
heroic knight. Reading this first-person account of a boy trapped in a knight's
body was just pure heaven. The book gives a nod to Vinge, Crowley, Gaiman,
Knight, and others, while being wholly original and wonderful. A true must
read.
I cannot wait for the follow-on
in the series, The Wizard. I'll reread _The Knight_ before it arrives sometime
this year... maybe more than once.
Posted: Sun - January 4, 2004 at 02:52 PM