The Citadel of the Autarch (The Book of the New Sun, #4) in Building a SciFi/Fantasy Library

Oct 22, 2008 Stephen rated it really liked it

Shelves: multiple-award-nominee, award-nominee-nebula, award-nominee-british-sf, science-fantasy, audiobook, award-winner-campbell, award-nominee-locus, far-future, award-nominee-campbell

4.0 stars. Excellent end to a unique and ground-breaking science-fantasy series. I have never read anything like this before. Now that I have completed all four books, I will need to go back and re-read them (or re-listen to them) again as there is so much going on that I believe the second time through may be even more enjoyable than the first. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!

Winner: John W. Campbell Award for Best Novel (1984)
Nominee: Britsh Science Fiction Award for Best Novel (1984)
Nominee ...more

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Sep 05, 2007 Tracey rated it liked it

Shelves: no-longer-owned

I read The Citadel of the Autarch as much for the enjoyment of the language as to see how Gene Wolfe was going to wrap up the series.

The main character, Severian, starts the book by becoming involved in the Northern War against the Ascians -- IMHO a rather crude parody of Maoist Chinese. He is asked to judge three stories, fights in the battles and recovers from his wounds in a Pelerine hospital. Severian encounters Vodalus again, as well as a certain eunuch from the House Azure. Prophecies come I read The Citadel of the Autarch as much for the enjoyment of the language as to see how Gene Wolfe was going to wrap up the series.

The main character, Severian, starts the book by becoming involved in the Northern War against the Ascians -- IMHO a rather crude parody of Maoist Chinese. He is asked to judge three stories, fights in the battles and recovers from his wounds in a Pelerine hospital. Severian encounters Vodalus again, as well as a certain eunuch from the House Azure. Prophecies come true, and this cycle of stories is wrapped up, with a clear lead-in to another cycle.

I enjoyed the story well enough, finding it oddly compelling, even as I grew frustrated with the protagonist. The language is also at times frustrating; if you don't have an UNabridged dictionary handy, expect to be reading for context quite a bit.

Recommended to fantasy readers looking for a relatively worthwhile challenge - make sure to get all four books & read in order. You might even wish to re-read them, as Severian says: "Before you assume that I have cheated you, read again, as I will write again".

Selected Quotes

In the final summing up, it is spirit and dream, thought and love and act that matter. -- Chapter X "Ava"

It is better to be just than kind, but only good judges can be just; let those that cannot be just, be kind. -- Chapter IX "Loyal to the Group of 17's Story: The Just Man"

Indeed, it often seems to me that of all the good things in the world, the only ones that humanity can claim for itself are stories and music: the rest, mercy, beauty, sleep, clean water and hot food (as the Ascian would have said) are all the work of the Increate -- -- Chapter IX "Loyal to the Group of 17's Story: The Just Man"

Master Paleaemon used to say that supernatural exists so that we may not be humiliated at being frightened by the night wind. -- Chapter XV "The Last House".

"I have always found that men of religion tell comforting things that are not true, while men of science recount hideous truths ... The distinction you mention no longer holds. Religion and science have always been a matter of faith in something. It is the same something." -- Chapter XVII Ragnarok - The Final Winter

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