The Book of the New Sun (Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature)
At a glance:
- Author: Gene Wolfe
- Type of Work: Novels
- Type of Plot: Science fiction—theological romance
- Time of Work: Millennia in the future
- Setting: Urth
- Genres: Long fiction, Science fiction, Science fantasy
- Subjects: Future, Other worlds, Antiheroes, Torture, Metamorphosis or transmogrification, Sun, Swords
- Locales: Earth, alternate versions of
The Plot
In an Earth (now called Urth) of the distant future, the Sun is slowly dying. Humanity is divided into the Commonwealth, centered roughly in what is now South America, and the Ascians, or those without shadow, who dominate the Northern Hemisphere. The society resembles medieval cultures such as that of the Byzantine Empire.
Severian is born into the hereditary Guild of Torturers in the city of Nessus. The Torturers are assigned to torment the enemies of the city’s ruler. Severian, along with several other apprentices, is trained by the dour Master Gurloes. One...
[The entire page is 1508 words long]
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