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The Citadel of the Autarch

Urth: Book of the New Sun, Book 4

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The Citadel of the Autarch

By: Gene Wolfe
Narrated by: James Lailey
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Severian the Torturer continues his epic journey across the lands of Urth, carrying with him the Claw of the Conciliator and the great sword, Terminus Est. All his travels are leading towards a destiny that he dare not refuse.... 

Winner of the John W. Campbell Award for best novel, 1984.

©1983 Gene Wolfe (P)2021 Orion Publishing Group Epic Fantasy Genre Fiction Hard Science Fiction Literary Fiction Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction
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The Urth of the New Sun By: Gene Wolfe
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This review is a little 'compare and contrast' with the review I wrote of the Shadow of the Torturer read by Jonathan Davis whose reading is much more what the books need. Nevertheless the reading by James Lailey has its good points. I would not criticise him: indeed I would imagine that were he reading the Flashman books, books about Biggles, spies or detectives - all of which I love by the way - I would be searching him out. He does a great job of differentiating the characters - although I hadn't realised that Severian's Commonwealth in the distant future would be populated by so many people with British regional accents. (Take no offence, please: I have one of those myself.) These subtle books, however, are not Boy's Own Adventures and the characters should be filtered through Severian's perception. It should be his voice. So, disappointing, but the story can stand a bit of a paint job and still look vintage. Lailey has a nice clear voice. And it's available now to download.

Still worth your time

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Love the universe created by Wolfe. However, I still have many unanswered questions that I do not think will be solved.
Perhaps that is Wolfe's intent.

Incredible series

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