Customer Reviews

The Citadel of the Autarch

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Like the other three books of this series, the Citadel is a gorgeously written account of Severian the Torturer's journey to the Autarch's throne in a far future. Gene Wolfe's story is outstanding, if only for the fabulous otherworldly reality he has fashioned with beautiful language and a singular voice. The Urth he has created is real, filled with layered depth and detail. The story reaches a satisfying endpoint in this volume -- I hesitate to call it a conclusion, because like a real history, it could continue forever. This series is one of the best of all time.

The Citadel of the Autarch is a satisfying conclusion to Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun. (A fifth book, The Urth of the New Sun, is a coda to the original four books.) We've known all along that Severian the torturer would be the autarch by the end of his story, but his fascinating journey to the throne is what this saga is all about... on the surface, at least.

What it's really about, for those who want to see it, is the juxtaposition of future and past, the nature of time and space, perception and reality, religion and science, and the Earth's and humanity's need for redemption. All of this is explored in the context of the strange characters, situations, and places that Severian meets on his way.

The Book of the New Sun is not an easy read, but it's what speculative fiction is all about -- it's brain-bending, it makes the reader consider and question, it stretches the intellect and opens the mind to new ideas and experiences. In The Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe accomplishes all this and does it in a beautiful way. This is my measuring rod for excellent fantasy literature.

For readers who don't want to be bothered by allegory and symbolism, or don't want to risk scorching their synapses, there's still much to admire in The Book of the New Sun, for though it wallows in weirdness, all of it is tied loosely together by Wolfe's lovely language, detailed world-building, smart ideas, and astounding imagination.

I look forward to reading on in Gene Wolfe's Solar Cycle (there are two sequel series: The Book of the Long Sun and The Book of the Short Sun.)

'The Citadel of the Autarch' is the final volume in Gene Wolfe's 'The Book of the New Sun', although 'The Book of the New Sun' is itself followed by 'The Urth of the New Sun'.
The plot follows Severian's journeys as he finds himself caught up in the Commonwealth's war with the Ascians, before returning to Nessus. The last half of the book many (but not all) questions are answered and plots resolved. Really a wonderful book as soon as I finished it I wanted to pick up the first one again to reread it to catch all the things that I missed before that had now become clear(er). 'The Book of the New Sun' is not an easy read but it is well worth the effort.

The Autarch, as the name suggests, is a ruler. Despite all Severian's
wanderings, meanderings, derelictions of duty, and adventures, it seems
that the Autarch sees him as future leadership material. His final fate
is to be decided in this fourth book.