Customer Reviews

Soldier of Arete

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gene Wolfe is the best there is at what he does. End of discussion. This book (impossible to find nowdays) is the sequel to Soldier of the Mist, the story of Latro. The setting is the immediate aftermath of the battle of Marathon, Latro is a soldier of The Great King (Xerxes) who was wounded while the Persians were losing the battle. Latro had the bad luck to be cursed by a Greek Goddess (Demeter?) for breaking the rules of propriety and actually fighting on the grounds of her temple during the fight (see Herodotus, he was appalled by the bad manners of the soldiers involved in the actual event). Latro's curse is that he completely loses his memory every day, but as compensation, he's able to see the Gods as they wander around among the mortals. In order to know what happened to him yesterday, he writes a daily journal of what he did, who he talked to, and in that journal Wolfe manages to bring us the day to day life of Ancient Greece. Wolfe weaves ghosts, Gods, famous poets and warriors and ordinary cowherds throughout, and after 30 pages, you'll believe. Not just 'suspend disbelief', you'll believe. I'm going to go out on a limb and recommend keeping a copy of Herodotus handy, as well as Bullfinch's mythology. You don't have to have references handy, the story doesn't require it, but I like to KNOW who he's talking about when a general or goddess happens to walk by. Never read 'Arete' without reading 'Soldier of the Mist' first, and frankly, 'Mist' is a better book. The ending of 'Arete' can be interpreted to leave an opening for another sequel. But if GW hasn't released it in 10 years, we can't expect one now. We can only wish. These two are THAT good.

I saw from the previous reviews of this book that many people found it and it's predecessor, Soldier of the Mists very confusing. What's seems to be at issue with these books is the high degree of learning required to completely understand the story. Gene Wolfe seems to have done a lot of research in writing these books. Without having a pretty thorough knowledge of the Persian Wars of the beginning of the Fifth Century B.C. as well as the Classical Greek tongue, a reader is just not going to get everything out of these books that is in them (Yes, Gene Wolfe is playing with the Classical Greek language in these books). By the end of the book, I feel that it is possible to draw definite conclusions about the identity of Latro. As you read these books, think about the following: Who was Latro revered as in Thrace? In Greek mythology, who are the only figures able to decend to the underworld and come back at will, as Latro does unwittingly? Latro believes that he is a Latin speaking mercenary in the army of the Great King. So who is the patron god of the Latin speaking people? In Greek myth what often is done to the Greek God of War by the other gods when he over steps his bounds? Think on these things, read the book again. I think it will make more sense.

If miracles can flow from a pen, then that pen belongs to Gene Wolfe. Complex characters, gripping narratives and richly-furnished worlds of superabundant creativity -- Wolfe's vital power nevertheless turns to disadvantage when his books lose their way in impenetrable plots, although it hardly matters when the journey is so interesting. The place is ancient Greece -- the battleground of the city-states of Athens ("Thought") and Sparta ("Rope.") Latro is a greek warrior whose head injury makes it impossible to hold a memory for longer than 24 hours. Like ship lost in mist -- Latro is unable to see very far ahead or behind. Every morning he wakes among strangers, and only by writing the days events and then reading the long scroll of this handwritten narrative is he able to piece his life together and make sense of the events. But his injury has also left him with a secret strength -- the ability to speak to the Gods. It takes determination to wade through the tongue-twisting names and places, but it is well worth it to return to the authentic sense of ancient Greece, and unforgettable images of a world that has faded into the mists of the past. Wolfe never completed this trilogy, but if you appetite for greek battles has not been sated, you might turn to The King Must Die, by Mary Renault

--Auralgo

As an amateur student of history, as a writer, and as a lover of fantasy, this book pleased all aspects of myself and has become one of my favorites. I write this as I order the sequel, Soldier of Arete. They are both available combined as "Latro in the Mist" if you would like both and the third part "Soldier of Sidon" published 20 years or so later is also available.

Soldier of the mist was a great book, and this was a good sequel, but you can see the problem with writing it. Unless you have a brilliant memory the plot becomes more and more difficult to follow, the memories more difficult to call up, like Latro we are referring to our journal to see what went before, and I think Wolfe, brilliant writer that he is, realised the limitations of this style of writing and decided to abandon number three. Confusing and difficult to read, this book is not a patch on the first!

Two books, no plot! I think Wolfe wrote these books just to show how unimportant a plot really is.

And take my word for it, these books prove he's right!