Gene Wolfe

This discounted Gene Wolfe ebundle includes: The Shadow of the Torturer, The Claw of the Conciliator, The Sword of the L… This discounted Gene Wolfe ebundle includes: The Shadow of the Torturer, The Claw of the Conciliator, The Sword of the Lictor, The Citadel of the Autarch, The Urth of the New Sun “Magic stuff...a masterpiece...the best science fiction I've read in years!” —Ursula K. Le Guin The Book of the New Sun is unanimously acclaimed as Gene Wolfe’s most remarkable work, hailed as “a masterpiece of science fantasy comparable in importance to the major works of Tolkien and Lewis” by Publishers Weekly, and “one of the most ambitious works of speculative fiction in the twentieth century” by The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. The Shadow of the Torturer introduces young Severian, an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers on the world called Urth, who has been exiled for committing the ultimate sin of his profession—showing mercy toward his victim. The Claw of the Conciliator continues the saga of Severian, banished from his home, as he undertakes a mythic quest to discover the awesome power of an ancient relic, and learn the truth about his hidden destiny. The Sword of the Lictor is the third volume in Wolfe's remarkable epic, chronicling the odyssey of the wandering pilgrim called Severian, driven by a powerful and unfathomable destiny, as he carries out a dark mission far from his home. The Citadel of the Autarch brings The Book of the New Sun to its harrowing conclusion, as Severian clashes in a final reckoning with the dread Autarch, fulfilling an ancient prophecy that will forever alter the realm known as Urth. The Urth of the New Sun is the long awaited sequel to Gene Wolfe's four-volume classic, The Book of the New Sun. We return to the world of Severian, now the Autarch of Urth, as he leaves the planet on one of the huge spaceships of the alien Hierodules to travel across time and space to face his greatest test yet. More Tor books by Gene Wolfe The Book of the Long Sun Nightside the Long Sun Lake of the Long Sun Caldé of the Long Sun At the Publisher's request, this read more

Recently voted the greatest fantasy of all time, after The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Gene Wolfe's The Book of th… Recently voted the greatest fantasy of all time, after The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun is an extraordinary epic, set a million years in the future, on an Earth transformed in mysterious and wondrous ways, in a time when our present culture is no longer even a memory. Severian, the central character, is a torturer, exiled from his guild after falling in love with one of his victims, and journeying to the distant city of Thrax, armed with his ancient executioner's sword, Terminus Est. This edition contains the second two volumes of this four volume novel, The Sword of the Lictor and The Citadel of the Autarch. read more

Severian, an exiled executioner from a distant guild, journeys across a dying Urth, a world on the brink of profound cha… Severian, an exiled executioner from a distant guild, journeys across a dying Urth, a world on the brink of profound change. Prophecies whisper of his destiny, drawing him towards a climactic confrontation with the enigmatic Autarch, whose power shapes the very fabric of existence. As ancient truths and strange technologies intertwine, Severian must confront the mysteries of his own identity and the true purpose of his arduous quest. The fate of humanity and the future of Urth hang in the balance, resting on the shoulders of one man chosen to fulfill a transformative prophecy. read more

Recently voted the greatest fantasy of all time, after The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Gene Wolfe's The Book of th… Recently voted the greatest fantasy of all time, after The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun is an extraordinary epic, set a million years in the future, on an Earth transformed in mysterious and wondrous ways, in a time when our present culture is no longer even a memory. Severian, the central character, is a torturer, exiled from his guild after falling in love with one of his victims, and journeying to the distant city of Thrax, armed with his ancient executioner's sword, Terminus Est. This edition contains the first two volumes of this four volume novel, The Shadow of the Torturer and The Claw of the Conciliator read more

The Book of the New Sun is unanimously acclaimed as Gene Wolfe's most remarkable work, hailed as "a masterpiece of scien… The Book of the New Sun is unanimously acclaimed as Gene Wolfe's most remarkable work, hailed as "a masterpiece of science fantasy comparable in importance to the major works of Tolkien and Lewis" by Publishers Weekly. Shadow & Claw brings together the first two books of the tetralogy in one volume: The Shadow of the Torturer is the tale of young Severian, an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers on the world called Urth, exiled for committing the ultimate sin of his profession -- showing mercy toward his victim. Ursula K. Le Guin said, "Magic stuff . . . a masterpiece . . . the best science fiction I've read in years!" The Claw of the Conciliator continues the saga of Severian, banished from his home, as he undertakes a mythic quest to discover the awesome power of an ancient relic, and learn the truth about his hidden destiny. "One of the most ambitious works of speculative fiction in the twentieth century." -- The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

So begins one of the most celebrated stories in fantasy literature . . . packed full of mystery, deep themes and incredi… So begins one of the most celebrated stories in fantasy literature . . . packed full of mystery, deep themes and incredible prose, meet Severian the Torturer and follow him on his journey across the great world of Urth Severian is a torturer, born to the guild and with an exceptionally promising career ahead of him . . . until he falls in love with one of his victims, a beautiful young noblewoman. Her excruciations are delayed for some months and, out of love, Severian helps her commit suicide and escape her fate. For a torturer, there is no more unforgivable act. In punishment he is exiled from the guild and his home city to the distant metropolis of Thrax with little more than Terminus Est, a fabled sword, to his name. Along the way he has to learn to survive in a wider world without the guild - a world in which he has already made both allies and enemies. And a strange gem is about to fall into his possession, which will only make his enemies pursue him with ever-more determination . . . Winner of the World Fantasy Award for best novel, 1981 Winner of the BSFA Award for best novel, 1982 Readers can't stop reading The Shadow of the Torturer: 'Full of rich characters and great imagination' Mark Lawrence, author of Red Sister 'A dark jewel . . . He has a mastery of language not often seen in fantasy writing . . . Couple this with an original and unique, highly imaginative and complex worldbuilding and the high praise is warranted' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'This is a picaresque fantasy with a difference, for our hero Severian is no wide-eyed country boy from the shire, but an apprentice torturer, thoroughly schooled in his trade' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'There are certain books that can be considered life-changing experiences. Gene Wolfe is an author who has written one of those for me' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The Book of the New Sun Tetralogy is one of the great achievements in science fiction and is a MUST READ for fans of the genre. HIGHEST POSSI read more

Banished for the sin of mercy, Severian, one of the ancient guild of Torturers, flees from exile. In a mountain wilderne… Banished for the sin of mercy, Severian, one of the ancient guild of Torturers, flees from exile. In a mountain wilderness Severian, the disgraced apprentice torturer, has reached his place of exile - Thrax, the city of Windowless Rooms, where he must take up his post as Lictor, executioner and torturer. However, he flees the city and heads into the mountains. There he meets the Alzabo, in whom those eaten seem to live on, adopts a son only to lose him in battle and discharges an old debt to vengeance. As his exile takes stranger and stranger turns, he encounters fanged aliens who hide behind masks of beauty, and meets the mysterious Dr Talos . . . read more

On the decadent colony world of Sainte Croix, Number Five is a young clone fixated on his family's dark history and the… On the decadent colony world of Sainte Croix, Number Five is a young clone fixated on his family's dark history and the enigmatic aboriginal inhabitants, the shapeshifting "shadow children." Raised by an eccentric and cruel "father," Five grapples with the mysteries of his own identity and the blurred lines between human and native. He embarks on a desperate quest to uncover the truth about his lineage and the fate of the planet's original species, a journey that forces him to confront disturbing secrets and question everything he believes about humanity's past and future. The very nature of consciousness and identity hangs in the balance as he seeks answers. read more

Severian the Torturer continues his epic journey across the lands of Urth, carrying with him the Claw of the Conciliator… 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. This is the fourth and last volume in the series. read more

“Gene Wolfe is the smartest, subtlest, most dangerous writer alive today, in genre or out of it. This book [is] importan… “Gene Wolfe is the smartest, subtlest, most dangerous writer alive today, in genre or out of it. This book [is] important and wonderful.” —Neil Gaiman on The Knight A novel in two volumes, The Wizard Knight is in the rare company of works of fantasy like The Once and Future King, or The Wizard of Earthsea, that drink directly from the wellspring of myth. Now it appears in a single-volume edition for the first time. A young man in his teens is transported from our world to a magical realm consisting of seven levels of reality. Transformed by magic into a grown man of heroic proportions, he takes the name Sir Able of the High Heart and sets out on a quest to find the sword that has been promised to him, the blade that will help him fulfill his ambition to become a true hero—a true knight. Inside, however, Sir Able remains a boy, and he must grow in every sense to survive what lies ahead... “[Wolfe] should enjoy the same rapt attention we afford to Thomas Pynchon, Toni Morrison, and Cormac McCarthy.” —The Washington Post on The Knight “Wolfe’s version of Faerie is both allusive and elusive, beautiful and fatally glamorous.” —Tad Williams on The Knight With a new introduction by Yves Meynard, acclaimed author of The Book of Knights. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Gene Wolfe, whose tetralogy The Book of the New Sun was the most acclaimed science fiction work of the 1980s, offered hi… Gene Wolfe, whose tetralogy The Book of the New Sun was the most acclaimed science fiction work of the 1980s, offered his second collection of short fiction in 1990 to universal acclaim. This is a hefty volume of over 30 unforgettable stories in a variety of genres-- SF, fantasy, horror, mainstream-many of them offering variations on themes and situations found in folklore and fairy tales, and including two stories, "The Cat" and "The Map," which are set in the universe of his New Sun novels. Wolfe's deconstructions/reconstructions are provocative, multilayered, and resonant. This embarrassment of literary riches is a must for all Gene Wolfe fans, and anyone who loves a good tale beautifully told. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Young, naive priest Silk lives in the city of Viron, a dying settlement within the vast, mysterious Whorl. When Viron's… Young, naive priest Silk lives in the city of Viron, a dying settlement within the vast, mysterious Whorl. When Viron's ancient "gods" fall silent and its resources dwindle, Silk is unexpectedly elevated to the role of Caldé, a reluctant leader tasked with saving his people. He must embark on a perilous quest across the Whorl, seeking to understand its true nature and uncover why the gods have abandoned them. The fate of Viron, and perhaps the entire Whorl, rests on his shoulders as he comes of age amidst ancient secrets and looming collapse. read more

The Washington Post has called Gene Wolfe "the finest writer the science fiction world has yet produced." This volume, C… The Washington Post has called Gene Wolfe "the finest writer the science fiction world has yet produced." This volume, Castle of Days, joins together two of his rarest and most sought after works--Gene Wolfe's Book of Days and The Castle of the Otter--and add thirty-nine short essays collected here for the first time, to fashion a rich and engrossing architecture of wonder. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

This omnibus of two acclaimed novels is the story of Latro, a Roman mercenary who was fighting in Greece when he receive… This omnibus of two acclaimed novels is the story of Latro, a Roman mercenary who was fighting in Greece when he received a head injury that deprived him of his short-term memory but gave him in return the ability to see and converse with the supernatural creatures, the gods and goddesses, who invisibly inhabit the classical landscape. Latro forgets everything when he sleeps. Writing down his experiences every day and reading his journal anew each morning gives him a poignantly tenuous hold on himself, but his story's hold on readers is powerful indeed. read more

Hailed as "one of the literary giants of SF" by the Denver Post, Gene Wolfe has repeatedly won the field's highest honor… Hailed as "one of the literary giants of SF" by the Denver Post, Gene Wolfe has repeatedly won the field's highest honors, including the Nebula, the Hugo, and the World Fantasy awards. Peace is Gene Wolfe's first full-length novel, a work that shows the genius that later flourished in such acclaimed works as The Fifth Head of Cerberus and The Book of The New Sun. Originally published in 1975, Peace is a spellbinding, brilliant tour de force of the imagination. The melancholy memoir of Alden Dennis Weer, an embittered old man living out his last days in a small midwestern town, the novel reveals a miraculous dimension as the narrative unfolds. For Weer's imagination has the power to obliterate time and reshape reality, transcending even death itself. Powerfully moving and uncompromisingly honest, Peace ranks alongside the finest literary works of our time. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Hailed as "one of the literary giants of science fiction" by The Denver Post, Gene Wolfe is universally acknowledged as… Hailed as "one of the literary giants of science fiction" by The Denver Post, Gene Wolfe is universally acknowledged as one of the most brilliant writers the field has ever produced. Winner of the World Fantasy Award for best fiction collection, Storeys from the Old Hotel contains thirty-one remarkable gems of Wolfe's short fiction from the past two decades, most unavailable in any other form. Storeys from the Old Hotel includes many of Gene Wolfe's most appealing and engaging works, from short-shorts that can be read in single setting to whimsical fantasy and even Sherlock Holmes pastiches. It is a literary feast for anyone interested in the best science fiction has to offer. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Describes life on the whorl, existing inside a giant starship sent from Urth to colonize a distant planet. -- A devoted… Describes life on the whorl, existing inside a giant starship sent from Urth to colonize a distant planet. -- A devoted young priest embarks upon a quest to get money to save parish buildings and begins to discover the hidden secrets of his world, a huge spaceship. read more

Horn's quest for the lost charismatic hero Silk has taken him from the Blue world to the jungles of the humid Green, a p… Horn's quest for the lost charismatic hero Silk has taken him from the Blue world to the jungles of the humid Green, a planet with a dying red sun and populated by alien blood drinkers and their human slaves. Horn himself is changing. Some people are mistaking him for Silk or is he evolving into a saviour of worlds, formed by the strange places and people around him. read more

The torturer Severian continues his journey of exile to the city Thrax, carrying with him the ancient executioner's swor… The torturer Severian continues his journey of exile to the city Thrax, carrying with him the ancient executioner's sword and the Claw of the Conciliator, a gem of extraterrestrial power and beauty which no one man is meant to possess . . . Winner of the Nebula Award for best novel, 1981 read more

A young man awakens aboard the colossal generation ship, the *Bright Blue*, haunted by fragmented memories of a world of… A young man awakens aboard the colossal generation ship, the *Bright Blue*, haunted by fragmented memories of a world of boundless blue waters. He is John, or perhaps Horn, an "emissary" believed to be a clone of a legendary hero, and his sudden arrival has thrown the ship's ancient, decaying society into turmoil. Hunted by factions who seek to control or destroy him, John must navigate the ship's labyrinthine corridors and strange cultures, piecing together his own identity and the truth behind his forgotten past. His quest for self-discovery will unravel the *Bright Blue*'s centuries-long journey and determine whether he can fulfill a destiny that could reshape the fate of everyone aboard. read more

Gene Wolfe's Return to the Whorl is the third volume, after On Blue's Waters and In Green's Jungles, of his ambitious SF… Gene Wolfe's Return to the Whorl is the third volume, after On Blue's Waters and In Green's Jungles, of his ambitious SF trilogy The Book of the Short Sun . . . It is again narrated by Horn, who has embarked on a quest in search of the heroic leader Patera Silk. Horn has traveled from his home on the planet Blue, reached the mysterious planet Green, and visited the great starship, the Whorl and even, somehow, the distant planet Urth. But Horn's identity has become ambiguous, a complex question embedded in the story, whose telling is itself complex, shifting from place to place, present to past. Perhaps Horn and Silk are now one being. Return to the Whorl brings Wolfe's major new fiction, The Book of the Short Sun, to a strange and seductive climax. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Exodus from the Long Sun concludes Gene Wolfe's masterful sci-fi epic series, the Book of the Long Sun It is the far fut… Exodus from the Long Sun concludes Gene Wolfe's masterful sci-fi epic series, the Book of the Long Sun It is the far future, and the giant spaceship, The Whorl, has traveled for forgotten generations toward its destination. Lit inside by the artificial Long Sun, The Whorl is so huge that whole cities can be seen in the sky. And the gods of The Whorl have begun to intervene in human affairs. An entirely unexpected future awaits as Patera Silk and the other inhabitants are confronted with the world of an alien race. Wolfe's great work is complete, with the mysterious fullness of life itself. read more

Gene Wolfe is producing the most significant body of short fiction of any living writer in the SF genre. It has been ten… Gene Wolfe is producing the most significant body of short fiction of any living writer in the SF genre. It has been ten years since the last major Wolfe collection, so Strange Travelers contains a whole decade of achievement. Some of these stories were award nominees, some were controversial, but each is unique and beautifully written. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

In The Land Across, Gene Wolfe's engrossing fantasy novel, readers are kept guessing until the very end, and long after.… In The Land Across, Gene Wolfe's engrossing fantasy novel, readers are kept guessing until the very end, and long after. An American writer of travel guides in need of a new location chooses to travel to a small and obscure Eastern European country. The moment Grafton crosses the border he is in trouble, much more than he could have imagined. His passport is taken by guards, and then he is detained for not having it. He is released into the custody of a family, but is again detained. It becomes evident that there are supernatural agencies at work, but they are not in some ways as threatening as the brute forces of bureaucracy and corruption in that country. Is our hero in fact a spy for the CIA? Or is he an innocent citizen caught in a Kafkaesque trap? A Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction Book of 2013 At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Step into a kaleidoscope of imagination where ancient myths collide with futuristic technologies, and the line between m… Step into a kaleidoscope of imagination where ancient myths collide with futuristic technologies, and the line between man and monster blurs. This masterful collection invites readers to journey through diverse worlds and encounter unforgettable characters, from star-faring adventurers to haunted villagers and enigmatic beings. Each tale is a self-contained exploration of profound questions, challenging perceptions of reality and humanity itself. Prepare for a literary adventure that will ignite your mind and linger long after the final page. read more

He lives deep in the forest in the time of King Wenceslas, in a village older than record. The young man's hero-worship… He lives deep in the forest in the time of King Wenceslas, in a village older than record. The young man's hero-worship of the charming highwayman, Wat, is tempered by growing suspicion of Wat's cold savagery, and his fear of the sorcerous powers of Mother Cloot is tempered by her kindness. He must decide which of these powers to stand by in the coming battle between Good and Evil that not even his isolated village will be able to avoid. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

It's perhaps a hundred years in the future and E. A. Smithe is "a clone who lives on a third-tier shelf in a public libr… It's perhaps a hundred years in the future and E. A. Smithe is "a clone who lives on a third-tier shelf in a public library, and his personality is an uploaded recording of a deceased mystery writer". Colette Coldbrook "decides to check Smithe out from the library because he is the surviving personality of the author of Murder on Mars", and the physical copy of the same book was in the possession of her father when he disappeared and presumed dead.-- read more

The third book in the Latro series from science fiction and fantasy master Gene Wolfe, Soldier of Sidon Latro forgets ev… The third book in the Latro series from science fiction and fantasy master Gene Wolfe, Soldier of Sidon Latro forgets everything when he sleeps. Writing down his experiences every day and reading his journal anew each morning gives him a poignantly tenuous hold on himself, but his story's hold on readers is powerful indeed. The two previous novels, combined in Latro in the Mist (Soldier of the Mist and Soldier of Arete) are generally considered classics of contemporary fantasy. Latro now finds himself in Egypt, a land of singing girls, of spiteful and conniving deities. Without his memory, his is unsure of everything, except for his desire to be free of the curse that causes him to forget. The visions Gene Wolfe conjures, of the wonders of Egypt, and of the adventures of Latro as he and his companions journey up the great Nile south into unknown or legendary territory, are unique and compelling. Soldier of Sidon is a thrilling and magical fantasy novel, and yet another masterpiece from Gene Wolfe. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

In a vast, time-weathered cosmos where reality itself can be sculpted, a disgraced engineer is summoned back to a dying… In a vast, time-weathered cosmos where reality itself can be sculpted, a disgraced engineer is summoned back to a dying system. Worlds he once helped craft are mysteriously unraveling, their foundations shifting between planes of existence and threatening to consume all life. To uncover the true nature of the ancient, cosmic engineering project and prevent its complete collapse, he must journey through a labyrinth of forgotten technologies and arcane forces. His quest will force him to confront the profound errors of the past and a looming entity that seeks to reshape the very fabric of being, with the fate of countless civilizations hanging in the balance. read more

In a contemporary town in the American midwest where he has no connections, Bax, an educated man recently released from… In a contemporary town in the American midwest where he has no connections, Bax, an educated man recently released from prison, is staying in a motel. He writes letters to his brother and to others, including a friend still in jail, to whom he progressively reveals the intriguing pieces of a strange and fantastic narrative. When he meets a real estate agent who tells him he is, to his utter surprise, the heir to a huge old house in town, long empty, he moves in. He is immediately confronted by an array of supernatural creatures and events, by love and danger. His life is utterly transformed and we read on, because we must know more. We revise our opinions of him, and of others, with each letter, piecing together more of the story as we go. We learn things about magic, and another world, and about the sorcerer Mr. Black, who originally inhabited the house. And then knowing what we now know only in the end, perhaps we read it again. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

In a future North America at once familiar and utterly strange, a young man and woman, Skip and Chelle, fall in love and… In a future North America at once familiar and utterly strange, a young man and woman, Skip and Chelle, fall in love and marry. But Chelle is enlisted in the military, there is a war on, and she must serve her tour of duty before they can settle down. Earth is fighting a war with aliens in distant star systems, and Chelle's months in the service will be years in relative time on Earth. She returns to recuperate from severe injuries, still a young woman but not necessarily the same person—while Skip is now a wealthy businessman in his forties. Still in love, they go on a Caribbean cruise that rapidly goes awry with spies, aliens, and battles with pirates who capture the ship for ransom. There is no writer in SF like Gene Wolfe and no SF novel like Home Fires. read more

In the town of Castleview, Illinois, Tom Howard is murdered at the factory he manages—on the same day that Will E. Shiel… In the town of Castleview, Illinois, Tom Howard is murdered at the factory he manages—on the same day that Will E. Shields and his family, newly come to Castleview, arrive with a realtor in tow to see Howard's house. From an attic window, Shields glimpses the phantom castle that has given the town its name. They are discussing the house with Sally Howard when the police arrive bearing the dreadful news. Then, driving back to the motel, Shields nearly hits a gigantic horseman in the rain...beginning a series of collisions with the mythological that only Gene Wolfe could tell. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

Three short novels by some of science fiction's greatest writers - Ursula K. Le Guin, James Tiptree, Jr., and Gene Wolfe… Three short novels by some of science fiction's greatest writers - Ursula K. Le Guin, James Tiptree, Jr., and Gene Wolfe, edited by Robert Silverberg. The New Atlantis, by Ursula K. Le Guin: In a dark near-future, global warming and a ruined ecology is causing the continents to sink into the oceans just as the towers of Atlantis re-emerge above the sea. Locus award winner and Hugo finalist. Silhouette, by Gene Wolfe, and A Momentary Taste of Being, by James Tiptree, Jr., present two different masterpieces on a similar theme: A deep-space colony exploration ship approaches their target planet, where they must investigate whether or not it's hospitable enough to signal Earth to send more colonists. Things are not as they seem... Nebula / Locus award finalist stories. Three of science fiction's most gifted writers-winners of Hugos, Nebulas, and a National Book Award-unleash their imaginations to present startling glimpses of humanity's future on Earth and in space. Blended into that future are age-old mysteries of the human psyche, mythicized fragments of the past, and the eternal question of biological purpose. In "Silhouette" Gene Wolfe creates a self-contained world, an immense starship on a multi-generational mission to assure continuation of the race by colonizing the stars. It is a world, devised and constructed through man's technical genius, that comes to be threatened by the primitive superstitions and petty jealousies carried into space by the very technicians who serve in science's most ambitious project. The salvation of the mission and of the hundreds of lives bound to it comes to depend on a curious interplay of technology and occult human abilities. Ursula Le Guin remains earthbound, but on a "brave, new world" where a bureaucratic tyranny proves less and less able to cope with supplying the needs of a burgeoning population. A subtle irony pervades her story, "The New Atlantis." Even as government strives to assure permanence of control, geologic upheava read more

Far from his familiar world, a lone wanderer painstakingly chronicles his journey through a realm steeped in the echoes… Far from his familiar world, a lone wanderer painstakingly chronicles his journey through a realm steeped in the echoes of forgotten gods and ancient, unsettling magic. His missives, intended for those he left behind, detail encounters with strange beings and the escalating peril of a mythic conflict that threatens to unravel the fabric of his understanding. As he navigates a landscape where reality itself seems mutable, he uncovers a profound and dangerous truth about his own purpose. With every letter penned, the fate of not just his journey, but the very essence of his world, hangs precariously in the balance. read more

Gene Wolfe may be the single best writer in fantasy and SF of his generation. From The Book of the Long Sun to The Book… Gene Wolfe may be the single best writer in fantasy and SF of his generation. From The Book of the Long Sun to The Book of the New Sun series, to his impressive short fiction oeuvre. Innocents Aboard gathers fantasy and horror stories from the last decade that have never before been in a Wolfe collection. Highlights from the twenty-two stories include "The Tree is my Hat," adventure and horror in the South Seas, "The Night Chough," a Long Sun story, "The Walking Sticks," a darkly humorous tale of a supernatural inheritance, and "Houston, 1943," lurid adventures in a dream that has no end. This is fantastic fiction at its best. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

The newly crowned Autarch, Severian, must embark on a final, cosmic journey to the stars. His dying world, Urth, teeters… The newly crowned Autarch, Severian, must embark on a final, cosmic journey to the stars. His dying world, Urth, teeters on the brink of an eternal night, and only he can secure its salvation by confronting ancient, alien powers and igniting a new sun. This perilous voyage will force him to grapple with the true nature of the universe, the forgotten history of humanity, and the ultimate test of his own soul. The fate of all existence rests on whether he can prove himself worthy of this divine task. read more