Recently started The Knight...

[Kailana]

I just started this book because the bookstore only had this book by him, and so far, I think it is interesting. It is different than what I have read lately, in any case, but I am not far into it yet to say whether I love it or hate it. Only time will tell. I wanted to read his series of sorts, but of course the bookstore didn't have it. If I like this book and the sequel, then I will have to order his other books online.

[Kailana]

Okay, tell me that Gene Wolfe has better books then this one? It has an interesting premise, and I think that he pulls a kid stuck in an adult body well, but the kid is driving me crazy. Maybe it will get better, but as it stands right now I am having a very hard time getting into it.

[Coolhand]

Originally Posted by Fnord_Lord

I don't know. I bought The Knight a while back and found it insufferable. It meandered around with the character getting thrown in deus-ex-machina manner from one bizarre situation to the next, with no explanation,

Are his "Sun" books written this way, too? Or is there actually a reliable narrator, consistent plot, and some train of logic that the events follow?

Well, I read the first two and a half books of the "New Sun" quadroligy (bought all four) and sort of ground to a slithering halt because I just couldn't take it any more, for pretty much the same reasons you described giving up on Knight. I actually found them to be the worst books I've ever read. Like you, I sold them on to a second hand book store.

This isn't to say Gene Wolfe's not a genius. I guess he's like a fine Single Malt whiskey aged to perfection. A rare treat that obviously brings great pleasure to a lot of people but at the end of the day some people are always going to sip it, gag and cough out the words;
"How can you DRINK this stuff?"

Kailana, having said that, it might be worth trying another Wolfe book before you totally give up on him. The "New Sun" books are supposed to be the best, so maybe the first volume and see what you think?