Latro in the Mist

[Azathoth]

So, has anybody else read this wonderfully odd book?

Personally, I found it to be an incredibly difficult book to read - normally I can just sit down and zip through a novel in a single night. This book, on the other hand, still demands my attention, even after several weeks since its purchase. It's driving me crazy, but in a good way .

I've never really read a fantasy novel quite like it before. In a way, I suppose it reminds me of American Gods, but this book feels superior to Gaiman's - more depth, more mythology. The only thing I feel lacking here are the characters...Latro seems more like a vehicle to explore with than a real person, despite his peculiarity, and we never really get to delve into his slave Io's personality, which is a bloody shame.

So, for those of you have have read it, what did y'all think of the book?

 

[Teir]

*raises hand*

oh Ive read it!
And yes i agree with you, a book that needs your attention.
My reading of it was very disjointed i must admit..i read some then put it down for months then picked it up again and read from the middle...then put it down then went back,.... then read the second half..lol
i don't know...it was just so hard to get into the flow, so hard to find order ,maybe because of Latro own memory limits.
It put me all over the place, most likely because i didn't give it the time and attention it needed.
But reading it I did love the concept and the story, (abstract and disjointed that it was, at least IMO) was entertaining enough and unique i thought.

It just felt like there were bits of it missing that should have been there...if that makes any sense *shrug*
Odd and wonderfull indeed

 

[GOLLUM]

Yes I've also read it, brilliant stuff but then again anything by Gene is!!!

I think I wrote something up on this a while back, have to see if I can chase it up.

 

[Azathoth]

It just felt like there were bits of it missing that should have been there...if that makes any sense *shrug*

Actually, that makes perfect sense.

Yes I've also read it, brilliant stuff but then again anything by Gene is!!!

I guess I'm gonna have to read some of his other stuff now.

 

[Wok the One Eyed]

i first read this when it came out and discarded it as incomprehnsible. I returned to it this year and have read it all, and thoroughly enjoyed it, until i reached the last chapter.

i actually shouted NO! at the ending, as it has to be the most confusing resolution of a book ever (LOL). Careful study and hard googling has enlightened me somewhat.

Gene Wolfe - what a teacher.

 

[HeliumHead]

I read The Soldier of the Mist (friend's copy) when it first came out. Much later, I picked up a copy of The Soldier of Arete, however, it was at that time impossible to find the first book. Finally, I bought Latro in the Mist to have the (at the time) complete series only to almost immediately give it to a friend's daughter who had just messed up her ankle in a car crash. I have yet to replace it or read the third story.

Despite all of that, I think it is a superb work. In fact, I'll go so far as uttering the heresy that I liked it even more than The Book of the New Sun (which I do also consider a great work).

 

[GOLLUM]

Despite all of that, I think it is a superb work. In fact, I'll go so far as uttering the heresy that I liked it even more than The Book of the New Sun (which I do also consider a great work).

Not so much heresy, several people regard Latro In The Mist to be Gene's finest work.

 

[Inkreator]

I've recently begun reading Latro in the Mist, and so far I'm at the part where he goes away to the graveyard to raise the dead. It is quite strange how Wolfe can make his characters so realistic. In Severian you could see how sometimes he denied the truth and thus told us lies, but Latro here is the perfect listener as mentioned in the book. He can tell no lie, save those he remmembers and there are quite a few. I'm enjoying the book, and usualy when I'm done with one chapter or two, I read them again immediatly. No matter how much I read his works they just keep getting better.

 

[GOLLUM]

Yes and you folks may like to know the latest installemnt Soldiers Of Sildon recently won the World Fantasy Award for best novel. I'm still to complete it but it's as good as the originals.

 

[citri]

I can't tell whether or not to read this book. I am personally an avid reader but I have other books I really feel like I need to get to. Would reading this book be too much of a task when there are other things I need to read? I have looked around and found essentially this: It is a difficult but rewarding read. To fully get it, you should read multiple times. The ending really sucks. Soldier of Sidon is the third one which will probably resolve the ending of Latro in the Mist. I just can't decide. I checked it out from a library and have other books checked out and from what I have heard, it is a book which you need to commit yourself to (and be of high education) to fully appreciate. I wouldn't want to ruin it by skimming through it to get it out of the way so I could read another book. I have already checked it out a couple of times and returned it before so I feel kind of indecisive on reading it after seeing all of these intimidating reviews. I generally like books that are easy to read so that it isn't work to puzzle out all of the little details. Maybe I'm just lazy.

 

[GOLLUM]

I can't tell whether or not to read this book.

None of Gene's books are what I would call easy reads, which is a turn on for many people but a turn-off for others. I would personally read the soldier series in order rather than the third installment first.

Sorry for the late reply.....

 

[citri]

I would personally read the soldier series in order rather than the third installment first.

Sorry for the late reply.....

Well of course I would read it in order. I am not entirely sure what gave you that idea but it doesn't really matter anyways. Also, I am actually pretty surprised that there was a response considering the somewhat obscure nature of the book. Anyways, would you (Gollum) recommend that I read it or would anyone else reading this post recommend it? I have already heard about the pro's and cons of the book, I just want to hear some personal opinions on this.

 

[GOLLUM]

I have no hesitation in recommending you read this series. I think it's one of Gene's best works, dealing primarily with the concepts of memory and self identity. I also like the way in which the central character has to write down the days events at the end of each day as he forgets what happens the following morning. He can also communicate with the Gods which is quite cool.

Let us know how you fare.

Hopefuly some other members can post their thoughts here.

Cheers...

 

[T77]

I'll be starting this soon, I have aabout 40 pages to go in The Knight first. I read a few pages already and liked what I read. I'll post impressions as I go along. I'm a slow reader though, so don't expect anything soon.

Unless The Knight flops in the last 40 pages, which I doubt, I absolutely loved that book. I recently started reading fantasy and Gene is just inifinitely better than any other author I've read so far. I might have to go as far as saying that he's ruining other books for me, as I say to myself, why am I reading this when I could be reading Wolfe?

 

[GOLLUM]

I might have to go as far as saying that he's ruining other books for me, as I say to myself, why am I reading this when I could be reading Wolfe?

A common affliction I can assure you.....

 

[T77]

I finished Soldier in the Mist last night. I liked it a lot, although there are quite a few plot lines that I hope are expanded on and questions that are answered in the next two books. One complaint is that the plot didn't get going until about chapter ten or so, if it weren't for this I would rate it higher.

I liked the history aspects of it more than I thought I would and there were more fantasy elements than I had hoped. Some of the chapters with the gods were incredible.

I'm looking forward to reading the next two books, but I am rotating Gene's works, so I won't get back to the Soldier series for a while. Next up will be the first novella in Fifth Head of Cerberus, then the second book of the New Sun followed by The Wizard.

 

[T77]

Just finished Soldier of Arete. I was a bit disappointed. The first half of the book was great, but it fell flat in the second half. I really had to force myself to finish it.

I hope that Soldier of Sidon lives up to the firsr book and a half. Probably won't get to it for a while, as I plan on reading the last two books of the 'New Sun' and then moving right into the 'Long' and 'Short Sun'.

 

[GOLLUM]

Soldier of Sildon is better T77.

It won the World Fantasy Award for last year.

I'm very intersted on your take on the Long and Short Sun books. Very few people I know have read those other than myself here, so it would be good to have another member to discuss those with....

 

[T77]

Soldier of Sildon is better T77.

It won the World Fantasy Award for last year.

I'm very intersted on your take on the Long and Short Sun books. Very few people I know have read those other than myself here, so it would be good to have another member to discuss those with....

Good to hear Gollum, looking forward to Soldier.

The Sun books are first though. I plan on reading the Long and Short Sun after the New, I already purchased the first two Long Sun books. I will certainly post my thoughts.

Started the third book of the New Sun and it feels good to be back in that universe. Since I'm working my way through the Sun books, I have three New, four Long and three Short ahead of me. Looking forward to it!

 

[Lamont Cranston]

I've read Soldier of the Mist, trying to track down Soldier of Arete.
I got the 1986 hardcover of Mist with the Mark Harrison cover, so I would prefer to get the same of Arete but if I can't I guess I'll just get the Latro of the Mist omnibus.