#genewolfe

The great novelist and engineer Gene Wolfe died today aged 87. 

I had only really learned of his writings last year and had dug into the first book of his masterwork, the 1980 novel “The Shadow of the Torturer,” hailed by many as the “Ulysses of science fiction,” an understandable though not altogether accurate statement. Having nearly finished the second book of the larger work, I can say it is the most ingenious and delightfully challenging work of fiction I’ve ever read. I can only imagine what the final three parts hold in store. 

There exists a cottage industry of scholarship regarding attempts to break down and parse and simply fully appreciate the density and brilliance of the ideas contained in Wolfe’s novels. His writing is thrilling and terrifying and deeply wise and poetic in ways mirrored only by the finest writers. 

Some authors considered him one of the greatest in English, if not THE best modern writer, with comparisons to Proust and Borges and Vance and Melville a commonplace. He was not wildly popular in his lifetime, and perhaps the difficulty of the works drove people away, although I’d wager the reputation of difficulty was the actual culprit. With some attention and interest and a small investment in light research, one would find an author that rewarded at least as much as the reader invested. 

🐺Hello friends and listeners! Welcome to Fuligin Snuggie, a podcast for Gene Wolfe skeptics. Brought to you by AD & Will. Join us as we re-read Gene Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun in a desperate attempt to make sense of this series, its author, his fandom, and the complex legacy that surrounds this enigmatic classic of science fiction. Are these books the masterpieces everyone says they are? Is the emperor, in fact, wearing any clothes? We bring a critical eye to the series in an attempt to find out once and for all, or die trying.

🗡️We are now deep into season 2 with Claw of the Conciliator! New episodes every other week(ish).

🩸In the event we experience some recording troubles (which happens often ;_;) and are unable to release a new episode of FS proper, then we hope you’ll join us for Frelden Ringvalry, our new bonus series where we share some of our favorite things with each other!

☀️Listen wherever podcasts are found (but we suggest you avoid Spotify!)