Peace

Not sure wtf I just read. Thought I might know, then read the Gaiman “introduction” at the end. Huh? Ok. Maybe I’m not the savviest reader, too trusting. GW is a genius though. The guy can make you think. If you’re a GW fan already, then of course you must read Peace. If you’re not or not sure yet, then save this for later. But do come back.

I have read Wolfe's 5th Head of Cerberus, New Sun Series, and now this. All these have unreliable narrators, and to fully understand what is going on in any of these requires a minimum of two reads, perhaps more. Peace is a novel that requires at least two reads (and is short enough to do so) but things never really tighten up as much as I would like upon multiple readings. Much of the writing and ideas are very good, talking about deep time, evolution, things coming and going, things fading out, grief and loss, regrets and hauntings. And there are many tales of different sorts, along with Weer's memoir of sorts.. But there is not enough consistent world building, or thread-pulling towards conclusions to satisfy me. You will not be able to narrow things down to a just few options as to what is going on in quite the same way as in the 5thHoC. Multiple readings will yield more, but things remain quite indeterminant., although suggestive. The atmosphere is, as usual, very good (Wolfe creates great atmospheric feel) -- in this case, pastoral, ghostly, sinister. I would call this the most post-modern of his novels.To fans, it is a must read. To newcomers, I would say this: Wolfe creates rich worlds where what is going on metaphorically is clear, but what is "actually" going on is not. For those readers who like puzzles, I recommend 5thHofC first (also b/c it is short), for fantasy fans, I recommend New Sun or Long Sun series first. Wolfe is a great writer, truly, but complex for sure. Peace is haunting, but not sci/fi or fantasy as most people think of it. 5thHofC is more sci/fi, but not full on, and the New Sun is sci/fi fantasy with a futuristic dystopian, but also medieval feel.Intellectual and atmospheric, that is what I like about this distinctive writer. If you do choose Peace, and want a head start, read Gaiman's afterward contained in this edition, before plunging in. Gaiman's take is helpful, but not exhaustive or conclusive. Traditional sci-fi readers should be careful not to take things too literally -- that is, create interpretations that are quite literal. This is understandable, because what is weird and unusual in most sci-fi is literally true. Not necessarily so with Wolfe. Note: Peace, as Wolfe's first novel, may contain the most autobiographical content of all his novels.There are other "great" novelists we are all supposed to like: David Foster Wallace for example. I don't care for him personally. Wolfe is another "great" novelist, and so you will find many fan-boys who will say he's great, but who maybe really don't love his work, or even understand it. I genuinely enjoy Wolfe, but that is almost in spite of his fancy post-modern unreliable narrators. He creates interesting worlds, ideas, and stories where you can really feel like you are there in that world, and to me that is something literature should still try to do.

Kudos to Neil Gaiman for calling our attention to this neglected Wolfe classic. First published in 1975, PEACE shares stylistic similarities to Wolfe's most recent books: Home Fires, and The Sorcerer's House. One of these elements of style might be called the Socratic Method: telling a story in fits and starts via a talkative narrator, who questions his fellow characters and helps guide the resulting answers in the direction of the plot. Patera Silk was particularly adept at this in the Long Sun books, as was his protégé Horn in the Short Sun series. The Sorcerer's House does the same thing in epistolary format - so it's interesting to go back nearly 40 years in time to see how the master created this characteristic style that has entertained and enlightened generations of readers.All of the Amazon reviews of PEACE are helpful, except for those who didn't get past page 35. (Perhaps they would be more comfortable in the YA section of the store.) However, the one key comparison that makes PEACE truly understandable has been missing until now: Alden Dennis Weer is like Billy Pilgrim. He is unstuck in time. Indeed, taking full advantage of the novelist's prerogative, Wolfe has pretty much annihilated time for Weer. It's a non-issue for him, which can make it a big issue for the reader - but my advice is: go with it. The more people who read Gene Wolfe, the better this world will be.

A profoundly creepy book. No other piece of literature affected me quite like this one. I didn't sleep the night I finished it, my mind was so lost in attempting to unravel some of the mysteries. It's a very cerebral sort of horror. On the surface, nothing much has happened at all -- but the more you think about the story, the more you mull it over...I think this is Wolfe's best novel and the epitome of his unreliable narrator device. I also think it could hold its own among the best novels of the 20th century and it really deserves a wider audience.This book expanded my understanding of what a novel can do. I've never read anything else quite like it.

A dense, intricate, yet beautiful memoir of an old man recalling events from his youth and adulthood. Filled with interwoven, intersecting stories and stories within stories.Maybe paranormal? Maybe science-fiction? Neil Gaiman in his afterword poses his own suggestions on the nature of the narrator. While his idea is entirely plausible, I have my own, much more mundane, theory.Be warned, be aware, consider the first chapter to be a true (dare I say, deliberate?) test of dedication and focus. If you can make it through without completely losing track of what is going on, I think the rest of the book will go more easily for you.

the worst Gene Wolfe I have read.I have read all 12 volumes of the Urth of the New Sun series, (Shadow of the Torturer, etc) Knight and Wizard and a half dozen other Wolfe books.This by far the worst.I put this down and picked it up a dozen times, thinking a book of this reputation would be good, and ultimately it was a complete and total waste of time.No real plot. The narration and the person keep changing all the time. It ultimately makes no sense at all.Perhaps its supposed to be a dream? who knows?, who cares?Not "deep" book .. .merely a very badly written one!I want my time back and I want my money back!save your money

A subtle and fascinating novel that demands a second read and a lot of analysis. Read carefully because what isn't said is just as important as what is.

I didn't deliberately order this book so I would get it in time for Halloween, that was just a happy coincidence. As is usual with Wolfe, this book is not what it appears to be and the narrator is not to be trusted. Most of what he tells you is true, but not all of it. And he doesn't tell you everything. But all the clues are there, cleverly hidden in plain sight. Like the tree on the cover. Our narrator, Weer, starts out by telling us that the elm tree planted by Eleanor Bold, the judge’s daughter, fell last night. Much later he mentions that Eleanor plans to plant a tree on his grave when he's dead. He says this is because she plans to plant different trees on the graves of all her relations. But Weer is not to be trusted.I read this book once before, but that was barely enough to point me in the right general direction. But, as is usual with Wolfe, on my second reading I started to notice things, and ask myself questions that I might find answers for on a third reading, or a fourth. And I enjoyed it much more this time too. I would always give his books five stars for that reason alone, the way they demand rereading makes them great value for money. Peace won't be for everyone. And I wouldn't, for example, recommend it for light reading on a plane. There's no (obvious) central plot, you have to find that for yourself, and a lot of it can seems irrelevant or pointless. But it's not and, as you start to piece things together, the book becomes more and more enjoyable. A lot of people call Peace a classic and I wouldn't argue.

In my view this is Wolfe's best. Read it and you will feel uneasily like you have brushed against something in a dimly lit room room. You will not be able to make out quite what it is, though you may have some inkling or even a theory or two. You will be sure, however, that you have been in the presence of something very dark.

I have read a lot of books by Gene Wolfe and this is the first one I haven't liked. While the prose (as always) is wonderful the story just seems boring. I got thoroughly bogged down about half way through the book and just got to the point where I didn't want to read any more.