MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Free (DRM-free) Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolfe [Award-Win Far Future Sci-Fantasy Saga]

ATDrake · 03-07-2017, 12:29 AM

Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolfe (ISFDB, Wikipedia, SFE), is an omnibus edition comprising #1 & #2 in his The Book of the New Sun series of hybrid science fantasy set in the distant future of the Earth which has become a highly political plotty world full of intrigue and adventure, this volume containing the first half of the original tetralogy which apparently forms a complete grand sweeping saga sort of story, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Tor Books.

This is their Free Book Club of the Month selection for March. The combined edition contains The Shadow of the Torturer and The Claw of the Conciliator, which were originally published in 1980 and 1981 by Simon & Schuster, and between the two of them managed to garner the British Fantasy Society Award, the World Fantasy Award, and Nebula, Locus, and SF Chronicle wins for Best Novel in some category or other.

Wolfe has been on my to-try wishlist for ages (I did get one sale novel a while back, but it was further on in some series or other, so I didn't want to start there), and this is supposed to be one of his very best works, so

Currently free throughout March 13th directly @ the publisher's dedicated promo page (DRM-free ePub & Mobi available only to Canada & the US due to geographic restrictions in exchange for newsletter signup with your valid address), and you can follow along with the ensuing book club discussion on their usual blog tag.

Description
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. 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.

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.

03-07-2017, 12:29 AM	#1
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	Free (DRM-free) Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolfe [Award-Win Far Future Sci-Fantasy Saga] Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolfe (ISFDB, Wikipedia, SFE), is an omnibus edition comprising #1 & #2 in his The Book of the New Sun series of hybrid science fantasy set in the distant future of the Earth which has become a highly political plotty world full of intrigue and adventure, this volume containing the first half of the original tetralogy which apparently forms a complete grand sweeping saga sort of story, free for a limited time courtesy of publisher Tor Books. This is their Free Book Club of the Month selection for March. The combined edition contains The Shadow of the Torturer and The Claw of the Conciliator, which were originally published in 1980 and 1981 by Simon & Schuster, and between the two of them managed to garner the British Fantasy Society Award, the World Fantasy Award, and Nebula, Locus, and SF Chronicle wins for Best Novel in some category or other. Wolfe has been on my to-try wishlist for ages (I did get one sale novel a while back, but it was further on in some series or other, so I didn't want to start there), and this is supposed to be one of his very best works, so Currently free throughout March 13th directly @ the publisher's dedicated promo page (DRM-free ePub & Mobi available only to Canada & the US due to geographic restrictions in exchange for newsletter signup with your valid address), and you can follow along with the ensuing book club discussion on their usual blog tag. Description 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. 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. 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. Last edited by ATDrake; 03-07-2017 at 02:17 AM. Reason: Turns out there was a second part to the blurb lurking under all the quoted praise.