Gene Wolfe Boeken

30 jaar van de beste science fiction en fantasyverhalen Gene Wolfe - De Dood Van Dokter Eiland Ursula K. Leguin De Dag Voor De Revolutie Harlan Ellison - Jeffty Is Vijf John Varley - De Vasthoudendheid Van Het Zicht George R.R. Martin - De Weg Van Het Kruis En De Draak Joanna Russ- Zielen Octaviana E. Butler - Bloedkind James Tiptree Jr.- Het Enige Coole Wat Je Kunt Doen Pat Murphy - Rachel Verliefd Lucius Shepard - De Mooie Dochter Van De Schubbenjager Terry Bison - De Beren Ontdekken Het Vuur John Kessel- Buffalo Connie Willis - Zelfs De Koningin John Crowley - Weg Bruce Sterling - Maneki Neko Greg Egan - Grenswachten Ted Chiang - De Hel Is De Afwezigheid Van God Neil Gaiman - Oktober In De Stoel

13 verhalen van bekende/beroemde SF-schrijvers uit het Engelstalige taalgebied.

Severian is in possession of a gem considered to be "The Claw of the Conciliator", a powerful relic of the Master of Power, a legendary figure of mythic proportions. Armed with his sword, Terminus Est, and the Claw, Severian continues his journey to Thrax, the city of his exile. Bizarre apes, strange cannibalistic rituals, and the foreigner named Jonas all lie in his future.

Beneath the dying sun the disgraced torturer, Severian, at last comes to his place of exile - Thrax, the city of Windowless Rooms. But Severian's journey is not ended, and high in Earth's ancient mountains he draws closer to his destiny.

Keuze uit de beste, korte science fiction verhalen uit de Verenigde Staten.

Written by NEIL GAIMAN Art by P. CRAIG RUSSELL, JILL THOMPSON and others Cover by DAVE McKEAN A new edition of this title collecting issues #29-31 and SANDMAN SPECIAL #1, in which Morpheus delves into the dreams of Augustus Caesar, Cain and Abel, Marco Polo, Orpheus and more. On sale AUGUST 31 168 pg, FC, $17.99 US MATURE READERS

Recently voted the greatest fantasy of all time, after The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun is an extraordinary epic, set a million years in the future, on an Earth transformed in mysterious and wondrous ways, in a time when our present culture is no longer even a memory. Severian, the central character, is a torturer, exiled from his guild after falling in love with one of his victims, and journeying to the distant city of Thrax, armed with his ancient executioner's sword, Terminus Est. This edition contains the second two volumes of this four volume novel, The Sword of the Lictor and The Citadel of the Autarch.

The Best of Gene Wolfe is the definitive collection of the best of Gene Wolfe’s short fiction. One of the greatest writers in genre (and literary fiction) of the 20th century, Gene Wolfe was a national treasure who produced the finest and most significant body of short fiction in the SF and fantasy field over the last fifty years. The Best of Gene Wolfe is an amazing retrospective collection of his short fiction, selected by Wolfe himself. Too many award winners and Best Of stories to list here; just as a sample we have "The Island of Dr. Death and Other Stories", "The Fifth Head of Cerberus", "Petting Zoo", "The Tree Is My Hat", "Seven American Nights", and "A Cabin on the Coast." Incredible tales from a writer who challenged and amazed. Who revolutionized the genre. And whose stories will stand the test of time. “Wolfe is our Melville.”—Ursula K. Le Guin

The two novels combined in this omnibus (Caldé of the Long Sun and Exodus from the Long Sun) comprise the second half of Gene Wolfe's long novel, The Book of the Long Sun.

Hailed as "one of the literary giants of SF" by the Denver Post, Gene Wolfe has repeatedly won the field's highest honors, including the Nebula, the Hugo, and the World Fantasy awards. Peace is Gene Wolfe's first full-length novel, a work that shows the genius that later flourished in such acclaimed works as The Fifth Head of Cerberus and The Book of The New Sun. Originally published in 1975, Peace is a spellbinding, brilliant tour de force of the imagination. The melancholy memoir of Alden Dennis Weer, an embittered old man living out his last days in a small midwestern town, the novel reveals a miraculous dimension as the narrative unfolds. For Weer's imagination has the power to obliterate time and reshape reality, transcending even death itself. Powerfully moving and uncompromisingly honest, Peace ranks alongside the finest literary works of our time.

This omnibus of "Nightside of the Long Sun" and "Lake of the Long Sun" is this "modern-day Homer" ("Washington Post Book World") at his best.

Set in an ancient world infused with magic and myth, the narrative follows Latro, a soldier with a unique condition that causes him to forget everything each day. As he navigates a landscape filled with gods, monsters, and political intrigue, Latro seeks to uncover the truth about his identity and purpose. This installment deepens the exploration of memory and perception, blending historical elements with fantasy, and showcases Wolfe's intricate storytelling and rich character development.

Severian the Torturer continues his epic journey across the lands of Urth, carrying with him the Claw of the Conciliator and the great sword, Terminus Est. All his travels are leading towards a destiny that he dare not refuse. This is the fourth and last volume in the series.

The first historical dictionary devoted to science fiction,Brave New Words:The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction shows how science-fictional words and their associated concepts have developed over time , with full citations and bibliographic information. Not just a useful reference and an entertaining browse, this book also documents the enduring legacy of science fiction writers and fans.

This title provides a tale of wonders by one of the field's greatest writers.

Fourteen audacious explorations of the fantastic, the magical and the horrific by one of SF's greatest writers. Contents: - The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories (1970) - Alien Stones (1972) - La Befana (1973) - The Hero as Werewolf (1975) - Three Fingers (1976) - The Death of Dr. Island (1973) - Feather Tigers (1973) - Hour of Trust (1973) - Tracking Song (1975) - The Toy Theater (1971) - The Doctor of Death Island (1978) - Cues (1974) - The Eyeflash Miracles (1976) - Seven American Nights (1978) Cover illustration by Bruce Pennington

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.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.

Of all mortals, Latro was the least favoured - or the most. The wound that had destroyed his memory had given him the ability to see the unseen: the world of the gods, the demi-gods and the fabulous. Each day events were entered on a scroll so that the next morning he could know his friends, his rivals and have some understanding of what had gone before. He had fought with Xerxes at Thermopylae and been driven from Athenian Greece. Now with his companions, Io the slave girl and Seven Lions the African warrior, he was travelling among the Thracians and the Amazons, seeking both his future and his past. Soldier of Arete is the sequel to Gene Wolfe's award winning Soldier of the Mist.

The long awaited sequel to Gene Wolfe’s four-volume classic, The Book of the New Sun. We return to the world of Severian, now the Autarch of Urth, as he leaves the planet on one of the huge spaceships of the alien Hierodules to travel across time and space to face his greatest test, to become the legendary New Sun or die. The strange, rich, original spaceship scenes give way to travels in time, wherein Severian revisits times and places which fill in parts of the background of the four-volume work, that will thrill and intrigue particularly all readers of the earlier books. But The Urth of the New Sun is an independent structure all of a piece, an integral masterpiece to shelve beside the classics, one itself.

When young augur Patera Silk emerges from his exploration of the underground passages of the Whorl, it is to find Viron engulfed in revolutionary violence - and himself hailed as leader of the uprising. As war threatens Silk's world, the Long Sun itself seems to undergo ominous changes.

Far from Earth two sister planets, Sainte Anne and Sainte Croix, circle each other. It is said that a race of shapeshifting aliens once lived here, only to become extinct when human colonists arrived. But one man believes they still exist, somewhere out in the wilderness. In The Fifth Head of Cerberus, Gene Wolfe brilliantly interweaves three tales: a scientist’s son gradual discovery of the bizarre secret of his heritage; a young man’s mythic dreamquest for his darker half; the mystifying chronicle of an anthropologist’s seemingly-arbitrary imprisonment. Gradually, a mesmerising pattern emerges.

Back in print after two decades, this fantasy tells of a young man who lives in a village deep in the forest in medieval times. Mark finds himself torn between his hero worship for charming highwayman Wat and his growing suspicion of Wat's cold savagery. And Mother Cloot, who may have sorcerous powers, works in equally suspicious ways--perhaps for evil, perhaps for good.

Wolfe, whose tetralogy The Book of the New Sun was the most acclaimed science fiction work of the 1980s, offered his second collection of short fiction in 1990 to universal acclaim. This is a hefty volume of over 30 unforgettable stories in a variety of genres-- SF, fantasy, horror, mainstream-many of them offering variations on themes and situations found in folklore and fairy tales, and including two stories, "The Cat" and "The Map," which are set in the universe of his New Sun novels. Wolfe's deconstructions/reconstructions are provocative, multilayered, and resonant. This embarrassment of literary riches is a must for all Gene Wolfe fans, and anyone who loves a good tale beautifully told.

Exodus from the Long Sun concludes Gene Wolfe's masterful sci-fi epic series, the Book of the Long Sun It is the far future, and the giant spaceship, The Whorl, has traveled for forgotten generations toward its destination. Lit inside by the artificial Long Sun, The Whorl is so huge that whole cities can be seen in the sky. And the gods of The Whorl have begun to intervene in human affairs. An entirely unexpected future awaits as Patera Silk and the other inhabitants are confronted with the world of an alien race. Wolfe's great work is complete, with the mysterious fullness of life itself.

The Washington Post has called Gene Wolfe "the finest writer the science fiction world has yet produced."This volume, Castle of Days, joins together two of his rarest and most sought after works--Gene Wolfe's Book of Days and The Castle of the Otter --and add thirty-nine short essays collected here for the first time, to fashion a rich and engrossing architecture of wonder.

Contents:How the Whip Came Back (1970)Of Relays and Roses (1970)Paul's Treehouse (1969)St. Brandon (excerpt from "Peace") (1975)Beautyland (1973)Car Sinister (1970)The Blue Mouse (1971)How I Lost the Second World War and Helped Turn Back the German Invasion (1973)The Adopted Father (1980)Forlesen (1974)An Article about Hunting (1973)The Changeling (1968)Many Mansions (1977)Against the Lafayette Escadrille (1972)Three Million Square Miles (1971)The War beneath the Tree (1979)La Befana (1973)Melting (1974)

The first of a series. In a decrepit school, children are taught to be soothsayers by Patera Silk, an innocent hero. Silk's school is sold by his superiors to the crude businessman, Blood. Silk finds that he is a powerful sorcerer, and magic is in the air. By the author of "Peace".

There Are Doors is the story of a man who falls in love with a goddess from an alternate universe. She flees him, but he pursues her through doorways to the other place, determined to sacrifice his life if necessary for her love. For to love her . . . is to die.

Latro, a mercenary soldier from the north, has suffered a head wound in battle but has developed the ability to see and converse with all of the invisible gods, goddesses, ghosts, demons, and werewolfves that inhabit the land.

A young man in his teens is transported from our world to a magical realm that contains seven levels of reality. Very quickly transformed by magic into a grown man of heroic proportions, he takes the name Able and sets out on a quest to find the sword that has been promised to him, a sword he will get from a dragon, the one very special blade that will help him fulfill his life ambition to become a knight and a true hero.Inside, however, Able remains a boy, and he must grow in every sense to survive the dangers and delights that lie ahead in encounters with giants, elves, wizards, and dragons. His adventure will conclude in the second volume of The Wizard Knight, The Wizard.With this new series, Wolfe not only surpasses all the most popular genre writers of the last three decades, he takes on the legends of the past century, in a work that will be favorably compared with the best of J. R. R. Tolkien, E. R. Eddison, Mervyn Peake, and T. H. White. This is a book---and a series---for the ages, from perhaps the greatest living writer in (or outside) the fantasy genre.

"The joy of fiction is the joy of the imagination. . . ." The best stories engage readers, compelling them to turn pages in anticipation of what comes next. Great literature is defined by its imagination, as demonstrated in this exceptional anthology, which redefines the boundaries of imaginative fiction. It features contributions from renowned writers like Peter Straub, Chuck Palahniuk, Roddy Doyle, and Joyce Carol Oates, among others, showcasing their craft and challenging misconceptions about genres. Curated by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio, who personally selected each story, the anthology sets a high standard for this "new literature of the imagination." The collection aims to present familiar themes in fresh, illuminating ways. Notable tales include Joe Hill's disturbing exploration of evil in "Devil on the Staircase," Lawrence Block's unique take on fishing in "Catch and Release," and Carolyn Parkhurst's dark sibling rivalry in "Unwell." Joanne Harris introduces ancient gods in modern New York in "Wildfire in Manhattan," while Richard Adams's "The Knife" delves into vengeance. Jeffery Deaver's "The Therapist" features a psychologist on a mission to save lives, and Neil Gaiman's chilling "The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains" offers a haunting punishment for a grave crime. This visionary volume will transform readers’ perspectives and ignite a renewed appreciation for exceptional fiction.

Magic lives in remarkable realms – and in the short fiction of today's top fantasists. In this fifth breathtaking volume of the year's best flights of the fantastic, award–winning editors David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer present a dazzling new array of wonders – stories that break through the time–honored conventions of the genre to carry the reader to astonishing places that only the most ingenious minds could conceive. In the able hands of Neil Gaiman, Kage Baker, Tim Powers, and others, miracles become tangible and true, impossible creatures roam unfettered, and fairy tales are reshaped, sharpened, and freed from the restrictive bonds of childhood. Lose yourself in these pages and in these worlds – and discover the power, the beauty, the unparalleled enchantment of fantasy at its finest.

The box is heavy, locked, and very old. The only clue to its contents is the name written in gold upon its lid: PANDORA. Bright teenager Holly Hollander is understandably curious about what's inside, but when the box is opened, death is unleashed . . . and Holly is the only one who can solve the deadly puzzle.

The best of Christmas--past, present, and yet to come Christmas is a time for miracle, scientific and otherwise, and for surprises that can only occur at this time of the year. But what marvels will the holidays bring to the far future--or to alien worlds light-years from the North Pole? In this celebratory collection, many of today's finest writers of fantasy and science fiction unwrap startling visions of the future of Christmas. An unusual Christmas spirit brings confusion-and romance-to a modern young woman. A father's gift opens up the universe for all humanity. And a devout researcher uncovers the shattering secret of the original Star of Bethlehem. These and other stories shine like sparkling, unearthly ornaments on a fresh green tree of holiday traditions. 'Twas the night before tomorrow, and all through the galaxy, nothing burns as bright as... Christmas Stars.

"Free Live Free," said the newspaper ad, and the out-of-work detective Jim Stubb, the occultist Madame Serpentina, the salesman Ozzie Barnes, and the overweight prostitute Candy Garth are brought together to live for a time in Free's old house, a house scheduled for demolition to make way for a highway. Free drops mysterious hints of his exile from his homeland, and of the lost key to his return. And so when demolition occurs and Free disappears, the four make a pact to continue the search, which ultimately takes them far beyond their wildest dreams. This is character-driven science fiction at its best by a writer whom, at the time of its first publication, the "Chicago Sun-Times" called "science fiction's best genuine novelist."

Gene Wolfe presents Lovecraftian noir fiction!

This landmark anthology presents thirty groundbreaking stories from the masters of speculative fiction heralding the future of the genre with original and revolutionary works. All-new, original stories by � Ursula K. Le Guin � Gregory Benford � Joe Haldeman � Joyce Carol Oates � and many others On K2 with Kanakaredes by Dan Simmons The Building by Ursula K. Le Guin Froggies by Laura Whitton What We Did That Summer by Kathe Koja and Barry N. Malzberg A Slow Saturday Night at the Surrealist Sporting Club by Michael Moorcock In Xanadu by Thomas M. Disch Commencement by Joyce Carol Oates Unique Visitors by James Patrick Kelly BIack TuIip by Harry Turtledove Belief by P. D. Cacek In the Un-Black by Stephen Baxter Weeping Walls by Paul Di Filippo Anomalies by Gregory Benford Captive Kong by Kit Reed Feedback by Robert E. Vardeman Between Disappearances by Nina Kiriki Hoffman Resurrection by David Morrell Cleopatra Brimstone by Elizabeth Hand Burros Gone Bad by Peter Schneider Pockets by Rudy Rucker and John Shirley Ave de Paso by Catherine Asaro Road Kill by Joe Haldeman Ting-a-Ling by Jack Dann ‘Bassador by Catherine Wells Ssoroghod’s People by Larry Niven Two Shot by Michael Marshall Smith Billy the Fetus by Al Sarrantonio Viewpoint by Gene Wolfe Fungi by Ardath Mayhar Rhido Wars by Neal Barrett, Jr.

Castleview, an Illinois town, has a phantom castle that Will Shields sees on his first night there, an experience that involves him in murder and mysterious, life-threatening events, because the castle belongs to Morgan Le Fay

Interlibrary Loan is the brilliant follow-up to A Borrowed Man: the final work of fiction from multi-award winner and national literary treasure Gene Wolfe Hundreds of years in the future our civilization is shrunk down but we go on. There is advanced technology, there are robots. And there are clones. E. A. Smithe is a borrowed person, his personality an uploaded recording of a deceased mystery writer. Smithe is a piece of property, not a legal human. As such, Smithe can be loaned to other branches. Which he is. Along with two fellow reclones, a cookbook and romance writer, they are shipped to Polly’s Cove, where Smithe meets a little girl who wants to save her mother, a father who is dead but perhaps not. And another E.A. Smithe... who definitely is.

This daring, star-packed collection challenges the boundaries of modern fantasy with all-original stories from bestselling, award-winning authors Patricia McKillip, Orson Scott Card, Neil Gaiman, Harry Turtledove, Gene Wolfe, and others.

Sir Able has returned to the world of Mythgarth, following his fight with the dragon Grengarm. In order to meet his beloved Aelf queen again, he must overcome giants, gods, heroes and a sorceress who tries repeatedly to seduce him.

The Death of Doctor Island (Oct 1973) Awards:1974 Hugo Award - Best Novella (Nomination)1974 Locus Poll Award - Best Novella (Place: 1)1974 Nebula Award - Novella (Win)

Nach dem Meisterwerk der frühen achtziger Jahre, dem »Buch der Neuen Sonne» , ist Gene Wolfe mit einem neuen exotischen und farbigen Gobelin zur Science Fiction zurückgekehrt, einem wunderbaren Abenteuerroman, der im Innern eines gewaltigen Sternenschiffes spielt, das seit Generationen in der Galaxis unterwegs ist. Seine Bewohner haben die Erde längst vergessen, die Wiege der Menschheit ist zur Legende geworden. Sie wissen auch nichts mehr von ihrem Ziel, zu dem sie unterwegs sind. Kaum einer kann sich vorstellen, daß außerhalb der Welt der langen Sonne ein Kosmos von Myriaden Sternen existiert und daß ein Planet, der einen dieser Sterne umkreist, ausersehen ist, der Menschheit eine neue Heimat zu sein. Gene Wolfe beherrscht die Kunst des Weglassens ebenso virtuell wie die Kunst des Sprechens. Er weiß, wie man Leser hungrig macht nach mehr.

Magazín F&SF; je již šedesát let jedním z nejlepších zdrojů fantastické povídky ve světě. Česká edice vám v úzké spolupráci s americkou redakcí nabízí léty prověřenou klasiku i příběhy těch nejlepších autorů žhavé současnosti. Každé čtvrtletí se tak spolu s námi můžete ponořit do barvitých světů ničím neomezované spisovatelské fantazie.

Sir Able, der Held, ist tot und verbringt zwanzig Jahre im himmlischen Reich. Als er sich an seine Geliebte Disiri erinnert, kehrt er zurück, muss jedoch ein Gelübde ablegen, seine magischen Kräfte nicht zu nutzen. Trotz seiner Einschränkung kämpft er gegen die Frostriesen und Drachen. Der 2. Band der "Mythgarthr-Saga" schließt die Geschichte ab.

Come la ruvida cartolina olografica in grado di restituire con una sensibile inclinazione lo sviluppo tridimensionale dell’immagine, le vicende di Severian,<br />apprendista artigiano della corporazione dei Torturatori, si muovono tra paesaggi medievali e architetture avveniristiche. Sullo sfondo la Torre di Matachin, luogo d’iniziazione ai segreti della casta che ammette come unici adepti i figli delle proprie vittime; in primo piano, l’amore per la condannata Thecla, motore propulsore della storia, che condurrà il protagonista lontano da Nessus, la Città Immortale; ed è in cammino sulle vie dell’esilio, con la spada del Maestro come unica compagna, che Severian tenterà la riscossa contro l’imperscrutabile potere dell’Autarca...<br /><br />Primo volume del ciclo Il Libro del Nuovo Sole, L’ombra del torturatore è una prova narrativa sontuosamente immaginifica, capace di mettere d’accordo<br />i cultori della fantasy e della fantascienza.

Zanim Severian, wygnaniec z konfraterni katów, dotrze do miejsca swego zesłania, Thraxu, musi pokonać licznych wrogów i wiele czyhających na niego niebezpieczeństw. Prześladowany przez okrutne wspomnienia i straszne wizje nie wie, czy zawdzięcza je swej absolutnej pamięci czy ogarniającemu świat mrokowi. Zawraca z obranej drogi, aby zwrócić skradziony klejnot, Pazur Łagodziciela, który przypadkiem znalazł się w jego posiadaniu. Zaatakowany przez dziwne istoty odkrywa, że klejnot nie tylko emanuje błękitnym blaskiem, ale ma też niesamowitą, magiczną moc.

Après s'être égaré dans une forêt, un jeune Américain se retrouve projeté sans raison apparente en Mythgarthr, un monde médiéval aux frontières de notre réalité où cohabitent tant bien que mal humains, ogres, dragons, elfes et autres créatures magiques. Bien vite transféré dans un corps d'adulte par Disiri, la reine des Elfes, l'adolescent prend le nom d'Able du Grand Coeur et se met en quête de l'épée fabuleuse qui lui a été promise. Mais il devra subir bien des épreuves et relever de nombreux défis pour enfin s'éveiller à sa nature profonde : celle de chevalier.

Rien de plus banal que de se faire abandonner par celle que l'on aime. Dans le cas de Green, le départ de Lara a pourtant quelque chose de bizarre, d'énigmatique. À commencer par le mot qu'elle lui a laissé et où elle lui explique qu'"il y a des portes" qu'il ne doit absolument pas franchir. Green, qui ne songe qu'à retrouver Lara, aurait-il emprunté par mégarde une de ces portes ? Toujours est-il qu'il se retrouve dans un monde quelque peu décalé par rapport au sien. La monnaie y est différente, on y trouve des poupées à l'effigie d'une "déesse" qui ressemble étrangement à Lara et, selon toute apparence, faire l'amour avec une femme y est mortel pour l'homme. En revanche, l'hôpital psychiatrique où le conduisent ses mésaventures a des airs de famille avec celui où il est arrivé à Green de faire quelques séjours...

<i>"Wolfe przywodzi na myśl Vance’a z jego poetycką bujnością obcych światów; w przewijającej się przez cały cykl zagadce tożsamości pobrzmiewają echa Borgesa; posępny i przejmujący ton opowieści kojarzą się z Melville’em. A jednak w kontynuacji swojego arcydzieła Wolfe pozostaje sobą i jak zwykle po mistrzowsku prowadzi czytelnika przez olśniewający, nowatorski, sugestywny labirynt swojej historii."</i> Lucius Shepard <i>"Czytając książki Gene’a Wolfe’a znajdujemy się w podobnej sytuacji jak Dorotka, kiedy przekroczyła próg domu i pierwszy raz znalazła się w Oz. Świat z czarno-białego nagle staje się kolorowy; tętni barwami, jakich nigdy wcześniej nie widzieliśmy. Na każdym kroku czekają nas nowe cuda. Jesteśmy gotowi natychmiast porzucić czerwone pantofelki, ponieważ światy kreowane przez Wolfe’a za każdym razem okazują się o wiele lepsze niż rodzinny dom."</i> Jonathan Carroll

Gene Wolfe Az Új Nap könyve sorozata teljesen új távlatokat nyitott a fantasztikus irodalomban, és hidat vert a történelmi regény, a tudományos-fantasztikum és a fantasy közé. Az antik műveltségre támaszkodó zarándoklatregény-folyam egyes köteteit több ízben jelölték Hugo- és Nebula-díjra, mely utóbbit a World Fantasy-díjjal egyetemben el is nyerte. Hatása egy egész új írónemzedék munkáján érződik, és mára az öt kötetes sorozat igazi klasszikusnak számít. A spekulatív irodalmat nem érthetjük meg legjelesebb képviselőinek ismerete nélkül, s bízunk benne, hogy A képzelet mesterei sorozattal az eddigi paletta, ha nem is válik teljessé, de színesebb lesz.

The Shadow of the Torturer is the first volume in the four-volume series, The Book of the New Sun. It relates the story of Severian, an apprentice in the Seekers for Truth and Penitence (the guild of torturers), from his youth through his expulsion from the guild, and subsequent journey out of his home city of Nessus.

Severian przygotowywał się do fachu kata, lecz zakochał się w uwięzionej kobiecie i złamał dla niej obowiązujące katów zasady. Został za to wygnany z konfraterni i wysłany do odległej prowincji. Zabrał tylko katowski miecz, maskę i czarny płaszcz przynależny znienawidzonej profesji. Droga, którą ma pokonać, okazuje się trudniejsza i bardziej zawikłana, niż sobie wyobrażał. Młody czeladnik błądzi jak w labiryncie w ponurym, pełnym okrucieństwa świecie, ale nieuchronnie zmierza ku przeznaczeniu.

In un futuro remoto, su una Terra misteriosa e affascinante, prosegue il viaggio di Severian verso Thrax, la città del suo esilio. La disobbedienza alle ferree regole della confraternita cui apparteneva ha causato il suo allontanamento dalla Città, e ora si avvia nella sua personale Odissea accompagnato solo dalla mitica spada del Torturatore, Terminus Est, donatagli dal suo maestro. Tra creature scimmiesche dotate di intelligenza umana, riti cannibaleschi e insidie, i passi di Severian avanzano in un universo narrativo in cui riecheggia l'eco dei grandi eroi classici e moderni. È un viaggio di maturazione, lungo e costellato di pericoli, quello che compie, e che lo condurrà verso l'Artiglio del Conciliatore, una gemma miracolosa appartenuta a una figura leggendaria. [sinossi dell'edizione Fanucci del 2012]

Gene Wolfe kolejny raz dowodzi swojego mistrzostwa w sztuce tworzenia światów, niewiarygodnej umiejętności budowania postaci i opowiadania historii w historiach zarazem bawi nas i edukuje, z równą wprawą i skutecznością. Ta książka to triumfalne zakończenie "Księgi Krótkiego Słońca", łączącej się bezpośrednio z najpopularniejszym dziełem autora, "Księgą Długiego Słońca". "Powrót do Whorla" to trzeci - po "Na wodach Błękitu" i "W dżunglach Zieleni" - tom ambitnej trylogii SF Gene’a Wolfe’a.

Gene Wolfe has turned to the fantastic historical world of Greece, in 479 B.C., when the gods walked the Earth. Latro, a mercenary soldier from the north, has suffered a head wound in battle and has been separated from his compatriots. He has not only lost the memory of who he is and where he is from, he has also lost the ability to remember from day to day and must live out of context in an eternal present, every day rediscovering the shreds of his identity and the nature of the world around him, aided only by a written record that he attempts to continue daily and must read every morning. But in recompense for his unhappy condition Latro has received the ability to see and converse with invisible beings, all the gods and goddesses, ghosts and demons and werewolves, who inhabit the land and affect the lives of others, all unseen. Everyone knows that supernatural creatures are constantly around them and sometimes, under special circumstances, can perceive them—but Latro is now constantly able to penetrate the veil of the supernatural, which is both a triumph and a danger.

The Shadow of the Torturer is the first volume in the four-volume series, The Book of the New Sun. It relates the story of Severian, an apprentice in the Seekers for Truth and Penitence (the guild of torturers), from his youth through his expulsion from the guild, and subsequent journey out of his home city of Nessus.

Olśniewająca powieść zdobywcy nagród Nebula i World Fantasy, uznawanego za jednego z najważniejszych współczesnych pisarzy amerykańskich, którego dokonania stawiane są na równi z dziełami takich mistrzów gatunku jak J.R. Tolkien czy Ursula Le Guin. Nie trzeba jednak znać i doceniać wcześniejszych książek Gene’a Wolfe’a, by dać się porwać tej wspaniałej historii, która w niezwykły sposób miesza stare motywy i wątki (m.in. opowieści arturiańskie, legendy celtyckie, skandynawskie mity), tworząc z nich nową wartość. Wolfe przedstawia opis podróży amerykańskiego nastolatka przez prawdziwą piramidę światów, przy czym bohater pokonuje równocześnie drogę od zagubionego i niezdarnego chłopca do rycerza i bohatera. Mówiące zwierzęta, smok, którego ojcem był człowiek, i istoty, które wierzą, że droga do człowieczeństwa wiedzie przez zjadanie ludzi – to tylko ułamek niepowtarzalnej wyobraźni, której popis znajdziemy w „Rycerzu”. Autor klasycznej już „Księgi nowego słońca” powraca w znakomitej formie i zwraca się do szerszego kręgu odbiorców niż dotychczasowi czytelnicy jego prozy.

II tom cyklu "Rycerz Czarnoksiężnik". Porywająca, nasycona uczuciami, a zarazem cudownymi zdarzeniami, tajemnicami i intrygami opowieść rycerska, której przesłaniem jest pochwała magicznej mocy miłości i przyjaźni. Obie części cyklu należą do nielicznych powieści fantasy, które można porównać z Władcą Pierścieni. Gene Wolfe, ur. w 1931 r., uznawany jest za jednego z najważniejszych współczesnych pisarzy amerykańskich. Jego dokonania stawiane są na równi z dziełami takich mistrzów gatunku, jak J.R. Tolkien czy Ursula Le Guin. Autor słynnej Księgi Nowego Słońca powraca w znakomitej formie i zwraca się do szerszego kręgu odbiorców niż dotychczasowi czytelnicy jego prozy.