When I found out that Gene Wolfe was David Zindell's mentor, so to speak, I eagerly ordered "The Books of the New Sun," hoping for an uplifting experiance similar to Zindell's.  After slogging my way through all four books I hold my aching head between my hands and wonder why I bothered. Follow the story of an executioner as he wanders the lands of Urth, sounds interesting, doesn't it?  After the fourth or fifth (or eighteeth) time reading something along the lines of "...other people's memories fade, but my own do not, for i have perfect memory and cannot forget..." I was ready to throw the book across the room and get roaring drunk so I could forget.  Danlo has perfect memory too, but at least he doesn't feel the need to rub our noses in it every few pages.  Bitter gall, bitter, bitter gall.

This is clearly a case where the student has far outshone the master.

If you want a good read, read frank herbert's dune series...  now that Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have finished it.
or, if that's too dry for you, try David Weber's Honor Harrington series.  Space Opera, yes, but good space opera.  

--Last edited by Ryan Foster on 2008-03-19 12:18:07 --

Against my better judgement, I read another Gene Wolfe book after finding it in a local used book store, the sequel to "The Books of the New Sun," (both the book and the title are escaping me at the moment, but I'll enter it in as soon as I find it again) I figured it would be more of the same and got out the asprin just in case. much to my surprise, the book flowed smoothly and lacked most of the things that so bothered me in it's prequels (i.e. the endless babbling about perfect memory and the poor pacing). It also wrapped up the plot threads that were left hanging somewhat awkwardly at the conclusion to "The Books of the New Sun," all in all, an excellent read. I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes sci-fi or fantasy (as it is a neat blending of the two).  In fact, the book only has one downside, in order to understand it you will have to read it's prequel, the "The Books of the New Sun." *Sigh* bust out the asprin, folks.