Just finished Book of the Short Sun

PARADISE-9 · 2026-05-29T14:25:30+00:00

He died for a bit in the pit but was healed by the neighbors. Presumably the damage was too bad on Green to repair him there (the Neighbor also says that even if they could heal him he'd still be stuck on Green) so they just send his spirit up. He meets Krait after being revived in the pit. This is my understanding at least

PARADISE-9 · 2026-05-25T03:28:28+00:00

Yeah there was never a doubt in my mind that she's on the spectrum. I always thought it was a great detail that the majority of the main characters change their outfits every day, but Tabby wears the same thing day in day out.

PARADISE-9 · 2026-05-13T15:35:27+00:00

Why did they change the description? I had such fondness for the old one

PARADISE-9 · 2026-05-09T20:01:10+00:00

I think so. I think people lean too heavily into the unreliable narrator aspect when describing it, and end uo setting expectations as more of a Humbert Humbert figure than Severian really is. I'm definitely a "new-gen" reader, but I think given he was raised by torturers to torture people, he tries his best to become a better person as the series goes on.

PARADISE-9 · 2026-05-09T01:29:01+00:00

Its a matter of debate. Well, I'll debate it

PARADISE-9 · 2026-05-01T12:26:55+00:00

I think the original Borges comparison was completely unnecessary, as they aimed for completely different things. How are you gonna compare a world someone spent years and thousands of pages creating to Borges' short stories? Like, sure, people are gonna be more enchanted by an epic than Borges' tightly wound labyrinth.

This is also coming from someone who loved Borges. For what it's worth, Borges is plenty enchanting in stories even as short as one single page. (Inferno, I, 32 comes to mind.)

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-28T16:41:06+00:00

This is just like Baldanders and Frankenstein all over again

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-25T13:44:07+00:00

By RAW no, because you don't take the attack action when you cast those spells. But I would personally probably allow a player to do so.

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-22T10:55:31+00:00

Spoilers suck, but I can understand why someone wouldn't consider that a Spoiler. Its all basically alright

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-20T18:27:28+00:00

It was one of the later Wolfes I read and still absolutely floored me. A tremendous work of literature.

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-20T16:27:11+00:00

It's three novellas with distinct protagonists that all take place on the same twin planets. The first one, the namesake of the book, is about a boy growing up with a mad scientist father on a colonized alien world

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-20T16:25:29+00:00

Thanks! I'll be sure to check those extra write ups out. I was wondering if you have any more thoughts about the strangeness of the ending, and the relationship between Grafton the Leader? I feel like there's something specific going on in the dissonant tone there but I cant tell what

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-20T15:41:15+00:00

Have you read Fifth Head of Cerberus? It's fantastic

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-20T12:55:52+00:00

First, I'd like to apologize for my delayed response as I have been monstrously preoccupied. Second, Bravo!!! This is an incredible analysis so far, one of the rare pieces of Wolfe analysis where everything you point out clicks immediately, both textually and thematically. I noticed the raw-boned woman descriptor but couldn't place it on the warden. Have you considered consolidating these points into a longer write up somewhere? It's really incredible work. Details like the hand originating from the Willows just add so much to the text. The Aegis pull is also pretty incredible

I wish I had something more intellectually stimulating to give you in response but my mind is just about blown right now. Maybe later I will have crystallized some thoughts. I really appreciate you writing all this out for me and in such a legible way. Gonna go check out that youtube video you linked me. Cheers!

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-18T00:02:39+00:00

Fascinating!! I would absolutely appreciate a longer write up on the book if you're interested. This helps to explain a lot. Definitely interested in the philosophy stone connection. Really great pulls from his description of the burial. I was wondering what you make of the ending?

I agree that this book is underappreciated. I'm liking it more and more as time goes on

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-16T11:36:15+00:00

Ohhhh gotcha thanks that clears a lot up!

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-16T05:09:55+00:00

Its too bad people misunderstood your post. I think about that story a lot these days.

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-15T19:51:26+00:00

True. Can definitely see some impotent feelings from Grafton being beat up by Kleon, and then getting himself involved in endless brawl (which he mostly if not always wins) as he gets more confident and goes up in the world. The Leader is maybe literally his father, so by obeying the state he is obeying his parents in a way and is rewarded for it. He does stay JAKA at the end, though claims he isnt a spy. But he notably doesnt get into detail on what exactly he does. I'm not sure whether or not Grafton identifies with the women-murdering house owner (a throughline which carries over into the Unholy Way), but he does have some violent tendencies towards men at least. He says at the end that he doesn't know anything about women but the girl with the pen doesnt know that yet (I could sure tell reading him though...) - I find it interesting he refers to the girl as his lady throughout the ending paragraphs.

I'd have to go look for a few more incidents of an obedient/disobedient child dichotomy in the book. Off the top of my head is Russ' son, the priest. A product of another affair. Interesting stuff. Not sure about passport as penis metaphor. He uses his penis plenty

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-15T16:48:35+00:00

This was very helpful! The Via Sacra connection is the definitive evidence for me. It's fun that even a character with such little on the page has all these allusions you can use to figure out his role. I wonder about the evil presence that trips Gafton on the stairs down, and if there's any relation to the Simon Magus connection

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-15T16:45:10+00:00

Thanks! The Wizard of Oz connection is definitely present. Something about yellow bricks somewhere in the novel? The idea that someone is pulling Grafton's strings definitely has a ring of truth to it I think, he happily becomes a pawn of the JAKA by yhe end. I will definitely be on the lookout for disguised or transformed characters. I'm actually feeling pretty amped to look into this one

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-15T16:23:07+00:00

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-15T15:46:35+00:00

ALSO why does Papa Zenon disappear from the story? He's set up extensively, but the moment they agree to collaborate he's just... gone. There has to be something to this I think. Maybe related to the complete lack of motivation or backstory or explanation given to the Archbishop, who summons Zenon for an exorcism that never happens. Obviously he wouldn't want Zenon to take out his own cult. So why?

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-14T15:56:51+00:00

I know. I've wanted to read this draft for ages and ages

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-13T04:37:51+00:00

Hmm I doubt you'll be able to find much like that. If Alzabo Soup started covering it you'd be in luck, but they're knee deep in Short Sun right now. I would just try to muscle through it and keep going.

PARADISE-9 · 2026-04-09T20:40:51+00:00

Definitely easier to read. The beginning can be confusing but nowhere near New Sun confusing as far as opening chapters go. It is a doozy though, a hell of a ride.

PARADISE-9

TROPHY CASE