Gene Wolfe
Encyclopedia
Gene Wolfe is an American
science fiction
and fantasy
writer. He is noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith, to which he converted after marrying into the religion. He is a prolific short story
writer and a novel
ist, and has won many awards in the field.
Wolfe was born in New York
. He had polio as a small child. While attending Texas A&M University
, he published his first speculative fiction in The Commentator, a student literary journal. Wolfe dropped out during his junior year, and was drafted to fight in the Korean War
. After returning to the United States he earned a degree from the University of Houston
and became an industrial engineer. He edited the journal Plant Engineering
for many years before retiring to write full-time, but his most famous professional engineering achievement is a contribution to the machine used to make Pringles
potato chips. He now lives in Barrington, Illinois
, a suburb of Chicago, with his wife Rosemary.
Wolfe underwent double bypass
surgery on April 24, 2010.
. Set in a bleak, distant future influenced by Jack Vance
's Dying Earth series, the story details the life of Severian
, a journeyman torturer, exiled from his guild for showing compassion to one of the condemned. The novel is composed of the volumes The Shadow of the Torturer (1980), The Claw of the Conciliator (1981), winner of the Nebula Award
for Best Novel
, The Sword of the Lictor (1982), and The Citadel of the Autarch (1983). A coda, The Urth of the New Sun
(1987), wraps up some loose ends but is generally considered a separate work. Several Wolfe essays about the writing of The Book of the New Sun were published in The Castle of the Otter
(1982); the title refers to a misprint of the fourth book's title in Locus magazine
).
In the 1990s, Wolfe published two more works in the same universe as The Book of the New Sun. The first, The Book of the Long Sun
, consists of the novels Nightside the Long Sun (1993), Lake of the Long Sun (1994), Caldé of the Long Sun (1994), and Exodus From the Long Sun (1996). These books follow the priest
of a small parish
as he becomes wrapped up in political intrigue and revolution in his city-state. Wolfe then wrote a sequel, The Book of the Short Sun
, composed of On Blue's Waters (1999), In Green's Jungles (2000) and Return to the Whorl (2001), dealing with colonists who have arrived on the sister planets Blue and Green. The three Sun works (The Book of the New Sun, The Book of the Long Sun, and The Book of the Short Sun) are often referred to collectively as the "Solar Cycle."
Wolfe has also written many stand-alone books. His first novel, Operation Ares
, was published by Berkley Books in 1970 and was unsuccessful. He subsequently wrote two novels held in particularly high esteem, Peace and The Fifth Head of Cerberus
. The first is the seemingly-rambling narrative of Alden Dennis Weer, a man of many secrets who reviews his life under mysterious circumstances. The Fifth Head of Cerberus is either a collection of three novellas, or a novel in three parts, dealing with colonialism, memory, and the nature of personal identity. The first story, which gives the book its name, was nominated for the Nebula Award
for Best Novella
.
, from The Book of the New Sun, is not always truthful; and Latro of the Soldier series suffers from recurrent amnesia. The cause aside, this can make Wolfe confusing or disconcerting for the new reader, but some find this "difficulty" rewarding. Wolfe said, in a letter to Neil Gaiman
: "My definition of good literature is that which can be read by an educated reader, and reread with increased pleasure." In that spirit, Wolfe also leaves subtle hints and lacunae which may never be explicitly referred to in the text. For example, a backyard full of morning glories is an intentional foreshadowing of events in Free Live Free, but is only apparent to a reader with a horticultural background, and a story-within-the-story
provides a clue to understanding Peace.
Wolfe's language can also be a subject of confusion for the new reader. In the appendix to The Shadow of the Torturer, he says:
Though this is in character as the "translator" of his novel, it provides a useful insight into the writing: all of Wolfe's terms (fuligin, carnifex
, thaumaturge, etc.) are real words, but their meaning should be implied by context. Knowing the words, or re-reading with a copy of an English dictionary at hand, can offer further insight into the story.
has said: "Gene Wolfe is the greatest writer in the English language alive today. Let me repeat that: Gene Wolfe is the greatest writer in the English language alive today! I mean it. Shakespeare
was a better stylist, Melville was more important to American letters, and Charles Dickens
had a defter hand at creating characters. But among living writers, there is nobody who can even approach Gene Wolfe for brilliance of prose, clarity of thought, and depth in meaning."
Among others, writers Neil Gaiman
and Patrick O'Leary
have credited Wolfe for inspiration. O'Leary has said: "Forget 'Speculative Fiction'. Gene Wolfe is the best writer alive. Period. And as Wolfe once said (in reference to Gaiman), 'All novels are fantasies. Some are more honest about it.' No comparison. Nobody – I mean nobody – comes close to what this artist does." O'Leary also wrote an extensive essay concerning the nature of Wolfe's artistry, entitled "If Ever A Wiz There Was", found both in his collection Other Voices, Other Doors, and on his webpage. http://web.mac.com/paddybon/Site/a_tribute_to_Gene_Wolfe.html Ursula K. Le Guin
is frequently quoted on the jackets of Wolfe's books as having said "Wolfe is our Melville."
Wolfe's fans regard him with considerable dedication, and one Internet mailing list (begun in November 1996) dedicated to his works has amassed over ten years and thousands of pages of discussion and explication. Similarly, much analysis and exegesis has been published in fanzine and small-press form (e. g. Lexicon Urthus ISBN 0964279592).
When asked the "Most overrated" and "Most underrated" authors, Thomas Disch identified Isaac Asimov
and Gene Wolfe, respectively, writing: "...all too many have already gone into a decline after carrying home some trophies. The one exception is Gene Wolfe...Between 1980 and 1982 he published The Book of the New Sun, a tetralogy of couth, intelligence, and suavity that is also written in VistaVision
with Dolby Sound
. Imagine a Star Wars
-style space opera
penned by G. K. Chesterton
in the throes of a religious conversion. Wolfe has continued in full diapason ever since, and a crossover success is long overdue."
Early in his writing career, Wolfe exchanged correspondence with J.R.R. Tolkien.
, the Edward E. Smith Memorial Award
(or "Skylark"), and is a member of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. He was Guest of Honor at Aussiecon Two, the 1985 World Science Fiction Convention. In addition, he has won many awards for individual works; they are listed below.
He has also compiled a long list of nominations in years when he did not win, including sixteen Nebula award nominations and eight Hugo award
nominations. http://www.worldswithoutend.com/author.asp?ID=158#books
The following are short stories that have been included in published Gene Wolfe short story collections
s, many published in very small quantities by Cheap Street
. Some of these have been reprinted in his collections, as when Starwater Strains reprinted "Empires of Foliage and Flower".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
writer. He is noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith, to which he converted after marrying into the religion. He is a prolific short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
writer and a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
ist, and has won many awards in the field.
Wolfe was born in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He had polio as a small child. While attending Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, he published his first speculative fiction in The Commentator, a student literary journal. Wolfe dropped out during his junior year, and was drafted to fight in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. After returning to the United States he earned a degree from the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
and became an industrial engineer. He edited the journal Plant Engineering
Plant Engineering
Plant Engineering is a trade publication and web site owned by CFE Media serving the information needs of the field of plant engineering and maintenance in both manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries....
for many years before retiring to write full-time, but his most famous professional engineering achievement is a contribution to the machine used to make Pringles
Pringles
Pringles is a brand of potato and wheat based snacks originally developed by Procter & Gamble. Pringles are sold in more than 140 countries and have yearly sales of more than...
potato chips. He now lives in Barrington, Illinois
Barrington, Illinois
Barrington is a suburban village in Cook County, Illinois and Lake County, Illinois. The population was 10,327 at the 2010 census. Located approximately northwest of Chicago, the area features wetlands, forest preserves, parks and horse trails in a country-suburban setting...
, a suburb of Chicago, with his wife Rosemary.
Wolfe underwent double bypass
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery, also coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and colloquially heart bypass or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure performed to relieve angina and reduce the risk of death from coronary artery disease...
surgery on April 24, 2010.
Works
Wolfe's best-known and most highly regarded work is the multi-volume novel The Book of the New SunThe Book of the New Sun
The Book of the New Sun is a novel in four parts written by science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe. It chronicles the journey and ascent to power of Severian, a disgraced journeyman torturer who rises to the position of Autarch, the one ruler of the free world...
. Set in a bleak, distant future influenced by Jack Vance
Jack Vance
John Holbrook Vance is an American mystery, fantasy and science fiction author. Most of his work has been published under the name Jack Vance. Vance has published 11 mysteries as John Holbrook Vance and 3 as Ellery Queen...
's Dying Earth series, the story details the life of Severian
Severian
Severian is the narrator and main character of Gene Wolfe's four-volume novel The Book of the New Sun, as well as its sequel, The Urth of the New Sun. He is a Journeyman of the Guild of Torturers who is exiled after showing mercy to one of his clients.Severian claims to have perfect memory...
, a journeyman torturer, exiled from his guild for showing compassion to one of the condemned. The novel is composed of the volumes The Shadow of the Torturer (1980), The Claw of the Conciliator (1981), winner of the Nebula Award
Nebula Award
The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year...
for Best Novel
Nebula Award for Best Novel
Winners of the Nebula Award for Best Novel, awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. The stated year is that of publication; awards are given in the following year.- Winners and other nominees :...
, The Sword of the Lictor (1982), and The Citadel of the Autarch (1983). A coda, The Urth of the New Sun
The Urth of the New Sun
The Urth of the New Sun is a 1987 science fiction novel by Gene Wolfe that serves as a sort of coda to his 4-volume Book of the New Sun series. Like Book, it is of the dying earth subgenre...
(1987), wraps up some loose ends but is generally considered a separate work. Several Wolfe essays about the writing of The Book of the New Sun were published in The Castle of the Otter
The Castle of the Otter
When Gene Wolfe finished the third volume of his The Book of the New Sun heroic fantasy epic, fans of the series began clamoring almost immediately for the fourth and final book in the tetralogy. As time passed and this concluding volume did not materialize, they began to root about for any...
(1982); the title refers to a misprint of the fourth book's title in Locus magazine
Locus (magazine)
Locus, subtitled "The Magazine Of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field", is published monthly in Oakland, California. It reports on the science fiction and fantasy publishing field, including comprehensive listings of all new books published in the genre. It is considered the news organ and trade...
).
In the 1990s, Wolfe published two more works in the same universe as The Book of the New Sun. The first, The Book of the Long Sun
The Book of the Long Sun
The Book of the Long Sun is a tetralogy by Gene Wolfe, comprising Nightside of the Long Sun, Lake of the Long Sun, Caldé of the Long Sun, and Exodus from the Long Sun. The first two volumes are published together as Litany of the Long Sun and the last two as Epiphany of the Long Sun...
, consists of the novels Nightside the Long Sun (1993), Lake of the Long Sun (1994), Caldé of the Long Sun (1994), and Exodus From the Long Sun (1996). These books follow the priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
of a small parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
as he becomes wrapped up in political intrigue and revolution in his city-state. Wolfe then wrote a sequel, The Book of the Short Sun
The Book of the Short Sun
The Book of the Short Sun is a trilogy by Gene Wolfe, comprising On Blue's Waters , In Green's Jungles , and Return to the Whorl . It is the sequel to Wolfe's tetralogy The Book of the Long Sun, and has connections to The Book of the New Sun...
, composed of On Blue's Waters (1999), In Green's Jungles (2000) and Return to the Whorl (2001), dealing with colonists who have arrived on the sister planets Blue and Green. The three Sun works (The Book of the New Sun, The Book of the Long Sun, and The Book of the Short Sun) are often referred to collectively as the "Solar Cycle."
Wolfe has also written many stand-alone books. His first novel, Operation Ares
Operation Ares
Operation Ares is Gene Wolfe's first novel, published as a paperback original by Berkley Books in 1970. While no later editions were issued in the United States, a hardcover edition was released in the UK market by Dobson Books in 1977, followed by a Fontana paperback in 1978...
, was published by Berkley Books in 1970 and was unsuccessful. He subsequently wrote two novels held in particularly high esteem, Peace and The Fifth Head of Cerberus
The Fifth Head of Cerberus
The Fifth Head of Cerberus is the title of both a novella and a single-volume collection of three novellas, written by American science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe, both published in 1972.-Explanation of the novel's title:...
. The first is the seemingly-rambling narrative of Alden Dennis Weer, a man of many secrets who reviews his life under mysterious circumstances. The Fifth Head of Cerberus is either a collection of three novellas, or a novel in three parts, dealing with colonialism, memory, and the nature of personal identity. The first story, which gives the book its name, was nominated for the Nebula Award
Nebula Award
The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year...
for Best Novella
Nebula Award for Best Novella
Winners of the Nebula Award for Best Novella. The stated year is that of publication; awards are given in the following year.-Winners and other nominees:-External links:**...
.
Style
Wolfe does not generally follow genre conventions. He frequently relies on the first-person perspectives of unreliable narrators. He says: "Real people really are unreliable narrators all the time, even if they try to be reliable narrators." The causes for the unreliability of his characters vary. Some are naive, as in Pandora by Holly Hollander or The Knight; others are not particularly intelligent (There Are Doors); SeverianSeverian
Severian is the narrator and main character of Gene Wolfe's four-volume novel The Book of the New Sun, as well as its sequel, The Urth of the New Sun. He is a Journeyman of the Guild of Torturers who is exiled after showing mercy to one of his clients.Severian claims to have perfect memory...
, from The Book of the New Sun, is not always truthful; and Latro of the Soldier series suffers from recurrent amnesia. The cause aside, this can make Wolfe confusing or disconcerting for the new reader, but some find this "difficulty" rewarding. Wolfe said, in a letter to Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
: "My definition of good literature is that which can be read by an educated reader, and reread with increased pleasure." In that spirit, Wolfe also leaves subtle hints and lacunae which may never be explicitly referred to in the text. For example, a backyard full of morning glories is an intentional foreshadowing of events in Free Live Free, but is only apparent to a reader with a horticultural background, and a story-within-the-story
Story within a story
A story within a story, also rendered story-within-a-story, is a literary device in which one narrative is presented during the action of another narrative. Mise en abyme is the French term for a similar literary device...
provides a clue to understanding Peace.
Wolfe's language can also be a subject of confusion for the new reader. In the appendix to The Shadow of the Torturer, he says:
In rendering this book—originally composed in a tongue that has not achieved existence—into English, I might easily have saved myself a great deal of labor by having recourse to invented terms; in no case have I done so. Thus in many instances I have been forced to replace yet undiscovered concepts by their closest twentieth-century equivalents. Such words as peltast, androgyn, and exultant are substitutions of this kind, and are intended to be suggestive rather than definitive.
Though this is in character as the "translator" of his novel, it provides a useful insight into the writing: all of Wolfe's terms (fuligin, carnifex
Carnifex
-Animals:*Cardisoma carnifex, a species of terrestrial crab*Phoenicircus carnifex, a species of bird*Thylacoleo carnifex or Marsupial Lion, an extinct species of carnivorous marsupial mammal*Triturus carnifex, a species of newt-In literature:...
, thaumaturge, etc.) are real words, but their meaning should be implied by context. Knowing the words, or re-reading with a copy of an English dictionary at hand, can offer further insight into the story.
Importance
Although not a best-selling author, Wolfe is highly regarded by critics and fellow writers, and considered by many to be one of the best living science fiction authors. Indeed, he has sometimes been called the best living American writer regardless of genre. Award-winning science fiction author Michael SwanwickMichael Swanwick
Michael Swanwick is an American science fiction author. Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he began publishing in the early 1980s.-Biography:...
has said: "Gene Wolfe is the greatest writer in the English language alive today. Let me repeat that: Gene Wolfe is the greatest writer in the English language alive today! I mean it. Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
was a better stylist, Melville was more important to American letters, and Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
had a defter hand at creating characters. But among living writers, there is nobody who can even approach Gene Wolfe for brilliance of prose, clarity of thought, and depth in meaning."
Among others, writers Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
and Patrick O'Leary
Patrick O'Leary (writer)
Patrick O'Leary is an American science fiction and fantasy author and ad copy writer.O'Leary wrote the poem "Nobody Knows It But Me" which was used in the popular 2002 advertising campaign for the Chevrolet Tahoe and read in the commercial by James Garner.-Works:* Door Number Three * The Gift –...
have credited Wolfe for inspiration. O'Leary has said: "Forget 'Speculative Fiction'. Gene Wolfe is the best writer alive. Period. And as Wolfe once said (in reference to Gaiman), 'All novels are fantasies. Some are more honest about it.' No comparison. Nobody – I mean nobody – comes close to what this artist does." O'Leary also wrote an extensive essay concerning the nature of Wolfe's artistry, entitled "If Ever A Wiz There Was", found both in his collection Other Voices, Other Doors, and on his webpage. http://web.mac.com/paddybon/Site/a_tribute_to_Gene_Wolfe.html Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula Kroeber Le Guin is an American author. She has written novels, poetry, children's books, essays, and short stories, notably in fantasy and science fiction...
is frequently quoted on the jackets of Wolfe's books as having said "Wolfe is our Melville."
Wolfe's fans regard him with considerable dedication, and one Internet mailing list (begun in November 1996) dedicated to his works has amassed over ten years and thousands of pages of discussion and explication. Similarly, much analysis and exegesis has been published in fanzine and small-press form (e. g. Lexicon Urthus ISBN 0964279592).
When asked the "Most overrated" and "Most underrated" authors, Thomas Disch identified Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
and Gene Wolfe, respectively, writing: "...all too many have already gone into a decline after carrying home some trophies. The one exception is Gene Wolfe...Between 1980 and 1982 he published The Book of the New Sun, a tetralogy of couth, intelligence, and suavity that is also written in VistaVision
VistaVision
VistaVision is a higher resolution, widescreen variant of the 35mm motion picture film format which was created by engineers at Paramount Pictures in 1954....
with Dolby Sound
Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. , often shortened to Dolby Labs, is an American company specializing in audio noise reduction and audio encoding/compression.-History:...
. Imagine a Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
-style space opera
Space opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap...
penned by G. K. Chesterton
G. K. Chesterton
Gilbert Keith Chesterton, KC*SG was an English writer. His prolific and diverse output included philosophy, ontology, poetry, plays, journalism, public lectures and debates, literary and art criticism, biography, Christian apologetics, and fiction, including fantasy and detective fiction....
in the throes of a religious conversion. Wolfe has continued in full diapason ever since, and a crossover success is long overdue."
Early in his writing career, Wolfe exchanged correspondence with J.R.R. Tolkien.
Awards
Wolfe has won the World Fantasy Award for Life AchievementWorld Fantasy Award for Life Achievement
This World Fantasy Award is presented to individuals for their outstanding service to the fantasy field, and decided by a panel of judges at the World Fantasy Convention.-1984:* L. Sprague de Camp* Richard Matheson* E. Hoffmann Price* Jack Vance* Donald Wandrei...
, the Edward E. Smith Memorial Award
Edward E. Smith Memorial Award
The Edward E. Smith Memorial Award for Imaginative Fiction is presented annually by NESFA to some person, who, in the opinion of the membership, has contributed significantly to science fiction, both through work in the field and by exemplifying the personal qualities which made the late "Doc"...
(or "Skylark"), and is a member of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. He was Guest of Honor at Aussiecon Two, the 1985 World Science Fiction Convention. In addition, he has won many awards for individual works; they are listed below.
| Work | Form | Award |
| "The Death of Doctor Island" | Novella | 1974 Nebula Award Nebula Award The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year... |
| 1974 Locus Award Locus Award The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet... |
||
| "The Computer Iterates the Greater Trumps" | Long Poem | 1978 Rhysling Award |
| The Shadow of the Torturer | Novel | 1981 BSFA Award BSFA award The BSFA Awards are literary awards presented annually since 1970 by the British Science Fiction Association to honor works in the genre of science fiction. Nominees and winners are chosen based on a vote of BSFA members... http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1981 |
| 1981 World Fantasy Award World Fantasy Award The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy... http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1981 |
||
| The Claw of the Conciliator | Novel | 1981 Nebula Award Nebula Award The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year... http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1981 |
| 1982 Locus Award Locus Award The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet... |
||
| The Sword of the Lictor | Novel | 1983 Locus Award Locus Award The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet... http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1983 |
| 1983 August Derleth Award August Derleth Award The August Derleth Award is an annual award given out by members of the British Fantasy Society for best novel of the year. The award is named after American writer and editor August Derleth.-Winners of the August Derleth Award:... |
||
| The Citadel of the Autarch | Novel | 1984 Campbell Award John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel for best science fiction novel was created in 1973 by writers and critics Harry Harrison and Brian W. Aldiss to honor Campbell's name... http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1984 |
| Soldier of the Mist | Novel | 1987 Locus Award Locus Award The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet... http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1987 |
| Storeys from the Old Hotel | Collection | 1989 World Fantasy Award World Fantasy Award The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy... |
| "Golden City Far" | Novella | 2005 Locus Award Locus Award The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet... |
| Soldier of Sidon | Novel | 2007 World Fantasy Award World Fantasy Award The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy... http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2007 |
| The Best of Gene Wolfe | Collection | 2010 Locus Award |
| 2010 World Fantasy Award |
He has also compiled a long list of nominations in years when he did not win, including sixteen Nebula award nominations and eight Hugo award
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
nominations. http://www.worldswithoutend.com/author.asp?ID=158#books
Novels
- Operation AresOperation AresOperation Ares is Gene Wolfe's first novel, published as a paperback original by Berkley Books in 1970. While no later editions were issued in the United States, a hardcover edition was released in the UK market by Dobson Books in 1977, followed by a Fontana paperback in 1978...
(1970) - The Fifth Head of CerberusThe Fifth Head of CerberusThe Fifth Head of Cerberus is the title of both a novella and a single-volume collection of three novellas, written by American science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe, both published in 1972.-Explanation of the novel's title:...
(1972) - Peace (1975)
- The Devil in a Forest (1976)
- The Book of the New SunThe Book of the New SunThe Book of the New Sun is a novel in four parts written by science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe. It chronicles the journey and ascent to power of Severian, a disgraced journeyman torturer who rises to the position of Autarch, the one ruler of the free world...
- The Shadow of the TorturerThe Shadow of the TorturerThe Shadow of the Torturer is a science fantasy novel by Gene Wolfe, first released in 1980. It is the first volume in the four-volume novel, The Book of the New Sun...
(1980) BSFA Award winner, Nebula Award nominee, 1981 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1982; Locus, WFA, and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards nominee, 1981 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1981 - The Claw of the ConciliatorThe Claw of the ConciliatorThe Claw of the Conciliator is a science fantasy novel by Gene Wolfe, first released in 1981. It is the second volume in the four-volume series, The Book of the New Sun.-Plot introduction:...
(1981) Nebula and Locus Fantasy winner, 1982; Hugo and World Fantasy Awards nominated, 1982 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1982 - The Sword of the Lictor (1982) Locus Fantasy and BFS Winner, 1983; Nebula and BSFA Awards nominee, 1982 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1982 Hugo and World Fantasy Awards nominee, 1983 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1983
- The Citadel of the Autarch (1983) John W. Campbell award winner, Nebula and BSFA nominee, 1984 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1984; Locus Fantasy nominee, 1983 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1983
- The Shadow of the Torturer
- Free Live Free (1984) BSFA nominee, 1985 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1985; Nebula nominee, 1986 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1986
- The Urth of the New SunThe Urth of the New SunThe Urth of the New Sun is a 1987 science fiction novel by Gene Wolfe that serves as a sort of coda to his 4-volume Book of the New Sun series. Like Book, it is of the dying earth subgenre...
(1987) Hugo, Nebula, and Locus SF Awards nominee, 1988 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1988 - The Soldier series
- Soldier of the MistSoldier of the MistSoldier of the Mist is a 1986 fantasy novel by Gene Wolfe published by Tor Books; it won the 1987 Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel and the World Fantasy Award....
(1986) Locus Fantasy winner, WFA nominee, 1987 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1987; Nebula nominee 1988 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1988 - Soldier of Arete (1989) Locus Fantasy and WFA nominee, 1990 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/novel.asp?ID=751
- Soldier of Sidon (2006) World Fantasy Award winner, Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 2007 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2007
- Soldier of the Mist
- There Are DoorsThere Are DoorsThere Are Doors is a speculative fiction novel written by Gene Wolfe in 1988. The narrative follows a department store salesman as he tries to track down his short-lived girlfriend. The title alludes to gateways between two worlds whose nature are explored throughout the book. There Are Doors was...
(1988) Locus Fantasy nominee, 1989 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1989 - Castleview (1990)
- Pandora, By Holly Hollander (1990)
- The Book of the Long SunThe Book of the Long SunThe Book of the Long Sun is a tetralogy by Gene Wolfe, comprising Nightside of the Long Sun, Lake of the Long Sun, Caldé of the Long Sun, and Exodus from the Long Sun. The first two volumes are published together as Litany of the Long Sun and the last two as Epiphany of the Long Sun...
- Nightside the Long Sun (1993) Nebula nominee, 1994 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1994
- Lake of the Long Sun (1994)
- Caldé of the Long Sun (1994) Nebula nominee, 1996 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1996
- Exodus From the Long Sun (1996)
- The Book of the Short SunThe Book of the Short SunThe Book of the Short Sun is a trilogy by Gene Wolfe, comprising On Blue's Waters , In Green's Jungles , and Return to the Whorl . It is the sequel to Wolfe's tetralogy The Book of the Long Sun, and has connections to The Book of the New Sun...
- On Blue's Waters (1999)
- In Green's Jungles (2000) Locus SF nominee, 2001 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2001
- Return to the Whorl (2001) Locus SF nominee, 2002 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2002
- The Wizard KnightThe Wizard KnightThe Wizard Knight is a series of epistolary novels written by fantasy and science fiction author Gene Wolfe. It chronicles the journey of Able of the High Heart, an American boy transported to a magical world and supernaturally aged to adulthood...
- The Knight (2004) Nebula nominee, 2005 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2005
- The Wizard (2004) Locus Fantasy and World Fantasy Award nominated, 2005 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2005
- Pirate FreedomPirate FreedomPirate Freedom is a fantasy novel by Gene Wolfe about a young man who is transported back in time and becomes a pirate.-Setting:The majority of the book is set in the Caribbean and nearby regions during the "Golden Age of Piracy"...
(2007) Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 2008 http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2008 - An Evil Guest (2008)
- The Sorcerer's House (2010)
- 2011 Locus Fantasy nominee
- Home Fires (2011)
- The Land Across (forthcoming, TBA)
Story collections
- The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories and Other Stories (1980) (Not an error but a literary joke; the title story is "The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories". Among others, the collection also includes "The Death of Dr. Island" and "The Doctor of Death Island." "The Death of Dr. Island" won the Nebula AwardNebula AwardThe Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year...
for Best NovellaNebula Award for Best NovellaWinners of the Nebula Award for Best Novella. The stated year is that of publication; awards are given in the following year.-Winners and other nominees:-External links:**...
.) - Gene Wolfe's Book of DaysGene Wolfe's Book of DaysGene Wolfe's Book of Days is a short story collection by American science fiction author Gene Wolfe published in 1981 by Doubleday.The stories within the collection are each paired with a holiday within the calendar year that is thematically linked to the content of the story...
(1981) - The Wolfe Archipelago (1983), consisting of:
- "Death of the Island Doctor" (1983)
- "The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories" (1970)
- "The Death of Dr. Island" (1973)
- "The Doctor of Death Island" (1978)
- Plan(e)t Engineering (1984)
- Bibliomen (1984)
- Storeys from the Old HotelStoreys from the Old HotelStoreys from the Old Hotel is a short story collection by American science fiction author Gene Wolfe published in 1988. It won the World Fantasy Award for Best Collection....
(1988) [winner of the World Fantasy AwardWorld Fantasy AwardThe World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
for best collection] - Endangered Species (1989)
- Castle of Days (1992)
- The Young Wolfe (1992)
- Strange Travelers (2000)
- Latro in the Mist (2003) - omnibus collection of Soldier of the Mist and Soldier of Arete
- Innocents AboardInnocents AboardInnocents Aboard is a short story collection by American science fiction and fantasy author Gene Wolfe published in 2004. The stories are primarily fantasy or horror, not science-fiction...
(2004) - Starwater StrainsStarwater StrainsStarwater Strains is a collection of short stories by Gene Wolfe. As his previous collection, Innocents Aboard, contained fantasy and horror stories, this one largely consists of science fiction.-List of stories:*Viewpoint*Rattler...
(2005) - The Best of Gene Wolfe (2009) A specialty press edition including an additional story and an introduction by Kim Stanley RobinsonKim Stanley RobinsonKim Stanley Robinson is an American science fiction writer known for his award-winning Mars trilogy. His work delves into ecological and sociological themes regularly, and many of his novels appear to be the direct result of his own scientific fascinations, such as the fifteen years of research...
was published as The Very Best of Gene Wolfe.
Collected
The following are short stories that have been included in published Gene Wolfe short story collections
| Title | Collected In | First Published In |
| Alien Stones | The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories and Other Stories | Orbit 11 [1972] |
| La Befauna | The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories and Other Stories | Galaxy Magazine Vol. 33 #5 [Jan.-Feb. 1973] |
| The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories | The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories and Other Stories | Orbit 7 [1970] |
| ] |
- "A Cabin on the CoastA Cabin on the Coast"A Cabin on the Coast" is a science fiction / fantasy short story by Gene Wolfe, initially publishe in the February 1984 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and collected in Endangered Species and The Best Of Gene Wolfe...
" (1984), collected in Endangered Species
Chapbooks
Wolfe has published a number of short chapbookChapbook
A chapbook is a pocket-sized booklet. The term chap-book was formalized by bibliophiles of the 19th century, as a variety of ephemera , popular or folk literature. It includes many kinds of printed material such as pamphlets, political and religious tracts, nursery rhymes, poetry, folk tales,...
s, many published in very small quantities by Cheap Street
Cheap Street
Cheap Street Press was a small publishing company started up and operated by the husband-wife duo, George and Jan O'Nale, in their rural home near New Castle, Virginia. Cheap Street concentrated on publishing limited edition books, signed and numbered, of science fiction and fantasy works...
. Some of these have been reprinted in his collections, as when Starwater Strains reprinted "Empires of Foliage and Flower".
- At the Point of Capricorn (1983)
- The Boy Who Hooked the Sun (1985)
- Empires of Foliage and Flower: A Tale From the Book of the Wonders of Urth and Sky (1987)
- The Arimaspian Legacy (1988)
- Slow Children at Play (1989)
- The Old Woman Whose Rolling Pin is the Sun (1991)
- The Case of the Vanishing Ghost (1991) The Pretentious Press
- The Grave Secret (1991) The Pretentious Press
- Talk of Mandrakes (2003)
- Christmas Inn (2005)
- Strange Birds (2006)
- Memorare (2008) (novella, first published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 2007, as a signed limited edition hardcover in 2008)
Other works
- The Castle of the OtterThe Castle of the OtterWhen Gene Wolfe finished the third volume of his The Book of the New Sun heroic fantasy epic, fans of the series began clamoring almost immediately for the fourth and final book in the tetralogy. As time passed and this concluding volume did not materialize, they began to root about for any...
(1982) (a companion to The Book of the New Sun, later collected into Castle of Days) - Letters Home (1991) (collection of letters Wolfe sent home to his mother while he was fighting in the Korean War)
- Introduction to Neil GaimanNeil GaimanNeil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
's SandmanSandman (Vertigo)The Sandman is a comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. Beginning with issue #47, it was placed under the imprint Vertigo. It chronicles the adventures of Dream , who rules over the world of dreams. It ran for 75 issues from January 1989 until March 1996...
: Fables and Reflections - "Flash Company" (1997) short story in The Horns of ElflandThe Horns of ElflandThe Horns of Elfland is a 1997 fantasy anthology edited by Ellen Kushner, Delia Sherman and Donald G. Keller.-Background:The Horns of Elfland was first published in April 1997 by Roc Books in paperback format. It was a nominee in the 1998 Locus Awards for best anthology, finishing eighth out of 17....
(ed. Ellen KushnerEllen KushnerEllen Kushner is an American writer of fantasy novels, who for many years was the host of the radio program Sound & Spirit, produced by WGBH in Boston and distributed by Public Radio International.- Background and personal life :...
, Delia ShermanDelia ShermanCordelia Caroline Sherman , known professionally as Delia Sherman, is a fantasy writer and editor. Her novel The Porcelain Dove won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award...
, and Donald G. KellerDonald G. KellerDonald G. Keller is a science fiction and fantasy editor and critic. He was the co-founder of Serconia Press and was Managing Editor and a frequent contributor to The New York Review of Science Fiction , where his seminal essay on Fantasy of Manners, 'The Manner of Fantasy', appeared in 1991.He...
) - A Walking Tour of the ShamblesA Walking Tour of the ShamblesA Walking Tour of the Shambles , written by Neil Gaiman and Gene Wolfe, is a tour guide concerning a fictional part of Chicago called 'The Shambles'. It guides the reader through such non-existent landmarks as The House of Clocks , Cereal House , and Gavagan's Irish Saloon...
(with Neil Gaiman) (2002) - Introduction to Vera NazarianVera NazarianVera Nazarian is an Armenian-Russian American writer of fantasy, science fiction and other "wonder fiction" including Mythpunk, an artist, and the publisher of Norilana Books...
's Salt of the Air (2006) - Shadows of the New Sun: Essays (2007)
Books by others about Gene Wolfe
- The Wizard Knight Companion: A Lexicon for Gene Wolfe's The Knight and The Wizard: Michael Andre-Driussi (Sirius Fiction, 2009, ISBN 978-0964279537), a dictionary of words and names from Wolfe's Wizard KnightThe Wizard KnightThe Wizard Knight is a series of epistolary novels written by fantasy and science fiction author Gene Wolfe. It chronicles the journey of Able of the High Heart, an American boy transported to a magical world and supernaturally aged to adulthood...
novels - Lexicon Urthus: Michael Andre-Druissi (Sirius Fiction, 1994, ISBN 0-9642795-9-2), a dictionary of the archaic words used by Wolfe in The Book of the New Sun
- The Long and the Short of It: More Essays on the Fiction of Gene Wolfe: Robert Borski (iUniverse, Inc., 2006, ISBN 978-0595386451)
- Solar Labyrinth: Exploring Gene Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun": Robert Borski (iUniverse, Inc., 2004, ISBN 978-0595317295)
- Attending Daedalus: Gene Wolfe, Artifice, and the Reader: Peter Wright (Liverpool University Press, 2003, ISBN 0-85323-818-9): Study of The Book of the New Sun and The Urth of the New Sun
- Shadows of the New Sun: Wolfe on Writing / Writers on Wolfe: Peter Wright (Liverpool University Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1846310584)
- Strokes: John Clute (Serconia Press, 1988, ISBN 0-934933-03-0)
External links
- Ultan's Library, a journal for the study of Gene Wolfe
- Bibliography of Gene Wolfe's work in the Locus database
- Paul Duggan's Wolfe site
- Gene Wolfe's online fiction at Free Speculative Fiction Online
- The Urth Mailing List, for discussion of Wolfe's work
- Overview of Wolfe's work in Washington Post Book World by the SF critic Nick Gevers
- How to Read Gene Wolfe by Neil Gaiman
- http://www.firstthings.com/article/2007/03/the-distant-suns-of-gene-wolfe-50
- http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2009/07/the_very_best_o.shtml
- Review of "The Ziggurat"
- "Decoding the Wolfe: Reviewing the Best of Gene Wolfe"
- "Wolfe, Gene" at The Encyclopedia of Science FictionThe Encyclopedia of Science FictionThe Encyclopedia of Science Fiction is an English language reference work on science fiction.- Publication history :The first edition, edited by Peter Nicholls with John Clute and Brian Stableford appeared in 1979, published by Granada. It was retitled The Science Fiction Encyclopedia in the US...
- "Home Fires by Gene Wolfe: those who dwell in Hell also keep them burning" -(John C. WrightJohn C. WrightJohn C. Wright is an American author of science fiction and fantasy novels, and a Nebula Award finalist for his fantasy novel Orphans of Chaos...
)
Interviews with Wolfe
- Interview in Science Fiction Studies in 1988 by Larry McCaffery
- A long 2002 interview at Scifi.com
- "Suns New, Long, and Short: An Interview with Gene Wolfe", conducted by Lawrence Person in Nova Express Volume 5 Number 1 (Fall/Winter 1998)
- 2002 interview by Neil Gaiman in LocusLocus (magazine)Locus, subtitled "The Magazine Of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field", is published monthly in Oakland, California. It reports on the science fiction and fantasy publishing field, including comprehensive listings of all new books published in the genre. It is considered the news organ and trade...
magazine (excerpt) - Patrick O'Leary interview in which he expounds at length on Gene Wolfe
- PDF file of a scanned 1993 Barrington Courier-Review, under the letter W
- Page with a Wolfe audio interview from World Fantasy Convention 1993 by Dave Romm
- Interview by Jeremy L. C. Jones in Clarkesworld MagazineClarkesworld MagazineClarkesworld Magazine is an American online fantasy and science fiction magazine. The first issue was published October 1, 2006 and it has maintained a regular monthly schedule since, publishing fiction by authors such as Sarah Monette, Catherynne Valente, Elizabeth Bear, Caitlin R...
, August 2008 - Audio interview with Wolfe at National Review Online
- http://mysite.verizon.net/~vze2tmhh/wolfejbj.html
- http://mysite.verizon.net/~vze2tmhh/wolfeint.html
- http://home.roadrunner.com/~lperson1/wolfe.html
- Wizard/Knight interview at BalticonBalticonBalticon is the Maryland Regional science fiction convention, sponsored by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society . It has been held annually since 1966...
40 - '“And It Goes On From There...” An Interview with Gene Wolfe'
Works available online
- The Case of the Vanishing Ghost
- Easter Sunday
- Under Hill
- Unrequited Love
- The Arimaspian Legacy
- "The Tree Is My Hat" an audio play, adapted by Lawrence Santoro
- "The Vampire Kiss" audio