[ 3 / biz / cgl / ck / diy / fa / ic / jp / lit / sci / vr / vt ] [ index / top / reports ] [ become a patron ] [ status ]
2023-11: Warosu is now out of extended maintenance.

/lit/ - Literature

View post   
File: 41 KB, 200x294, Shadow_of_the_torturer.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
22410508 No.22410508 [Reply] [Original]

Hello /lit/, I just finished pic related, and wanted to know if the rest of the series is worth reading.
It was an interesting read, but didn't totally engross me. I just wanted to know if it was something like Dune in the sense that the first book is the best, and the story just tapers off from there.

>> No.22410590

>>22410508
It's one story in 4 volumes. First and third chapter have the best prose and characterization imo. Second and fourth are more plot oriented in an ironic way since some tales interrupt the pace.
I haven't read Dune but i guess it's a self contained story with Messiah being an epilogue and the same can be said aboit TBotNS and Urth of the New Sun.

>> No.22410677

>>22410508
does this series condemn transhumanism or does it promote it?

>> No.22410678

>>22410508
Reading all 4 books is a must.

>> No.22410682

>>22410677
Sir, it is a christian book.

>> No.22410684

>>22410590
>>22410678
Thank you both. I will continue reading them.

>> No.22410695

>>22410682
Thank you. I will now put it higher up on my reading list.

>> No.22410702

>>22410677
It sees transhumanism as a political tool as well as an inevitably outcome of the passing of time and the merging of technologies.
At some point the protagonist turns vegan.
>>22410682
The main character is deeply queer and presents himself as a woman to the reader sometimes.

>> No.22410705

>>22410677
From what I gathered in the first book I think it condemns transhumanism. A good example was the fact that they were living in the old spaceships, and only knew them as Towers.
There is no common understanding of the passed or of advanced technology. (i.e. Severian not understanding that the painting in the archives was an astronaut.)
I also think it condemns it because of the fact that their seems to be an almost medieval tinge to the story. As if humanity got so advanced they did something to reset themselves back to a somewhat less advanced time period.

>> No.22410713

>>22410702
>deeply queer
>fucks three bitches in the first book alone
inb4 one was paid; pussy is pussy

>> No.22410717

>>22410705
To your last point, does it ever, if not stated explicitly, hint at a form of moral degradation because of the practice?

>> No.22410720

>>22410713
He presents that as a product of his bisexuality as he sees himself as being both male and female.

>> No.22410723

>>22410720
You may be right. He did sleep with a giant man without any qualms.

>> No.22410741

>>22410717
>form of moral degradation
I would say the Torture's Guild in and of itself is moral degradation. As well as the public executions.
Also, Thecla's imprisonment was as well. Your half-sister is fucking Vodalus? Go to prison and get tortured to death lol.

>> No.22410746

>>22410702
>Doesn't know about the androgyny of christ

>> No.22410783

>>22410746
Heh. Reassignment surgeries are legal in muslim countries too so the androgyny of the Self it's exclusive to western religions.

>> No.22410973

>>22410783
Not*

>> No.22410985

>>22410783
>Reassignment surgeries are legal in muslim countries too
Really?

>> No.22411236

>>22410677
It's complicated. The people in it are usually not what you'd think. Some are clones, others are androids, some are robots, some have been bred to perfection, others have absorbed dangerous mutagens and reverted to animalistic state, some even mixed themselves with extraterrestrial plants and animals.

>> No.22411241

>>22410746
Why do sodomites force their perversions on all of history?

>> No.22411752

>>22411236
“Cacogens, I think, were there, beings to whom the avern was but what a marigold or marguerite was to us. Others seemed beasts with too much of men about them, so that horned heads watched us with eyes too wise, and mouths that appeared to speak showed teeth like nails or hooks.”

>> No.22412711

>>22410508
The rest of Book of the New Sun is just as good. Don't know about the other "solar cycle" books though.

>> No.22412816

>>22410705
He verbatim says their tower is an old spacecraft within the first 20 pages

>> No.22412821

>>22410741
Political prisoners have been a thing since before Jesus. You really aren’t as intelligent as you like to pretend you are.

>> No.22412828

>>22412821
Name one political prisoner before Jesus

>> No.22412834

>>22412711
The book of the long sun is the worst and drags on a bit. The main character the most righteous of his books. He’s likeable but he does some naïve annoying stuff occasionally. The book of the short sun is the best of the series and probably the three best novels Wolfe ever wrote.

>> No.22412840

>>22412828
Socrates you stupid inbred fuck

>> No.22412853

>>22412840
How can be Socrates be a political prisoner when he was guilty?

>> No.22413730

>>22412834
>The book of the long sun is the worst and drags on a bit
yes in the sense of being the 'worst' of the best series. it still blows most sci fi out of the water
>>22410677
The book doesn't condemn or promote things in that sense and that is one of the many reasons it is so great.

>> No.22413760

>>22410985
It is method to heteronormlizzze homoSEX males. Interesting strategay to contend w homosex phenoMEMEon. Not liberal ‘’paradise’’ libtard would have think!

>> No.22413764

>>22412821
>>22412840
Angry eurocuck/third shift American need not reply
>>22412816
Post quote please

>> No.22413767

>>22410508
Could \lit\ speak to FITH book in series? What is lole? Have am reading series second tile for year as have been captivated like RAMPANT obsessive very excellent series yes I know—

>> No.22413789

>>22410720
He's not bisexual, he's two-spirit but transitions into schizophrenia.

>> No.22413793

>>22413789
>he's not mentaly ill,
>he's mentally ill

>> No.22413875

I bought this book years ago without knowing it is part of a series. Does it have a stand alone ending or is it open and I have to read the other books?

>> No.22413926

>>22413875
It was written as one complete story and then split into 4 books. The first one ends on a cliffhanger.

>> No.22414289

>>22411752
Cacogens are essentially extra-terrestrial humanoids descended from people who left urth long enough ago to significantly biologically deviate.