I'm scared

[Reave the Just]

I tried to read Shadow of the Torturer a couple of years back and gave it up. I think I was in shock at seeming to understand so little.

However, I know I'm missing out and should give the books another go. But frankly, I'm scared . This is heavyweight "speculative fiction".

Does anyone have any words of encouragement?

[[Syl]]

It's common, Reave. The first time I picked up Shadow & Claw, I finished Shadow of the Torturer and went no farther for a couple of years. I felt mentally exhausted, like I just spent a month wading through the dreams of someone far smarter than I am.

The next time around was easier. I made it all the way through New Sun, though I still felt like I was missing almost half of what was going on. The next time (and last time so far), I think I got up to 3/4 comprehension. Now that I've finished up Long Sun and Short Sun, I'm about ready to go back through it (after I finish The Wizard Knight). It really starts to coalesce once you get some outside insight.

New Sun (along with Long Sun and Short Sun, making up what's called the Briah (Hebrew for Truth?) universe) is acknowledged one of, if not the most, complex and labrynthine works of science fiction ever written. If you're the kind of person who gets something new every time you read Covenant, this is the series for you.

[Loredoctor]

You need to approach the book as a 'metastory'.

[Guest]

thanks chaps

I'm still scared though.

Think I'll make the plunge after Xmas

[Loredoctor]

Good luck, my friend.

[I'm Murrin]

I've just finished Shadow of the Torturer myself, and maybe I'm missing something, but it didn't really seem to go anywhere. The plot (if there was one) seemed as if it just wandered along from one event to another, and nothing consequential seemed to have much impact.

Spoiler

Realising that he had the Claw should have been important, but it was more like "Oh. So that's what happened."

Will continue, but not really feeling any drive to see what happens - probably a consequence of not feeling that the story is going anywhere.

[wayfriend]

I've just finished Shadow of the Torturer myself, and maybe I'm missing something, but it didn't really seem to go anywhere.

It's definitely true that you don't read this series for the action. The plot, such as it is, would be 'mystery', if classified as anything. And GW has a predilection for leaving things unexplained for a while, and then zapping you with an explanation later; the first book necessarilly gets the most of these.

The satisfaction of reading SotT comes from the writing style (very good), the character (interesting), the mileau (intriguing), and the mystery (frustrating, but in a way you can learn to enjoy.)

So, and I hate to say it, if you haven't found "it" in the first book, you may be dissappointed.

[Encryptic]

I've just finished Shadow of the Torturer myself, and maybe I'm missing something, but it didn't really seem to go anywhere.

It's definitely true that you don't read this series for the action. The plot, such as it is, would be 'mystery', if classified as anything. And GW has a predilection for leaving things unexplained for a while, and then zapping you with an explanation later; the first book necessarilly gets the most of these.

The satisfaction of reading SotT comes from the writing style (very good), the character (interesting), the mileau (intriguing), and the mystery (frustrating, but in a way you can learn to enjoy.)

So, and I hate to say it, if you haven't found "it" in the first book, you may be dissappointed.

I couldn't have said it better.

The story really comes together as you go along, although you'll still be left with a lot of questions. As Wayfriend said, Wolfe has this style of springing an answer on you later on in the story and/or leaving little hints here and there to piece together. I've yet to completely grasp everything going on in the story even after reading it a couple of times myself.