Bsky Book Club

Ugh yeah that was terrible. Gene just beating us over the head with how awful this guy is

So #bskybc what did we think of the first ten chapters. Are we enjoying ourselves. Christ what an asshole

going to thread my chapter-by-chapter impressions of URTH OF THE NEW SUN, by Gene Wolfen the fifth book in THE BOOK OF THE NEW SUN trilogy.

#bskybc

36 Gene Wolfe mentioned-is the judge appointed to your case. He is a Hierogrammate, as is to be expected. What do you know of them?" "Very little, beyond the fact that they are your masters," "Then you know very little indeed; even that is wrong, You call us Hierodules, and that is your word and not ours, just as Barbatus, Famulimus, and Ossipago are your words, words we have chosen because they are not common and describe us better than your other words would. Do you know what Hierodule means, this word of your own tongue?" "I know that you are creatures of this universe, shaped by those of the next to serve them here. And that the service they desire of you is the shaping of our race, of humanity, because we are the cognates of those who shaped them in the ages of the previous creation." Famulimus trilled, "Hierodule is 'holy slave." How could Hierodules be holy, did we not serve the Increate? Our master is he, and he only." Barbatus added, "You've commanded armies, Severian. You're a king and a hero, or at least you were up until you left your world. Then too, you may rule again, should you fail. You must know that a soldier doesn't serve his officer, or at least, that he shouldn't. He serves his tribe, and receives instructions from his officer." I nodded. "The Hierogrammates are your officers, then.

Feels like something here is important but idk what it is yet, resonates with my half-remembered vibes about the lost archives, Neoplatonism/gnosticism, hierarchies of government loyalty, and whatnot #bskybc

Backwards time travelers with a mission are cruel? Maybe tragic? because, never knowing the consequences of their actions, even if they succeed they march backward continuing to sacrifice all the previous generations just back and back forever #bskybc

Severian you idiot #bskybc

We forgot to put this up on main! Ten chapters a week starting approximately yesterday

They are closing the doors on my plane so it is time for me to begin reading the 2.84 chapters I owe. Discussion question: has time retained any meaning? #bskybc

1.42 chapters of Gene Wolfe per day seems reasonable for the vacationing poster

Ahha I will start tomorrow!

New pfp

Thank you, it’s perfect

@minormobius.bsky.social ok what’s our schedule for Urth do you think? Also #bskybc

Pardon but could I use this as a pfp for a bit? We’re reading Urth next. Will credit of course

You heard it here first #bskybc

You loved* the adventures of Severian the Torturer

Now get ready for the adventures of Severian the Lame

IN

Gene Wolfe’s “Urth of the New Sun”

Coming 12/19-January something or other

Surprise!

You heard it here first #bskybc

You loved* the adventures of Severian the Torturer

Now get ready for the adventures of Severian the Lame

IN

Gene Wolfe’s “Urth of the New Sun”

Coming 12/19-January something or other

Surprise!

Ha, all are welcome

We could add perennial loser ancillary justice too

✍️

oh interesting that's def topical too

maybe i can set the brackets up with AI/consciousness on one end and fae on the other, if we can get enough of each

I don't want to read it ever again but I'd do echopraxia while others did blindsight

Ok. With all this AI & sentience discourse flying around we definitely need to read Blindsight or a book about the fae next. I have a short list of fae stuff from some of you, feel free to toss in more here, or Blindsight-adjacent recommendations too #bskybc

Destriers, am I right? #bskybc

i actually got it at that book store you like in the south bay

yo

This is not an official selection but if anybody wants to read le Carre’s The Honourable Schoolboy with me now’s your chance #bskybc

somehow only just realized ansible was named after Le Guin's ansible #bskybc

True!

Does @minormobius.bsky.social have any recommendations