(urth) The Distant Suns of Gene Wolfe

[Matthew King]

On May 29, 2007, at 10:26 AM, Michael Straight wrote:

> Over and over I read articles like this and I feel like the reviewers
> aren't reading the same books I'm reading.
>
> It almost makes me doubt my ability to read.  I'm I deluded?  Or is
> this guy pretty much completely missing--I won't say "the point"
> because I don't think there's a single point to any of Wolfe's
> books--missing what's valuable and worthwhile about the books he
> mentions?

These reviewers aren't equipped to read fiction in the way that we  
read Wolfe.  I wasn't so equipped when I began, and I'm still far too  
impatient to be much good at it.

Why do such readers enjoy paddling about with Wolfe, only vaguely  
aware, if at all, of the vasty deep below?