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Quick answer: If you finished Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun, read The Urth of the New Sun, The Fifth Head of Cerberus and Latro in the Mist, then try The Dying Earth, Hyperion and Gormenghast. All are ornate, strange, thoughtful and rewarding.
The Book of the New Sun follows Severian, a torturer's apprentice, through a dying far-future Earth. Wolfe's puzzling, layered style rewards rereading. The books below include his own works and other literary science fiction and fantasy that share the same dreamlike, intelligent approach. All are real, in-print books for adult readers.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Shadow of the Torturer | Gene Wolfe | Adult | the series starter |
| The Urth of the New Sun | Gene Wolfe | Adult | the sequel |
| The Fifth Head of Cerberus | Gene Wolfe | Adult | short Wolfe |
| Peace | Gene Wolfe | Adult | literary Wolfe |
| Soldier of the Mist (Latro in the Mist) | Gene Wolfe | Adult | memory puzzles |
| Nightside the Long Sun | Gene Wolfe | Adult | more Wolfe worlds |
| The Dying Earth | Jack Vance | Adult | source of the genre |
| Hyperion | Dan Simmons | Adult | story-within-story |
| Dune | Frank Herbert | Adult | epic worlds |
| Viriconium | M. John Harrison | Adult | weird fiction |
| Titus Groan | Mervyn Peake | Adult | gothic fantasy |
| Solaris | Stanisław Lem | Adult | ideas-driven sci-fi |
| Roadside Picnic | Arkady and Boris Strugatsky | Adult | mysterious Zones |
| Perdido Street Station | China Miéville | Adult | weird city fiction |
| The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: Lord Foul's Bane | Stephen R. Donaldson | Adult | antihero fantasy |
1. The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe
The first volume of The Book of the New Sun introduces Severian. If you haven't started the series, begin here.
Best for: the series starter.
2. The Urth of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe
A follow-up that resolves questions from the tetralogy. Best after reading all four books.
Best for: the sequel.
3. The Fifth Head of Cerberus by Gene Wolfe
Three linked novellas about colonists on twin planets. Elegant, mysterious and shorter than New Sun.
Best for: short Wolfe.
4. Peace by Gene Wolfe
An old man recalls his life in a seemingly ordinary Midwestern town, and secrets surface. Quiet and eerie.
Best for: literary Wolfe.
5. Soldier of the Mist (Latro in the Mist) by Gene Wolfe
A soldier in ancient Greece cannot keep new memories. Intricate and original.
Best for: memory puzzles.
6. Nightside the Long Sun by Gene Wolfe
The Book of the Long Sun begins in a giant starship world. Accessible and rich.
Best for: more Wolfe worlds.
7. The Dying Earth by Jack Vance
Stories in a far-future world where the sun is fading. A major influence on Wolfe.
Best for: source of the genre.
8. Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Seven pilgrims tell their stories on the way to the Time Tombs. Literary and inventive.
Best for: story-within-story.
9. Dune by Frank Herbert
A noble family takes over a desert planet. Political, philosophical and vast.
Best for: epic worlds.
10. Viriconium by M. John Harrison
Stories of a decaying city in a far-future Earth. Dreamlike and atmospheric.
Best for: weird fiction.
11. Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake
The first Gormenghast book describes a vast castle full of odd rituals. Gothic and baroque.
Best for: gothic fantasy.
12. Solaris by Stanisław Lem
Scientists study a living ocean that reads human minds. Eerie and philosophical.
Best for: ideas-driven sci-fi.
13. Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
After alien visits, a Zone holds dangerous artifacts. Gritty and strange.
Best for: mysterious Zones.
14. Perdido Street Station by China Miéville
A scientist, an artist and a monster in the weird city of New Crobuzon. Dense and inventive.
Best for: weird city fiction.
15. The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen R. Donaldson
A leper is pulled into a fantasy world. Dark and challenging.
Best for: antihero fantasy.
How to Choose
For more Wolfe, read The Fifth Head of Cerberus first, since it is short and rich. For classic far-future settings, The Dying Earth. For weird city fiction, Viriconium or Perdido Street Station. Wolfe asks readers to question the narrator, so keep notes and consider a reading guide or a reread. Do not worry if you cannot follow everything on the first read. Wolfe built hidden clues and mistakes into the narrator's account, and many readers say the series changes completely on a second pass. Consider joining an online reading group or keeping a glossary for the unusual words.
Related: What Is the Difference Between YA and New Adult? · What Age Is Brave New World Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Book of the New Sun hard to read?
It is challenging, with unusual words and an unreliable narrator, but many readers find it rewarding.
How many books are in The Book of the New Sun?
Four volumes, plus The Urth of the New Sun.
What are the four volumes?
The Shadow of the Torturer, The Claw of the Conciliator, The Sword of the Lictor and The Citadel of the Autarch.
Is it science fiction or fantasy?
It blends both, set on a far-future Earth that reads like a medieval fantasy.
Where should I start with Gene Wolfe?
Many suggest Peace or The Fifth Head of Cerberus as easier entry points.
Who is Severian?
He is the narrator, a torturer's apprentice exiled from his guild after showing mercy.
Is the series finished?
Yes. The four main volumes and The Urth of the New Sun make up the complete story.
Should I read the Long Sun books afterward?
They are set in a different place but connected, and are a good next step.