This is the continuing story of Latro, a Greek warrior who fought for the Romans and is blessed (or cursed?) by the gods. A head injury took from him his ability to make new memories (yes, like Memento) and so he must write down everything that happens to remember anything. At the same time, he is able to see the gods and demons that others follow on blind faith: although he does not know who they are, since he cannot remember their names.

One other element of the story is that the author claims that this is a translation of an ancient scroll written in broken Latin, full of mysterious abbreviations and illegible words... So a translation of a partially unreadable story written by someone with a severe brain injury. This conceit piles layer upon layer of mystery, creating the ultimate expression of one of Wolfe's favorite devices: the unreliable narrator. Here we can never be sure what is "really happening," and what's more, neither can the protagonist. There are, in fact, times when we as readers know more of what is happening than the MC since we can remember, but he cannot.

It's a fascinating story, but even without the convoluted depth, it's also just interesting. Soldier of Sidon takes Latro into Africa, through Egypt of the Ptolemies and south into Kush/Nubia (the borders are unclear, and the names change like water).

It's complex, and maddening, and fun, and exciting, and endlessly explorable. Just like the lands Latro stumbles through. ( )

Gene Wolfe, as I may have mentioned before, is a genius. I'm going to have to reread the whole trilogy and make notes before I understand it properly, but it's ace. ( )

Gene Wolfe, as I may have mentioned before, is a genius. I'm going to have to reread the whole trilogy and make notes before I understand it properly, but it's ace.

Wow. After getting bogged down a couple times in the Book of the Short Sun, I was worried that Wolfe, one of my all-time favorite authors, had lost his touch. But this has that old magic! Taking place 20 or so years after [b:Soldier of the Mist|322067|Soldier of the Mist|Gene Wolfe|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387717495s/322067.jpg|1408393] and [b:Soldier of Arete|630402|Soldier of Arete|Gene Wolfe|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1176493516s/630402.jpg|19201593], this is a beautiful resurrection of one of Wolfe's most interesting characters and worlds.

For those who don't know them, these books are the "translated" journal (sort of) of a soldier, originally from ancient Rome. In the first two books he is in the service of the city Thought (Athens) , fighting against Rope (Sparta). In this book, he now finds himself on a mission ordered by the Persian satrap ruling Egypt, traveling down the Nile into the depths of Africa. This is fantasy of the highest order - not wizards and warriors, but gods, who appear to the narrator - although not to ordinary men - since he has been touched by a god himself. And this touch has given Latro - the narrator - a terrible gift: he cannot remember events from one day to the next, and some things even fade during a long day. So he writes in a scroll to remind himself who he is, and who his friends and enemies are.

I won't provide any spoilers here, but I will say that the ending of the book leaves open the possibility of a fourth novel, which I really hope to see. This is probably the best book I've read so far this year. ( )

http://tamaranth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/201527-29-soldier-in-mist-soldier-of.htm... ( )