Rating: 
Summary: Not the best by Wolfe, but good
Review: This book is set in Ancient Greece, during the Persian Wars. The protagonist, Latro, is a soldier who has recieved a head wound and forgets very quickly. Therefore, he keeps a journal to tell himself who he is and what has happened to him--and that journal is this book. When I first heard about this, I was skeptical that a coherent novel could be written this way, but Wolfe makes it work without stretching believability too much.Wolfe describes the setting effectively. In order to prevent the reader from using prior knowledge of Greek history or mythology to unfair advantage, he usually replaces the Greek proper names with the protagonist's translations (sometimes incorrect!), which are then rendered into English. This makes the reader nearly as disoriented as the characters, making the book more interesting. Some readers may be annoyed that Wolfe never stops to explain anything, but I think it's better this way, since it avoids the contrived plot devices and character behavior that are often necessary for more explicit exposition. Wolfe's characters are realistic enough, and it's interesting to watch Latro's development as a character and the ways he deals with his affliction. Of course, I do have some complaints. The first few chapters were boring, and sometimes the plot seemed to drift, as if the author, as well as Latro, had forgotten what he was doing. This aside, Soldier of the Mist could make a good introduction to Wolfe for those who find the New Sun series intimidating. I rarely had much trouble with that longer (and better) work, but some do, and they may be glad that the worldbuilding, allusions, and descriptive language have been toned down. If you have already read and liked Wolfe, then read this. It won't change your life, but it is a solid and rewarding novel.
Rating: 
Summary: An entertaining story that nobody else could have told.
Review: With `Soldier of the Mist' Gene Wolfe attempts to tell a story
that would stop any other author in their tracks. `Soldier of
the Mist' is the diary of Latro, a soldier of ancient Rome (maybe)
who suffered a head wound on the battlefield. Every day when
Latro awakens, he has a new case of amnesia. Not only does he
not know who he is, but whatever he learns lasts only one day.
He has found travelling companions in his search for his identity,
and every morning they have him read his diary to learn who he
is. Every night he makes new entries, hoping they will be useful
in the coming day. The next morning he will face the world
as new, knowing only what he's written and what he sees in front
of him.
Latro wanders ancient Greece dealing with war, politics, gods
and goddesses. His lack of knowledge and prejudices let him
(and you) see the world of the ancients in an entirely new light.
Rating:
Summary: An entertaining story that nobody else could have told.
Review: With `Soldier of the Mist' Gene Wolfe attempts to tell a storythat would stop any other author in their tracks. `Soldier ofthe Mist' is the diary of Latro, a soldier of ancient Rome (maybe) who suffered a head wound on the battlefield. Every day when Latro awakens, he has a new case of amnesia. Not only does he not know who he is, but whatever he learns lasts only one day. He has found travelling companions in his search for his identity, and every morning they have him read his diary to learn who he is. Every night he makes new entries, hoping they will be useful in the coming day. The next morning he will face the world as new, knowing only what he's written and what he sees in front of him. Latro wanders ancient Greece dealing with war, politics, gods and goddesses. His lack of knowledge and prejudices let him (and you) see the world of the ancients in an entirely new light.
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