The Wolfe Archipelago

by Gene Wolfe

First Trade Edition Hardcover 1983 Zeizing Brothers SIGNED by Gene Wolfe Illustrated by Rick DeMarco A collection of three The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories. The Death of Doctor Island. The Doctor of Death Island. One store is a Nebula Award winner. Foreword by Gene Wolfe with an additional previously unpublished Island Death of the Island Doctor. VG/VG. Book is tight and boxed, with light foxing to page edges. Aside from signature, not inner markings. DJ is rubbed, with light edge creasing and foxing to the backside. 1 short closed tear to rear dj panel. See images for better overview. DJ is covered with a brodart, book is preserved in an acid-free archival bag.

Hardcover

First published September 1, 1983

About the author

Gene Wolfe was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He was noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith, to which he converted after marrying a Catholic. He was a prolific short story writer and a novelist, and has won many awards in the field.

The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award is given by SFWA for ‘lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy.’ Wolfe joins the Grand Master ranks alongside such legends as Connie Willis, Michael Moorcock, Anne McCaffrey, Robert Silverberg, Ursula K. Le Guin, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury and Joe Haldeman. The award will be presented at the 48th Annual Nebula Awards Weekend in San Jose, CA, May 16-19, 2013.

While attending Texas A&M University Wolfe published his first speculative fiction in The Commentator, a student literary journal. Wolfe dropped out during his junior year, and was drafted to fight in the Korean War. After returning to the United States he earned a degree from the University of Houston and became an industrial engineer. He edited the journal Plant Engineering for many years before retiring to write full-time, but his most famous professional engineering achievement is a contribution to the machine used to make Pringles potato crisps. He lived in Barrington, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.

A frequent Hugo nominee without a win, Wolfe has nevertheless picked up several Nebula and Locus Awards, among others, including the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and the 2012 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award. He is also a member of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/genewolfe

Reviews

[Marvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This limited small press edition has the three stories that make up Wolfe's "Archipelago"; "The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories", "The Death of Doctor Island", and "The Doctor of Death Island". It also includes a foreword that contains a fourth story, "Death of the Island Doctor'. Asides from being a clever play on titles the first three pieces of fiction are three of Wolfe's best and it is nice to have them between the covers of one book...even if that book is difficult to find.

Also worth commenting on is the clever and droll art work by Carl Lungren that graces the front of this book. I can't help but chuckle a little when I see it.

[Aaron Grossman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of two of the best science fiction short stories ever written (Doctor Death and Doctor Island) and two simply "very good" short stories. But those main two? Hoo boy those are great. Special shoutout to Doctor Island which... might be the best science fiction novella I've ever read? It's up there, at least.

[Abe Ziesing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has very special meaning to me because it was published by my father and uncle when I was a kid. I was absolutely captivated with the cover art and interior illustrations. Forty years later, I've finally taken the time to read it properly, and what a wonderful read it is!

The stories are all great and a couple are award winners. Titles of all four stories are obviously rearrangements of the words doctor, death and island, but are otherwise unrelated, stand-alone tales. Though the oldest of these stories was written very early in Wolfe's writing career, he still shines with beautiful prose and a lot of the big words that add depth and uniqueness to his style. He was nominated for the Nebula award for that one, and the award presenter at the ceremony, Isaac Asimov, incorrectly called him out as the winner. Once the applause and congratulations had died down, Asimov was corrected, and no award was given for best short story that year, much to his embarrassment, and probably Wolfe's as well. Apparently he recommended to Wolfe, and a little tongue in cheek, that he write THE DEATH OF DOCTOR ISLAND next, and he was sure to win because of the mishap. Of course Wolfe did just that, possibly thinking that Asimov wasn't serious and didn't think that it could really be done. Not only did he pull it off with flying colors but went on to fulfill Asimov's prophecy, winning the Nebula, and very much deservedly.

I recommend diving into this book blindly, without having read any synopses or spoiler reviews. Enjoy!

[Brandon Graf · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 short stories that are not connected other than in title, 3 of them written as a result of a joke and still somehow they are just a masterclass. Gene Wolfe, as always, is in a league of his own.