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Lexicon Urthus, Second Edition [LEXICON URTHUS 2ND /E]
This is the Kindle version of the new second edition of Lexicon Urthus, a dictionary of the complete Urth Cycle by Gene Wolfe (The Shadow of the Torturer, The Claw of the Conciliator, The Sword of the Lictor, The Citadel of the Autarch, Urth of the New Sun, and related works). It includes all 1200 entries in the print edition as well as all illustrations. The tables are rendered as images so may not be as readable as they are in the print version, but of course the Kindle version has other benefits. Please note that there are no internal links and the formatting does not match the print edition.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 24, 2020
In a sense it's hard to believe that a reference work could be 5/5 stars, but the Lexicon functions almost as a companion novel to the Urth cycle and uncovers so much depth that it needs to be treated as a sixth entry in the series. Not only did Andre-Driussi track down every OED entry used by Wolfe, he pieces together many of the maddening and confusing bits of Wolfe's plotting/concepts into a coherent whole, retroactively improving the Urth novels themselves, in a curious way. I had a 'eureka' moment on roughly every other page, with lots of "!!!" in the margins, etc.
Ultimately Wolfe trusted the reader a bit too much, he added too much opacity ... for a first read-through, it's fine to not completely understand all of the events taking place, but the Lexicon is virtually required for any deeper reading that fully appreciates Wolfe's achievement. Any single reader COULD have pulled all of this data together through a thousand hours of patient study, but thankfully now they don't need to.
Ultimately Wolfe trusted the reader a bit too much, he added too much opacity ... for a first read-through, it's fine to not completely understand all of the events taking place, but the Lexicon is virtually required for any deeper reading that fully appreciates Wolfe's achievement. Any single reader COULD have pulled all of this data together through a thousand hours of patient study, but thankfully now they don't need to.
November 26, 2022
Very useful as a reference work for Wolfe's Book of the New Sun series.
January 7, 2019
This is an excellent, and I would even say necessary, resource for anyone approaching Gene Wolfe’s New Sun series. That being said I would strongly caution the first-time reader from using it as anything more than a dictionary for obscure words (of which there are a plethora in the series) as many of Andre-Driussi’s more fulsome entries (especially on characters and places) head deep into spoiler territory that would ruin many of the surprises on an initial read and what would a Gene Wolfe book be without surprises…or a lot of head scratching in general? So just let yourself be confused by the characters and events on your first read of the books, it’s inevitable, at least you’ll know what those arcane words mean, then you can use the fuller entries as a guide on your later attempts to ferret out Wolfe’s meaning.
The book itself is pretty much a dictionary with A-Z entries for the many arcane words used by Wolfe to give his far-future ‘Urth’ an appropriately distant feel, as well as entries for the main (and minor) characters and places in the texts, and a number of articles on topics gername to the stories such as ‘Kabbalah’, ‘astroengineering’, and ‘magic in the Urth Cycle’ to name but a few. There are also some useful maps and a synopsis of the stories (the inclusion of which I didn’t fully understand and which I didn’t bother reading). I don’t necessarily agree with all of Andre-Driuissi’s theories on some of the mysteries of the Urth Cycle, but that is par for the course in Wolfe-exegesis and I still found this an illuminating read. Highly recommended.
The book itself is pretty much a dictionary with A-Z entries for the many arcane words used by Wolfe to give his far-future ‘Urth’ an appropriately distant feel, as well as entries for the main (and minor) characters and places in the texts, and a number of articles on topics gername to the stories such as ‘Kabbalah’, ‘astroengineering’, and ‘magic in the Urth Cycle’ to name but a few. There are also some useful maps and a synopsis of the stories (the inclusion of which I didn’t fully understand and which I didn’t bother reading). I don’t necessarily agree with all of Andre-Driuissi’s theories on some of the mysteries of the Urth Cycle, but that is par for the course in Wolfe-exegesis and I still found this an illuminating read. Highly recommended.
April 2, 2021
I am giving it 5 stars simply because it serves its purpose fantastically ... being a dictionary for BOTNS. I have not read every entry heck I haven't even read Urth of the New Sun. That said be really careful using this as yeah obviously not spoiler-free most safe for rereads but I did use it in my first read just fine. But again use it sparely and well entries you don't think you will get spoiled.
October 4, 2020
Essential if you want to have a better understanding of The Book of the New Sun.
November 28, 2022
This Book of the New Sun reference guide isn't a preparatory text to be read before the books. If a reader peruses the entries from beginning to end in preparation, it would only serve to increase vocabulary. Doing so would also spoiler the entire series.
In the foreword Wolfe talks about the why and how of his word choices. He lists out some of the many sources that he used to acquire words from all times, places, and contexts. For the most part I think Wolfe's word choices are for aesthetic purpose. They serve to create a mystique and particular effect upon the reader. Wolfe notes that it's entirely possible to read and enjoy the series without looking up anything. If Wolfe intended to create a cult classic he succeeded, because I think doing so limited its appeal, which is unfortunate because neither the narrative nor the characters rely upon their usage. Many of the words seem to be used only once. There over three dozen specific weapons mentioned, many only slightly differing. There's no denying that it's an integral part of what it's become known for though.
This reference guide almost exclusively covers the five books that compose the Urth Cycle, as Andre-Druissi calls it, though various related other media is also included in small amounts. There are a few stray references to other works by Wolfe, including the Solar Cycle and The Fifth Head of Cerberus. As I haven't read them, I can't say whether they are easter eggs, spoilers, or coincidences.
Many of the entries are spoiler free, though caution is strongly advised when looking up a character because spoilers abound if they have any significant role in the series. The same warning applies for anything else that seems important. The entries provide the passage in which it was used, the meaning of the word, its relevant historical context, and sometimes commentary provided by Andre-Driussi or whomever else he credits, which most often seems to be John Clute. So many of the characters are named after saints, whose number exceed 10,000, that I have to wonder whether Wolfe consulted a list of saint names and chose primarily from that so that he wouldn't have to to think about all the names overly much. Wolfe had written that he wanted common names. I don't think it's any greater meaning to them than that.
The ideal way to use this seems to be as a specialized encyclopedia that is consulted while reading. Reading it afterwards, as I've done now, seems to be of limited utility aside from the few entries where Andre-Driussi provides theories and speculation. I didn't read all the entries in full, because I was already familiar with many of them.
A series synopsis is provided near the end, assumedly for the purpose of refreshment and/or confirmation of similar understanding. The penultimate section is the subject listing which lists out terms grouped by type. It ends with a selected bibliography.
In the foreword Wolfe talks about the why and how of his word choices. He lists out some of the many sources that he used to acquire words from all times, places, and contexts. For the most part I think Wolfe's word choices are for aesthetic purpose. They serve to create a mystique and particular effect upon the reader. Wolfe notes that it's entirely possible to read and enjoy the series without looking up anything. If Wolfe intended to create a cult classic he succeeded, because I think doing so limited its appeal, which is unfortunate because neither the narrative nor the characters rely upon their usage. Many of the words seem to be used only once. There over three dozen specific weapons mentioned, many only slightly differing. There's no denying that it's an integral part of what it's become known for though.
This reference guide almost exclusively covers the five books that compose the Urth Cycle, as Andre-Druissi calls it, though various related other media is also included in small amounts. There are a few stray references to other works by Wolfe, including the Solar Cycle and The Fifth Head of Cerberus. As I haven't read them, I can't say whether they are easter eggs, spoilers, or coincidences.
Many of the entries are spoiler free, though caution is strongly advised when looking up a character because spoilers abound if they have any significant role in the series. The same warning applies for anything else that seems important. The entries provide the passage in which it was used, the meaning of the word, its relevant historical context, and sometimes commentary provided by Andre-Driussi or whomever else he credits, which most often seems to be John Clute. So many of the characters are named after saints, whose number exceed 10,000, that I have to wonder whether Wolfe consulted a list of saint names and chose primarily from that so that he wouldn't have to to think about all the names overly much. Wolfe had written that he wanted common names. I don't think it's any greater meaning to them than that.
The ideal way to use this seems to be as a specialized encyclopedia that is consulted while reading. Reading it afterwards, as I've done now, seems to be of limited utility aside from the few entries where Andre-Driussi provides theories and speculation. I didn't read all the entries in full, because I was already familiar with many of them.
A series synopsis is provided near the end, assumedly for the purpose of refreshment and/or confirmation of similar understanding. The penultimate section is the subject listing which lists out terms grouped by type. It ends with a selected bibliography.
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February 26, 2023Många fantastik-serier får tillhörande novellsamlingar, eller uppslagsverk, eller konstruerade historiekrönikor - att The Book of the New Sun får ett lexikon skvallrar om vilken sorts böcker det är.
Inte nödvändig för läsningen, men berikar den.
Inte nödvändig för läsningen, men berikar den.
October 8, 2022
I recommend this, more than the actual Gene Wolfe books. So in a meta way, kinda like Pale Fire, I know the text indirectly through an intermediary.
Before commiting to a book I *always* read spoilers first, an overview, maybe the Wikipedia page or a plot summary somewhere, a review, but I often found frustrating how people couldn't articulate WHY the Urth books are good, just "they're great." Years ago I read Claw of the Concilator all the way through, seemed like clever but random picaresque. Bounced off the other titles at various, repeated attempts.
Read the story synopsis at the end of Lexicon Urthus, then decide if you wanna read through the text. I'm done here.
Before commiting to a book I *always* read spoilers first, an overview, maybe the Wikipedia page or a plot summary somewhere, a review, but I often found frustrating how people couldn't articulate WHY the Urth books are good, just "they're great." Years ago I read Claw of the Concilator all the way through, seemed like clever but random picaresque. Bounced off the other titles at various, repeated attempts.
Read the story synopsis at the end of Lexicon Urthus, then decide if you wanna read through the text. I'm done here.
July 14, 2017
For those of you who are about to tackle Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun (including the coda, The Urth of the New Sun), Michael Andre-Driussi's Lexicon Urthus is a highly recommended companion resource.
And why is that? Wolfe, in an effort to be faithful to the series' setting so far in the future of Earth that our history has been long forgotten, employs arcane words to describe people, objects, places and concepts, thus lending them an "otherness" that adds to and supports setting. But beware: he does it relentlessly and while the words and terms are real, they can be so arcane that they are difficult to find, even in an OED.
Fortunately, Michael Andre-Driussi -- who started the Lexicon Urthus project as a fan lit thing -- has consolidated the vast majority of terms and their definitions into this glossary/dictionary to make life much easier for the reader. So now instead of sitting down with three dictionaries (and that's just a start; a list of saints through the ages would help too), as well as a perpetually open Google search bar (which I didn't have when I read and re-read TBotNS in the 80s), you now have a comprehensive reference volume at your fingertips.
For example, Wolfe uses "arctother" to mean "giant bear;" an arctother was a prehistoric bear native to North and South America. "Scopolagna" means "a woman whose appearance others find stimulating in the extreme." Similarly he uses the word "epopt" to describe someone who is "instructed in the mysteries of a secret system," and the word actually means an initiate in the Eleusinian Mysteries, the ancient cult of Demeter and Persephone. Character names are almost invariable derived from the names of saints from the 3rd century on.
Wolfe uses words like these ALL THE TIME and while many times they are meant to be allusive rather than denotative, other times you JUST HAVE TO KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS. The beauty of Lexicon Urtus is that it's a one-stop shop but beware, as good as it is, it's not exhaustive.
Ensure you get the 2nd edition, published in 2008. It's available on Amazon and although it's available on kindle for a lot less than the PB version, I can't see easily navigating a dictionary-like structure on an e-reader.
Highly recommended.
And why is that? Wolfe, in an effort to be faithful to the series' setting so far in the future of Earth that our history has been long forgotten, employs arcane words to describe people, objects, places and concepts, thus lending them an "otherness" that adds to and supports setting. But beware: he does it relentlessly and while the words and terms are real, they can be so arcane that they are difficult to find, even in an OED.
Fortunately, Michael Andre-Driussi -- who started the Lexicon Urthus project as a fan lit thing -- has consolidated the vast majority of terms and their definitions into this glossary/dictionary to make life much easier for the reader. So now instead of sitting down with three dictionaries (and that's just a start; a list of saints through the ages would help too), as well as a perpetually open Google search bar (which I didn't have when I read and re-read TBotNS in the 80s), you now have a comprehensive reference volume at your fingertips.
For example, Wolfe uses "arctother" to mean "giant bear;" an arctother was a prehistoric bear native to North and South America. "Scopolagna" means "a woman whose appearance others find stimulating in the extreme." Similarly he uses the word "epopt" to describe someone who is "instructed in the mysteries of a secret system," and the word actually means an initiate in the Eleusinian Mysteries, the ancient cult of Demeter and Persephone. Character names are almost invariable derived from the names of saints from the 3rd century on.
Wolfe uses words like these ALL THE TIME and while many times they are meant to be allusive rather than denotative, other times you JUST HAVE TO KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS. The beauty of Lexicon Urtus is that it's a one-stop shop but beware, as good as it is, it's not exhaustive.
Ensure you get the 2nd edition, published in 2008. It's available on Amazon and although it's available on kindle for a lot less than the PB version, I can't see easily navigating a dictionary-like structure on an e-reader.
Highly recommended.
October 3, 2008
LEXICON URTHUS is a dictionary prepared by Michael Andre-Driussi of the unusual words and names used by Gene Wolfe in his four-volume masterpiece The Book of the New Sun (and its coda THE URTH OF THE NEW SUN). Originally published in 1994, it swiftly went out of print and used copies went for high prices. The publication of its second edition is to be heralded.
Those who have read Wolfe's work know that he usually allows many of his archaic terms to be defined for the reader through context, but those wishing to know more about these words weird and wonderful can turn to this resource. The book doesn't limit itself merely to terminology, however, but also contains the names of characters and places. Many characters in the Book of the New Sun are named after obscure saints of early Christianity or the Middle Ages or mythological figures, and Andre-Driussi shows why they have the names they do. For example, "Nilammon", the man mentioned in passing by the caretaker who shows Severian a picture of the moon ("Now there's trees enough on it to hide Nilammon") is named after a 4th century Egyptian saint who hid in his cell to escape a mob that wanted to proclaim him bishop.
Yet, Andre-Driussi sometimes goes astray. In the entry on Valeria, for example, he mentions several female saints, but doesn't mention who, I would say, is the most likely namesake of the character: Claudius' wife Valeria Messalina. The name of "Kim Lee Soong", the ancestor of the prisoners in the antechamber, is said to be Chinese, but clearly it is Korean. And occasionally Andre-Driussi makes pronouncements that are simply beyond reason, such as that Hethor is the same as Soong. The work is also clearly an amateur production, although Sirius Fiction has typeset and bound it quite nicely.
Educated readers will already recognise many of these etymologies, and LEXICON URTHUS is no substitute for the Oxford English Dictionary and a good saints dictionary. Still, the book is worth reading for any passionate fan of The Book of the New Sun.
Those who have read Wolfe's work know that he usually allows many of his archaic terms to be defined for the reader through context, but those wishing to know more about these words weird and wonderful can turn to this resource. The book doesn't limit itself merely to terminology, however, but also contains the names of characters and places. Many characters in the Book of the New Sun are named after obscure saints of early Christianity or the Middle Ages or mythological figures, and Andre-Driussi shows why they have the names they do. For example, "Nilammon", the man mentioned in passing by the caretaker who shows Severian a picture of the moon ("Now there's trees enough on it to hide Nilammon") is named after a 4th century Egyptian saint who hid in his cell to escape a mob that wanted to proclaim him bishop.
Yet, Andre-Driussi sometimes goes astray. In the entry on Valeria, for example, he mentions several female saints, but doesn't mention who, I would say, is the most likely namesake of the character: Claudius' wife Valeria Messalina. The name of "Kim Lee Soong", the ancestor of the prisoners in the antechamber, is said to be Chinese, but clearly it is Korean. And occasionally Andre-Driussi makes pronouncements that are simply beyond reason, such as that Hethor is the same as Soong. The work is also clearly an amateur production, although Sirius Fiction has typeset and bound it quite nicely.
Educated readers will already recognise many of these etymologies, and LEXICON URTHUS is no substitute for the Oxford English Dictionary and a good saints dictionary. Still, the book is worth reading for any passionate fan of The Book of the New Sun.
June 1, 2014
I admit, I couldn't get through Gene Wolfe's New Sun books the first time I tried. Now on my second attempt, I'm keeping this volume close at hand (figuratively speaking, since it's in digital format).
On the positive side, it's got a lot of invaluable background stuff such as definitions of obscure words, historical context and connotations of names, and explanations of the themes of the book. On the negative side, the digital version was the cheapest I could find and I would have preferred a physical copy to more easily find entries. The table of contents does not provide quick access links to sections by their alphabet header, and the illustrations are not linked so to be more easily located.
Another admission about my attempt to tackle Wolfe's opus: I cheated. A search through related terms quickly told me the gist of the story, what it's about and what happens. I know Wolfe intended his readers to only realize this stuff after multiple re-readings, but dang it I've got a day job!
On the positive side, it's got a lot of invaluable background stuff such as definitions of obscure words, historical context and connotations of names, and explanations of the themes of the book. On the negative side, the digital version was the cheapest I could find and I would have preferred a physical copy to more easily find entries. The table of contents does not provide quick access links to sections by their alphabet header, and the illustrations are not linked so to be more easily located.
Another admission about my attempt to tackle Wolfe's opus: I cheated. A search through related terms quickly told me the gist of the story, what it's about and what happens. I know Wolfe intended his readers to only realize this stuff after multiple re-readings, but dang it I've got a day job!
September 16, 2008
This is the second edition of the Lexicon Urthus and contains new entries as well as all corrections. The first edition from 1994 sold out quickly.
This is an amazing book and the result of careful study of the Book of the New Sun (available for instance in the two omnibus editions Shadow and Claw and Sword and Citadel). I guess it's possible to figure out many of these things on his own, but if you do not have the time or the resources to check the various references, this book is for you. After browsing through the lexicon I immediately wanted to re-read the books - and I probably will this winter.
This is an amazing book and the result of careful study of the Book of the New Sun (available for instance in the two omnibus editions Shadow and Claw and Sword and Citadel). I guess it's possible to figure out many of these things on his own, but if you do not have the time or the resources to check the various references, this book is for you. After browsing through the lexicon I immediately wanted to re-read the books - and I probably will this winter.
July 15, 2021
A necessary and helpful companion to the Book Of The New Sun series, without which the latter would have made even less sense to me, scattered as it is with a great many made-up words and inadequately explored history and mythology.
July 3, 2017
Almost required reading for the Urth Cycle. I used this when re-reading Shadow & Claw, and it upped the enjoyment factor by several orders of magnitude. Highly recommended.
March 15, 2020
It's a dictionary, thrilling!
October 31, 2019
Having the Lexicon Urthus at hand makes reading The Book of the New Sun much more enjoyable.
Suggestions for use:
- To avoid spoilers, Do NOT look up major characters, cities, history, plot synopses, etc.
- DO look up the names of arms, armor, animals, plants, units of measure, etc.
Suggestions for use:
- To avoid spoilers, Do NOT look up major characters, cities, history, plot synopses, etc.
- DO look up the names of arms, armor, animals, plants, units of measure, etc.
August 8, 2024
Lexicon Urthus is a surprisingly fun read for a companion book. It’s a lifesaver for navigating the complex narrative of Gene Wolfe, laying out all the rich, archaic terms and the religious and historical allegories he employs. With detailed maps, data tables, and measurements of various elements in the books, it’s an invaluable resource. Whether you're building your vocabulary or stumbling upon intriguing mythological trivia, this book is both informative and enjoyable.
January 18, 2018
A large and detailled glossary of terms, characters and concepts of the Urth Cycle. Inspiring, but I wished for more theories and possible explanations. TV Tropes and GoT forums may have been spoiled me.
August 18, 2020
Pretty much the definitive encyclopedia. Probably necessary reading to understand anything going on in these books unless you're going to reread 3-4 times or scour the internet for hours like I do naturally.
September 15, 2023
Excellent guide/dictionary that makes reading the Book of the New Sun much easier. I wish it were a bit more thorough, but it otherwise saved me from being confused dozens of times. I read random bits of this when I miss that universe.
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January 26, 2025This is a dictionary so would have been a lot more helpful to have it while reading TBOTNS rather than after it. Still got a lot of insights related to the world the series takes place in and meanings of the obscure words used considering they were missing in a lot of standard dictionaries
September 22, 2017
Super helpful, but only if you've read / are reading Gene Wolfe's magnum opus The Book of the New Sun.
October 19, 2019
Absolutely must-have for any fan of The Book of the New Sun. I have gone back to this book again and again over the last twenty years.
July 26, 2020
Such a necessary companion to Book of the New Sun. I recommend using it on a second reading after an initial blind read through.
December 6, 2020
Honestly I was worried about being spoonfed on the details but there's so many that I'll no doubt forget and later rediscover when I read the series again. The commentators knew their homework.
January 8, 2022
A wonderful guide.
March 26, 2022
A great reference book for Wolfe's Books of the New Sun
December 1, 2022
Handy to have around and always fun to open to a random page
March 17, 2023
Not quite as comprehensive as advertised, but still a very good resource for rereading BOTNS and UOTNS. Had a lot of quality info and was useful for me as I read.
May 18, 2024
It’s honestly the Brewer’s Guide to the New Sun. So good and so handy and so thorough.
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