Latro In the Mist

I don't think I've written anything about Gene Wolfe before, but he is one of my favorite living authors. Granted, prior to this review the only thing I had read by him was The Book of The New Sun. However, that series was more than enough to cement him as one of my favorites, being, in my opinion, one of the greatest works of literature of the 20th century.
The Book of the New Sun made me want to get further acquainted with Wolfe's work, which led to me acquiring the book that is the focus of this post: Latro In the Mist.

Latro In the Mist is actually a compilation of two novels: Soldier of the Mist and Soldier of Arete, originally published in 1987 and 1989 respectively. There's also a third novel called Soldier of Sidon, which came out in 2006.

So, what's it about? While The Book of the New Sun took place in Earth's extremely distant future, in Latro in the Mist, Wolfe takes the reader back to our planet's past. More specifically to antique Greece. The story is narrated in first-person by its protagonist Latro, a Roman mercenary who sustained a head-injury while fighting for Xerxes at the Battle of Plataea. As a consequence, Latro has lost his short-term memory, leading him to forget everything when he sleeps, forcing him to write down the events of each day in his journal.
The injury has also given Latro the ability to see and communicate with the gods and supernatural beings that populate the landscape, invisible to mortal men. An encounter with the Mother of the Gods, tells Latro that the cure for his condition lies in travelling to a temple dedicated to her, located in the lands south of Riverland (Egypt). With that information, Latro sets out on his journey, but soon finds himself the pawn in the games of men and deities alike.

Everyone who is familiar with Gene Wolfe's work can tell you that his books do not make for light reading, his narratives are peppered with hidden meanings and allusions that even the most attentive reader may not catch upon a first read, not to mention his use of unreliable narrators, who may mislead the reader, intentionally or not. When it comes to Latro In the Mist, a knowledge of the history of ancient Greece, as well as Greek mythology, is also a requirement.
This may make it sound as if Wolfe is one of those authors who loves pointing out how clever they are, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Going by my own experience (limited though it may be), its clear to me that Wolfe respects his readers' intelligence and excepts them to work things out on their own. As Neil Gaiman put it: "He is not smart to make you feel stupid. He is smart to make you smart as well."

Latro's story is a complex and intricate one. Wolfe's breadth of knowledge regarding the time-period he has set his tale in is truly impressive and like all the best writers of historical fiction, he brings the past to life excellently.
Character-wise, Latro, is not unexpectedly the most rounded character. He's an engaging protagonistwhose plight makes him easy for the reader to sympathize with. As much as I love The Book of the New Sun, if you asked me who my favorite was between Latro and Severian, I think I'd have to go with the mercenary. He is backed up by a strong supporting cast, of which the precocious slave-girl Io and the necromancer Eurykles are two of the most memorable.

Latro In the Mist is another masterpiece from Wolfe's pen and strengthens my admiration for this great author. For newcomers, its as good a place as any to start.