The Devil in a Forest

Rating:
Summary: Unimpressive
Review: A well told story but that somehow left me with a feeling
of emptyness. Rather unsatisfying.
Yes, I found it in the fantasy section of my local
bookstore and yes, it is written by Gene Wolfe, but
I did not find much of the classical elements of the
fantasy genre in the book. It is in fact quite
realistic.
A little village is torn apart between a ruthless
bandit and the king's men, but a good point of the story
is that it keeps teasing the
reader into wondering who really are the good guys and who are
the bad guys of the story. Is this a romantic,
Robin Hood-like type of outlaw? This situation is resolved at
the end.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad, just not as good as most Wolfe
Review: I like Gene Wolfe a lot. The Fifth Head of Cerberus is one of the best and most intricate SciFi books ever written. The Book of the New Sun is very entertaining AND literate - not a common combination for the genre. The Devil in a Forest isn't quite on the same level...

It was obviously written for a younger audience as previous reviewers have pointed out, and though it still maintains some of the level of characterization I expect from Wolfe, the writing just isn't as complex as that found in his other works. Yet, the Wolfe-themes of the indeterminancy of Good and Evil are there -- as well as a critical look at religion and superstition.

Consequently, I don't recommend it to anyone other than those who find reading other Wolfe difficult, and hardcore Wolfe fans who wish to complete the bookshelf.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad, just not as good as most Wolfe
Review: I like Gene Wolfe a lot. The Fifth Head of Cerberus is one of the best and most intricate SciFi books ever written. The Book of the New Sun is very entertaining AND literate - not a common combination for the genre. The Devil in a Forest isn't quite on the same level...

It was obviously written for a younger audience as previous reviewers have pointed out, and though it still maintains some of the level of characterization I expect from Wolfe, the writing just isn't as complex as that found in his other works. Yet, the Wolfe-themes of the indeterminancy of Good and Evil are there -- as well as a critical look at religion and superstition.

Consequently, I don't recommend it to anyone other than those who find reading other Wolfe difficult, and hardcore Wolfe fans who wish to complete the bookshelf.

Rating:
Summary: Better than you think
Review: I've read this book a few times. It's a short read, yet each time I read it I realise I've previously missed a lot of what's going on. Kinda like Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun" (which I have also read several times, with the same general result). A lot of the action is only hinted at, and it's up to the reader to fill in the gaps and work out what is really going on.
This book will make you think. Highly recommended, particularly if you are interested in History.

Rating:
Summary: Not quite deserving of two stars.
Review: If you've read any of the New Sun or Long Sun books, or any other well known Wolfe work, I think it's save to conclude you won't enjoy this juvenile adventure. It's even my guess that younger readers, for whom the work is apparently intended, will be unimpressed.

Rating:
Summary: A slight but (of course excellent) book by Wolfe
Review: This book is aimed at a younger audience than Wolfe's other works. It would probably appeal to intelligent young teens or preteens more than Peace or The Death of Dr Island etc., the books I would recommend to adults reading him for the first time. If you've read his other novels or want to introduce a young friend to this greatest of contemporary fantasy writers, don't hesitate to try this. The Devil in a Forest has surprising depths and is probably Wolfe's most successful work as Bildungsroman.

Rating:
Summary: The perfect book to begin your Gene Wolfe obsession
Review: While not the usual literary labyrinth we are used to from Gene Wolfe, The Devil in a Forest is a great read. Wolfe manages to turn the self-righteous townsfolk into characters as flawed as the bandits, and the king's men are even worse. If you've never read Wolfe before, this is a good place to get a preliminary feel for his writing.