An odd, but compelling ride. As is most everything I've read by Wolfe the style is a first person, pseudo-biographical account. Wolfe is from the branch of literature that feels fraternity with method actors. Other than finding this book in the SF section of a store, Wolfe never admits to writing a work of fiction. His forwards or afterwords are always dubbed "translator's notes" in which he discusses the difficulty of the translation, the liberties he's taken with some words and not others, etc. When considering this work alongside 'Latro in the Mist' and 'The Wizard-Knight' I can't help but wonder if He really believes it. Either way, I've got the next book coming from the library. :)