Reddit reviews Lexicon Urthus, Second Edition

Book of the New Sun (Shadow of the Torturer, Claw of the Conciliator, The Sword of the Lictor, and The Citadel of the Autarch) and the follow up The Urth of the New Sun are considered the "Urth Cycle". After the storm clears, I'm more than happy to lend you my Lexicon.

So I'll give it a shot at answering your question since some other people seem to be confused as to why it's so praised.

First of all, Wolfe's work has more in common with highbrow literature than conventional fantasy. I don't mean that in a patronizing way because there are plenty of amazing works in the genre that can stand up to highbrow literature in their own right (Guy Gavriel Kay, Patricia Mckillip, Mervyn Peake etc); I mean in terms of what to expect, the narrative structure, the way it is supposed to be read. Many people come in to this novel reading it like a conventional fantasy novel and end up disappointed and confused. Think more Luis Borges than JRR Tolkien.

Second, Wolfe writes in a way that requires a reread to contextualize the story. The Book of the New Sun is a densely multilayered text with tons of symbolism, allusions to classic literature and mythology, actual historical events, and much more I'm sure I missed out on. Couple that with its infamously unreliable narrator who outright lies about, misdirects, and omits information and you have a very difficult book that may seem impenetrable to some. A lot of active participation is expected on the part of the reader. This has lead to it being a subject for scholarship, so much so that their is a 400 page companion academic textbook to help you parse through the subtext.

Third, if the previous points haven't made it obvious, this isn't an especially fun or entertaining read. The detached writing style makes it hard to care for the characters, the slow pace and philosophizing, the humorless tone, and seemingly disconnected events can make for a really frustrating read.

As for my own personal experience, on my first read I found it to be a simple picaresque journey with some interesting vignettes. Beautifully written and a bit of a slog but worth my time in the end. On a second reread, I found it to be a masterpiece. Armed with the requisite foreknowledge, I was able to fill in enough of the context for me to realize what a tremendous feat Wolfe pulled off. On my upcoming third reread, I'll no doubt begin to unravel some of the even deeper mysteries that lead Wolfe to be such a revered writer. I still don't love him as his work leaves me (and many others) a bit cold, but I can't help but admire and respect the level of serious craftsmanship put into it.

Tldr: The book is hugely complex puzzle. Damned difificult to crack but oh so satisfying when you do.

Ninja edit: In rereading your post and in my zeal to offer my opinion on Wolfe, I completely ignored your original question. Sorry! To answer it, I'd say no, there isn't really any type of huge plot twist or "aha" moment that makes it all worth it. It's more that on a reread you pick up on things that make you go "ooooohhhh... that's what's happening."

There's a lot going on in this series. It's a personal favorite, but I won't wax too eloquent. Three things I'll mention.

First: the usage of masks, disguises, and false faces is one of the most interesting things to me about the series.

Second: Severian can both be trusted and not trusted at the same time. I think he uses language as a mask in certain places.

Third: If you're having trouble, check out Lexicon Urthus by Michael Andre-Driussi. It's a dictionary specifically for this series. Highly recommended.