While I absolutely loved The Fifth Season (as a story of loss and finding of oneself), and while The Obelisk Gate was really strong but in different ways (living with the closeness of betrayal, rather than the impersonal as in the first), I do feel the third book was a bit too long, that it only mostly cared about the "background" it provided, which was very strong, but the time given to the characters in the present felt diluted. As if the book needed 100-200 more pages there.
Was it a worthwhile cap to the trilogy? Certainly, but I do feel it was a noticeable step down from the 2nd book, which was a step down from the first.
I have Provenance, just reading some Gene Wolfe before returning to newer books...
Both of the Unkindness stories look interesting, so I'll give them a look. Hm, the Lafferty book looked not as interesting, until we got to the "clones" twist. I might have to look at that one as well... Also sounds like a great setup for a Paranoia RPG campaign.
Thanks for the list!
I didn't think of it as "background," because it concerned an important character. Also, did you just wish for it to be both longer AND shorter? I am confused!
I wrote it as "Background" to not spoil it to others reading the discussion who hadn't read the series yet.
I meant "diluted" in another way, there's too much, "But all such stories are the same, so I'll spare you," where they just cover a huge chunk of time with a sentence or two. Diluted in its impact, like a weak tea, rather than bloated.
We're gonna have to politely disagree on this. I thought the book was masterful.