Book Review 141
"There are Doors" by Gene Wolfe (published in 1988)
Gene Wolfe was quite a famous writer, but I wasn't closely familiar with his books, I've read only the first from the "Book of the new Sun", his most famous cycle (Review 103). I've decided that I don't want to continue with this cycle, but I still curious to try a standalone novel.
It's difficult to name a genre for this particular book. Its certainly a fiction, but not a science fiction. Something like science fantasy, which was popular in 1980's, like the "Amber" cycle by Roger Zelazny.
This book is about a man, who looking for his disappeared loved one. She left him just a strange note not to enter through any unusual door he will find, and, of course, he did exactly this.
He appeared in some kind of a parallel world, similar to ours (people speaks the same language - since it is a US, English. And even many buildings are in the same places as in our world). But further it goes, more differences he'll encounter. Weather, culture, religion and even the biology.
Our protagonist will end up in an otherworld asylum, and later, when he will manage to return to our world he also will be forced into one. However, the ending is not so sad (though, it is not a happy end either).
This book is written in a dense, complex and erratic narration, almost dream-alike. There aren't any obvious references to a dream, but when I sleep, I see my dreams approximately like in this book.
While it is not exactly the kind of fiction I love, I've enjoyed this book. It was quite different of the science fiction and adventure I usually read. I would recommend it to someone who want to enjoy some old school fiction, but not with spaceships and blasters nor knights and dragons.