by Gene Wolfe
First published 1986
Latro awakens from battle with a terrible head wound that has stolen his memory but granted him an extraordinary gift. The northern mercenary can now perceive the gods, goddesses, ghosts, demons, and werewolves that move unseen through the ancient world. While others walk blind to the supernatural forces around them, Latro speaks directly with divine beings and spectral entities that inhabit every corner of the land. His injury has made him forget each day upon waking, forcing him to rely on written records to remember his past. Yet this same wound allows him to witness a hidden realm of mythological creatures and deities that ordinary mortals cannot detect. Latro must navigate both the physical dangers of his world and the complex relationships between the supernatural beings he encounters. His unique vision becomes both blessing and curse as he struggles to understand his place between the mortal and divine realms.
Genres: mythology, historical-fiction, fantasy, supernatural
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, unreliable-narrator
Period: Ancient
335 pages · Hardcover · Gollancz