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What People Are Saying: Iron Chamber of Memory – castaliahouse.com

What People Are Saying: Iron Chamber of Memory

Thursday , 5, May 2016 10 Comments

Masha K. (Marina’s Musings) “Each step brings more revelations, more complexity more demands on the reader’s brainpower and attention span, and you come out on the other end having not just read but experienced something very special.”

Hans G. Schantz (ÆtherCzar) “As in his also excellent recent novel, Somewhither: A Tale of the Unwithering Realm, Wright draws heavily on Christian themes and ideas, to deliver a solid story that stands well on its own merits. I was particularly delighted by the skillful way in which Wright wove the real-world, real-life history of the Island of Sark into his fantastical tale. A talented prose stylist, Wright’s intricate command of language may sometimes fall short of sublime, but the joy lies in observing the master at work.”

Lars Walker (Brandywine Books) “Iron Chamber of Memory is simply a wonderful fantasy story – an original and unforgettable work of imagination. It’s about memory, and it’s about sex – or rather, erotic love. Not a dirty book, but I wouldn’t give it to younger readers. C.S. Lewis described That Hideous Strength as a ‘fairy tale for adults,’ and that’s what this is.”

Declan Finn (A Pius Geek) “Wright is obviously in a level all of his own, wherein he brings together so many myths and legends, there were moments I paused and went ‘How did I not see this?’ His dissertation director at Oxford is a Dr. Vodonoy. If you don’t see it, don’t worry, I didn’t either. You will be amused by a Mister Drake in this novel. He doesn’t actually have any lines of dialogue, but trust me, when Wright reveals the joke, you’ll enjoy it.”

Malcolm the Cynic (Bad Books Good Times) “Have any of you read Gene Wolfe (and if you haven’t, do so)? ‘Iron Chamber of Memory’ was sort of like Wolfe’s ‘The Sorcerer’s House’, only better. The plot is bizarre and unique in the best possible way. The premise: A man and woman only remember that they’re in love when they are in a certain room together, the Rose Chamber of Sark Manor. And that’s REALLY all I can give you without ruining it. Read it. It’s brilliant.”

Frank Luke (Amazon) “As I read, certain suspicions grew in my mind. While that happens with many books I read, usually they turn out to be right. The Iron Chamber kept me guessing and second-guessing myself throughout. Several of my suspicions turned out to be only partly correct. Others were completely wrong. Only a few were correct. That impressed me. The correctness of a few of my assumptions will remain up in the air until a second read. This book is truly an enigma wrapped in a puzzle stored in a conundrum tied up with a riddle. Each time a mystery seemed to be solved, another puzzle presented itself.”

WATYF (Amazon) “The structure is layer upon layer of revelation. Even when the story finally appears to be answering the questions that have been raised, it still leaves another layer of questions below that (and yet another layer below that one). You don’t truly understand everything that has happened throughout the novel until the very end, and even then there are some things that might leave you scratching your head.”

10 Comments
  • I’m surprised you went through the trouble to track my thing down! I forgot I posted it, even.

    • Jeffro says:

      Oh I read everything that google would turn up. And sure, you made the cut. The Mormon objection to the book’s take on “til death do you part” and File 770’s claim that the title is a euphemism for lady parts did not. (!!)

      • bob k. mando says:

        and File 770’s claim that the title is a euphemism for lady parts did not

        *facedesk*

        because everything is about vagina.

  • One of my favorite books of 2016!

  • Blue SFF Reader says:

    Mr Wright offered his “Somewither” fans a wonderfully satisfying diversion while we await the next installment of “The Adventures of Ilya Muromets”.

    I concur with the reviewer who likened “Iron Chamber of Memory” to C.S. Lewis’ “That Hideous Strength”. Much like my reading of Lewis’ work, I was left at turns asking “what did that event represent”, such as the flash of light when Hal opened the cellar door and assumed his cane was broken.

    Wright is one of the few Christian Science Fiction Apologists of our day. His works draw one closer to the Maker by their reading.

    I am also expanding my reading horizons due to Mr Wright’s references from history and mythology that he seeds along the journey.

    A balm for the soul, the spirit, and the mind.

  • The flash of light was the fire leaping from the magic sword Hal did not know he was carrying in his hand as he shattered the magic wards he did not see to permit the mermaid he did not know was his enemy to enter the sacred chapel hidden from mortal eyes holding the most holy grail.

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