Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

This is our discussion of the story:


Forlesen by Gene Wolfe

This story is part of the The Best of Gene Wolfe: A Definitive Retrospective of His Finest Short Fiction group collection discussion.

I would suggest 'Forlesen' as a good place to begin for those who don't care for darker fantasy. Without giving plot away, I would call it a shift in perspective. It was one of my five favorites in the collection.

I agree with Sarah, this is one of the more accessible stories in the collection. Which doesn't mean it's straightforward or conventional.

It turns out the story was reprinted last year in Lightspeed Magazine, July 2014 (the paid subscriber bonus story.) I enjoyed rereading it last night.

This is a surreal story, a satire of conventional corporate employment. Emanuel Forlesen awakens remembering nothing but his name. His wife, who's already cooking breakfast, was in the same boat, but she got up first and read the Briefing Book, which provided Forlesen with instructions for going to work. He arrives and spends the 240 (h)our day optimizing corporate synergy and other such nonspecific work. Forlesen seems to recognize the absurdity of it all, but plays along just fine, encountering a variety of supervisors fond of mixed sports metaphors (we're all on the same team, but that doesn't mean there isn't a quarterback. And I expect everyone to bat .250.) One can't help but notice that everyone has the same initials, E.F, and everyone's predecessor had the initials C.D., interchangeable identical cogs in the same purposeless existence.

Turns out Everyone is entitled to an Explanation at the end of life. “It seems to me that it would be more useful at the beginning.” Amen to that, Brother Forlesen.

Intriguing, funny, bitingly satiric, all-too-familiar.

★★★★