Is BOTNS worth reading as an ESL?

[Anonymous No.15036184]

After seeing so many anons praising it, I decided to try reading The Book of the New Sun yesterday.

It went well at first, but I quickly realized that the english was often too advanced for me to understand and there were at least 3 (usually more) words per page that I had to translate. This, coupled with the discrete writing made the book very hard for me to enjoy or even understand.

I really want to read the book, but I doubt that I that I'm english-proficient enough to enjoy it, which saddens me.

Should I perservere with the book or should I get better at english before trying?

Is there any hope of reading (and enjoying) this book as an ESL?

[Anonymous No.15036254]

>>15036184
English is my second language, and I enjoyed the book greatly.
Maybe I'm just better at it than you, but how will you improve if your challenge yourself?
I translated stuff here and there, namely names of prehistoric animals I wouldn't have been able to parse in any other language either
Gene Wolfe also made me google "pederast"

[OP No.15036393]

Also, it feels like my WPM is barely over 100 now because I have to reread paragraphs and translate words. Its probably around 150-170WPM.


>>15036254
So you could basically read it as smoothly as you would in your native language? If true, that's impressive.
Did you have any trouble with immersion?


>Maybe I'm just better at it than you, but how will you improve if your challenge yourself?
Pretty funny sentence.

[Anonymous No.15036406]

>>15036254
This anons right. Your English seems pretty good already. How will you not get even better without challenging yourself?

[Anonymous No.15036567]

>>15036184
This work is known for Wolfe using words which are uncommon in English or actually Latin or other ancient tongues used for effect. I think there's an after note in the first book explaining this in the context of the work, he claims that translating it from the far future language it was written in meant the best translation was often an extinct word from what we think of as our past. Words like peltast, destrier, exultant etc.

Anyway the secret is to just use the context to work out what the words mean. If he talks about mounted warriors sitting on destriers he obviously means something like a horse but different.

[Anonymous No.15036963]

>>15036393
>>Maybe I'm just better at it than you, but how will you improve if your challenge yourself?
>Pretty funny sentence.
deflection. you'll never succeed.

[OP No.15037037]

>>15036254
>>15036406
Sure, I would probably improve my English by reading the book. I want to to able to understand and enjoy the story. I want to immerse myself.

>>15036567
>Anyway the secret is to just use the context to work out what the words mean. If he talks about mounted warriors sitting on destriers he obviously means something like a horse but different.

This is what I've been doing for most words I don't know. I guess using "Latin or other ancient tongues" for effect makes sense, but it makes it a somewhat frustrating read (at least in my case).

[Anonymous No.15037046]

>>15036184
stop with the reddit spacing you esl faggot. also do you never have to look up what words mean when you read in your native language?

[Anonymous No.15037050]

>>15036184
Just skip past words you don't understand after thinking about them for a few seconds.

[Anonymous No.15037058]

Just go ahead and read it. Your command of the language will only improve as a result.

[OP No.15037064]

>>15036963
>deflection. you'll never succeed.

Did I hit a nerve? Settle down. You're lashing out at me because you're embarassed by a typo (assuming you're the same guy). If you read my post again you will see that I complimented you and asked a respectful question. No need to take such a lighthearted remark harshly.

[OP No.15037101]

>>15037046
>stop with the reddit spacing you esl faggot
it's a bad habit, I know it looks ugly.

>also do you never have to look up what words mean when you read in your native language?
Of course I do. That's not the point. I'm fine with looking up words, the problem with BOTNS is that I have to do it much more than when I read in Swedish or other English works I have read.

>>15037050
>>15037058
This is what I'll do for now. Thanks for the encouragement.

[Anonymous No.15037612]

>>15037064
i'm not the same guy

[Anonymous No.15037690]

>>15037101
>This is what I'll do for now.
Not him, but I do the same thing in a language foreign to me. I just try to do the best that I can do with context.

[Anonymous No.15037832]

Worth a read. Even an extremely fluent English reader will struggle at points and miss key information on their first read, but the general course of events and characters are easy to follow. Much of the language is purposefully esoteric and not in the English lexicon, and the main character is a notoriously unreliable and introspective narrator. Based on your post, I think you're more than proficient enough to complete the series with a basic understanding and some satisfaction.

It truly is a book that demands repeated readings to truly grasp. It has fantastic language and subtlety to it's structure. The imagery really develops in each subsequent read as you become better at interpreting Severian. Bear in mind much of the setting has heavy sci-fi and fantasy elements incorporated, but Severian has no real terminology for space-age tech and mysticism that we can relate with. Like >>15037058 said, the book will definitely improve your command of the English language and your comprehension skills in general.