This was the first book I read of his, and it blew me away. Gene Wolfe has been my favorite author ever since. His writing was at just the right level of sophistication where it was still accessible to me (I couldn't finish Ulysses) while being thoroughly enjoyable. His attention to detail and casually tying off loose-ends is pretty stunning when examined carefully. And he is one of the few authors whose books make me feel like I'm having a lucid dream.