The Urth of the New Sun
Gene Wolfe
 Unlike the four part novel of the Book of the New Sun, Urth of the New Sun mostly takes place outside Urth. The book is yet again a continuation of Severian's narration of the aftermath of his ascent to the throne and subsequent journey "between the suns" to be judged and win back the fountain of life that will rejuvenate the slowly dying sun and revive life on earth. When the book begins, Severian has already rewritten his accounts of before and is beginning his new log aboard the spaceship that will take him to Yesod, an enigmatic planet, home to the godlike beings who have the power to grant Urth and its sun a new lease on life. Aboard the ship, Severian meets Zak, a mysterious being, who begins small and soon develops human form and turns out to be the all-powerful Tzadkiel of Yesod. Once in Yesod, Severian faces an immense task of facing all the deceased people he has encountered since his childhood, including Thecla and Master Malrubius. After his return to Urth from Yesod, he finds the sun restored to its former glory as he enters the vicinity of the solar system. Once on Urth, he learns that many years have passed on Urth during his absence. He also learns that he possesses healing power that he once attributed the Claw of the Concilator. He finds his wife Valeria and his old enemy Baldanders (who has grown enough to match the size of an undine) sitting in the throne room. Shortly after Severian reveals himself, an apocalyptic flood washes away the citadel and much of the land area of Urth, thus bringing destruction in the wake of rebirth.