Sam Weber on illustrating the Folio limited edition of The Book of the New Sun

Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun, often described as ‘the Ulysses of fantasy’, demanded Folio’s most lavish treatment: a fully illustrated limited edition.

Each volume features a striking Sam Weber binding design, printed on a fine cloth to ensure that the details and colours are reproduced to perfection, and the colours employed build as the series progresses. The labels, each numbered by hand, bear the signatures of Gene Wolfe, Sam Weber and Neil Gaiman and are placed at the front of the first volume in each set.

Weber had suggested The Book of the New Sun as the work he wanted to illustrate and his dedication to the project has been extraordinary. He made models of some of the items in the illustrations so that he could establish how the light would fall on them and employed people to sit for the characters featured. Each volume includes a colour frontispiece and double-page illustration with a further three black-and-white illustrations.

The Folio Society produces beautifully crafted collector’s editions of the world’s greatest books, each with unique illustrations or specially researched photographs throughout. Find books you love at foliosociety.com

View this edition: www.foliosociety.com/newsun