Don't get me wrong, the Neveryon books are both incredibly brilliant and incredibly intellectually demanding. You're absolutely right that the way he plays with theory without diminishing character at all is stunning and powerful. I'm just saying that the stories aren't as intimidating- they don't have the unpredictable narrative jumps and complicated textual play that I think make Dhalgren an intimidating book to undertake for someone new to Delany.

I think I've read the first three parts of the Book of the New Sun, plus various short pieces of his SF. And I admired The Book of the New Sun greatly but never really enjoyed it, which is why I never finished. It never made me excited to keep reading.