The shadow of the torturer

The book of the new Sun -- v. 1

262 pages

English language

Published Nov. 7, 1981 by Pocket Books.

ISBN:
978-0-671-82825-7
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OCLC Number:
7894886

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4 stars (8 reviews)

The Shadow of the Torturer is the first volume in the four-volume series, The Book of the New Sun. It is the tale of young Severian, an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers on the world called Urth, exiled for committing the ultimate sin of his profession -- showing mercy toward his victim -- and follows subsequent journey out of his home city of Nessus.

16 editions

Review of 'Shadow of the Torturer' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Seriously, this world treats women like another, lesser species. It's another example of the common male belief (male, because I've never yet read a work by a woman that depicts the future thus) that any breakdown of society will of course include the reduction of women to mere accessories.


As I finish the book, I realize it might be best if I mulled it over a bit before reviewing it. I've no training in criticism, and I don't pretend to be innately skilled at it, but I feel this book might've been just complex enough that I'm left wondering. I don't want to mistake verbosity with cleverness, and I'm just not sure where this lies on the spectrum.


I haven't decided yet if I'm gonna read the next book or not, despite the sudden interruption of an ending, and the multitude of unanswered questions.

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  • Fantasy fiction

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