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Cover of The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene WolfeThe Shadow of the Torturer
Classic · Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction

The Shadow of the Torturer

by Gene Wolfe
1980 · 276 pages · Fiction
70.7Must-Read
Score Classic
Critics' pick
≈ 7 hours to read · about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Severian is an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers on Urth, a world so far in the future that the sun is dying. Exiled for the ultimate sin of his profession, showing mercy to a victim, he leaves his home city of Nessus on a journey that will change him, and his world.

Why it's worth reading

It opens Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, often called one of the greatest works of science fantasy; its sequel won the Nebula Award.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's dense and full of archaic words; Severian is an unreliable narrator. It's the first of four volumes.

By the numbers

70.7Must-Read Score
  • Readers17 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics94 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller31 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Won
Nebula Award winner (1981, for The Claw of the Conciliator)
Shortlisted
Nebula Award finalist (1980)Hugo Award finalist (1988, for The Urth of the New Sun)

Reads as

Adventurous, Thought-provoking, Dark

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedClassic booksTop 25 · 762 rankedBooks of the 1980sTop 25 · 202 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is The Shadow of the Torturer worth reading?

Yes. It opens Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun, often called one of the greatest works of science fantasy; its sequel won the Nebula Award. It ranks #1,216 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.7 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Shadow of the Torturer about?

Severian is an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers on Urth, a world so far in the future that the sun is dying. Exiled for the ultimate sin of his profession, showing mercy to a victim, he leaves his home city of Nessus on a journey that will change him, and his world.

How long does it take to read The Shadow of the Torturer?

About 7 hours (276 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What awards has The Shadow of the Torturer won?

Nebula Award winner (1981, for The Claw of the Conciliator).

What should I read after The Shadow of the Torturer?

If you liked it, try Dune by Frank Herbert, Hyperion by Dan Simmons or A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin.