Reviews

The Sword of the Lictor by Gene Wolfe

rjbs's review

5.0

This was my third time through, and it's still great.

gmancam's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Severian's character development is fantastic here. This book felt a lot more straight forward than the rest in the series also. The absolutely fantastic world building is once again front and center as we discover more pieces to this complex puzzle.

exadius's review

adventurous challenging mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

gggggggg_g's review against another edition

4.0

I liked the third installment of the Book of the New Sun infinitely more than the second. However, I don't know if that's because I enjoyed the story any more or because I had context. I harbored hope to learn more about the meeting of the witches that concluded the second book, but alas I'll have to wait until I finish the fourth to see if they make a reappearance. A lot happened here and Urth only increases itself in curiosity.

halieh's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

5.0

woodaba's review

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious sad

5.0

category_fury's review

adventurous challenging dark funny inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

aamasten's review

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

scheu's review against another edition

5.0

Everything starts to come together. There are some truly wonderful moments in this book. It may be my favorite of the sequence in retrospect.

tatdine's review

4.0

These books get weirder as you go. They’re incredibly wacky, and they leave you feeling like a maniac trying to decipher them. I may get my doctorate for the express purpose of writing a dissertation trying to dissect these books.
What was the point of little Severian?
Are all the mountains giant statues?
Is magic real?
Is Severian fucking with us?

It’s all a frustrating mystery and I have a feeling it won’t become any clearer in the final book.