A review by soloros
The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

An excellent book that will likely satisfy fans of science fiction and science fantasy. Can’t help but wonder if this inspired part of the world of the Destiny games. There is a lot of strange wonder in this book and lots of room in the descriptions for wildly different interpretations and imaginations, which I found fun and refreshing when compared to what I perceive much of more modern “we must explain it all” fiction is. Also wonder if these books inspired the Locked Tomb series in some way. There are some problematic elements and what I would call short sighted word choices around some things, given it was published in the early 1980s, and it can be hard to separate what is supposed to be character flaw from what the authors’s opinions on some things are, but if you’re willing to work with the book there is a lot of satisfying fun and fantasy to be enjoyed here. I completely understand why this book and its sequels are so beloved. 
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