The Sword of the Lictor

Book cover of The Sword of the Lictor.

Review

The Sword of the Lictor is the third book in Gene Wolfe’s The Book of the New Sun tetralogy. It follows Severian after he reaches Thrax and is exiled for a second time.

The Shadow of the Torturer was overwhelming as I immersed myself in the rich setting and complex writing style. The Claw of the Conciliator felt slower paced as Severian traveled from place to place. In contrast, The Sword of the Lictor moved briskly and introduced fascinating new characters and situations.

Some of my favorite scenes were:

Although the structure of the story resembles The Claw of the Conciliator, with Severian traveling from adventure to adventure, I felt each part was more engaging.

With this book wrapped up, I am eager to dive into the forth book, The Citadel of the Autarch.