That cheesy 80s cover disguises a literary novel in grimdark fantasy clothing. This casual way in which Severian reveals secrets and details about the world is part of the rich, literary style of this book. Which doesn't make what they do any less cruel, but you start to think of them as being no different than blacksmiths or soldiers - exactly as they think of themselves - when Severian finally gets around to describing the ghastly things they do to prisoners, in a casual, offhand manner. Although viewed by the populace at large as you would expect, with fear and loathing, the guild is in fact not made up of amoral sadists, but highly skilled and educated professionals whose job is torturing people according to the strict guidelines of the law. Severian is an apprentice in the guild of Seekers for Truth and Penitence - i.e., the torturer's guild. This is one of the framing elements in this leisurely, baroque novel that only slowly reveals itself to be science fiction rather than fantasy.

Since The Shadow of the Torturer is the first volume in Severian's fictional autobiography, we learn early in the story that he's destined to become Autarch of the world known as Urth. The Shadow of the Torturer is the first volume in the four-volume epic, the tale of a young Severian, an apprentice to the Guild of Torturers on the world called Urth, exiled for committing the ultimate sin of his profession - showing mercy towards his victim.

Shadow of the torturer gene wolfe