Big Books of 2026
Shadow & Claw

Questions About Shadow & Claw

by Gene Wolfe

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Answered Questions (2)

How many people like me loved The Shadow, but were disappointed by The Claw--especially by the text of the Dr. Talos' play which made no sense whatsoever?
Andronikos I found the Claw gripped me for longer than the Shadow, especially once you get to the House Azure. I will admit the play frustrated me; I had to take…moreI found the Claw gripped me for longer than the Shadow, especially once you get to the House Azure. I will admit the play frustrated me; I had to take out my machete and just hack right through the thing, but the payoff in Sword of the Lictor and Citadel of the Autarch is worth it. That section's a bit more like a puzzle of foreshadowing for the rest of the series; while it interrupts the narrative, reading it closely should give you some cool reveals down the line. Unfortunately, I'm afraid I didn't quite read it closely enough, and instead managed with some other peoples' explanation of it.

In any case, while it's not the most exciting portion of the book, I found the House Azure and the surrounding plotlines sufficiently fascinating to remember Claw fondly.

Edit:

Woops. This is a year old. Sorry. (less)
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Does "Sword & Citadel" lead to anything? Do the remaining books wraps anything at the end, or they just keep coming with new, unexplained and unexplainable events?
Philip Magnier Yes, the five books bring the journey of Severian to an end and he changes with all his adventures and trials. He does gain in profoundity and wisdom.
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