Richard Matheson - Shadow On The Sunby Richard Matheson -
An uneasy truce exists between the remote frontier community and the neighboring Apaches. That seems to be shredded when the bodies of two white men are found hideously mutilated. The angry townspeople are certain the “savages” have broken the treaty, but the local Indian agent fears that darker forces may be at work. There’s a tall, dark stranger in town, a stranger who may not be entirely human.
Like the other three books of this series, the Citadel is a gorgeously written account of Severian the Torturer's journey to the Autarch's throne in a far future. Gene Wolfe's story is outstanding, if only for the fabulous otherworldly reality he has fashioned with beautiful language and a singular voice. The Urth he has created is real, filled with layered depth and detail. The story reaches a satisfying endpoint in this volume -- I hesitate to call it a conclusion, because like a real history, it could continue forever. This series is one of the best of all time.
