The main character of the book, the young executioner Severyan from Nessus, expelled from the guild, sets out on a journey to atone for his guilt. But no one knows what Severyan's ultimate goal is. Every step he takes, every object that falls into his hands, strange people and mysterious creatures that he meets on the road are links in one chain, mysterious instruments of fate. Gene Wolfe claims that he just translated a manuscript that, unknown how, came to him from afar future.