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I agree with Dan Rabin's analysis. The hint about Dorcas and Jolenta's relationship is in Jolenta bragging that she turns all women into tribadists. We're led to think this app…
31 Oct 2006, 12:53
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I don't know if Roy subscribes to the theory that Urth is not Earth (though I think the spelling, the text clues and Wolfe interviews make it clear they are different). I think …
26 Oct 2006, 15:41
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Regarding the multiple possible photo sources for the moon picture- given the baseline technology base of The Commonwealth I have operated under the assumption this was a painti…
23 Oct 2006, 15:00
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Dave Lebling writes regarding the female soldier: Oooh how could I not think of Foila. Yes, she is likable enough to dispel accusations Wolfe can't develop an admirable female c…
20 Oct 2006, 19:03
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Scott K asks: I've heard venom and derision heaped on Borsky by some members of the old guard from here. I applaud him for daring to raise a lot of questions about BotNS and pu…
20 Oct 2006, 18:52
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I'll follow up on Jeff's, Adam's and Daniel's biological posts to note with evil irony that the European and Islamic codes of chivalry which extend such great protection to femal…
20 Oct 2006, 15:03
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Regarding Catherine, Roy writes: Apprentices routinely asked older journeymen about their parentage but were told little. If Severian's mother had escaped from the torturers and…
20 Oct 2006, 13:44
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Jack Redelfs takes me to task responding to my post: any point in the lifespan, males are in greater danger and are injured and killed more often than females. With- Men remain …
20 Oct 2006, 02:33
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Dan'l writes: Sorry Dan'l I had thought you used the term misogynist to decribe Wolfe's scenarios (not Wolfe) but it was the other Dan, Daniel D Jones in a discourse with Jeff …
19 Oct 2006, 17:35
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I'll chime in by suggesting that there is a continuum here, as for most human characteristics. I suggest the poles of the continuum are not misogyny and reality but rather misog…
18 Oct 2006, 12:35
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Roy writes I'm not the first to consider that Severian's mother did not die shortly after his birth as most torturers' mothers did. My conjecture that armigers might use kaibits…
17 Oct 2006, 13:05
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I concur with others who always felt Severian asks about a dark haired woman because his own hair is dark and Ouen is fair. Roy writes: The maid playing St. Katharine doesn't ch…
16 Oct 2006, 03:25
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So, if I understand correctly, Roy is suggesting that Severian's two greatest loves, Dorcas and Thecla, are his grandmother and his great, great etc....grandaughter? Surely the…
04 Oct 2006, 15:41
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Josh Young writes: The paradox is in causality, as Roy outlined. We have Severian's spoken words inspiring Canog's Book of the New Sun which inspires Talos' outrageous and dis…
02 Oct 2006, 11:27
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JWillard writes: I can agree with that in conjunction with the observation that Severian periodically mentions Roche during his travels while I don't think Drotte gets much ment…
19 Sep 2006, 11:56
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Addressing some notes from JWillard's post (and apologies for repeating things from my previous posts) I think it is very important, paired with Severian's later, augmented reco…
11 Sep 2006, 19:05
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I can't say I strongly disagree with what Dan'l and Tony recently posted but for the sake of argument I'll address a couple things (at the risk of straying too far from Wolfe, so…
10 Sep 2006, 04:44
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Tony writes: I spy a difference in perspective and I think I've bumped into this difference before (correct me if I'm wrong Tony). Perhaps it boils down to some combination of…
08 Sep 2006, 02:30
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Tony Ellis writes: I disagree because I consider everything in here, even the arguments, a collaboration working toward a common goal, not competition. If you "win" with key in…
07 Sep 2006, 11:18
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Dan'l writes about Talos: Ah, so you are thinking the Baldanders-Talos relationship mirrors the humanity-Hierogrammate relationship? That's a pretty insightful thought and I don…
07 Sep 2006, 10:45
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Dan'l says: A cane-sword seems like a unique enough item to merit some sort of connection but I don't see it either. Talos acquires his gold headed cane as a "dropsie" after on…
06 Sep 2006, 18:35
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Sorry, this is a terrible post- off topic and redundant on a tired subject. But in a perusal of Wolfe interviews I just found this excerpt from one with Larry McCaffrey in whi…
06 Sep 2006, 12:50
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Plaudits to JWillard for starting this thread. It appears that attacking BotNS chapter by chapter may expose a lot of things previously hidden in the cracks. For example, Roy s…
06 Sep 2006, 12:48
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Regarding the woman in the coffin and the victim of Vodalarii corpse eating prevous to Thecla, Rex says: I admit that I am not the stickler for timeframes that, say, Roy C. Lacke…
05 Sep 2006, 17:00
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Welcome to Jon Capps! JWillard writes: Not dumb, but rather extremely ambitious. I'm willing to do anything to shed more light on BotNS. I'm not sure where to draw the line o…
05 Sep 2006, 13:24
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....except where such discouragement would conflict with the First Law. High praise to Ranjit for just the right amount of authority and self-deprecation :-) -bsharp…
03 Sep 2006, 02:41
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Oops, in my last post I meant Paeon as aquastor to Appian! umm..Vera/Verus, ummm Old Autarch...um... Okay, I think we are now all agreed he had been honey steward and he should …
29 Aug 2006, 19:29
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Dan'l writes: And the only sin greater than the Original Sin of eating fruit from the tree of Knowledge (of Good and Evil) would be to eat fruit from the Tree of Life thus throw…
29 Aug 2006, 13:48
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junk06 asks: Severian does meet Valeria early on then fails to mention her much until the end. He mentions her after he has collected a few female conquests and then starts to …
28 Aug 2006, 11:16
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I, for one, find top posting to be preferable in many cases. Especially when a response is more general in nature as opposed to point by point. I find it annoying to have to re…
28 Aug 2006, 10:38
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Daniel D. Jones asks: The reason is, in the beginning of Shadow, Severian says his earliest memory is of stacking pebbles by the curtain wall. Fallen curtain wall definitely su…
24 Aug 2006, 11:18
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Matthew DeLuca asks: Unfortunately for those interested in Severian's family tree, it can't even be said that Dorcas is Severian's grandmother. I made my guess that Catherine i…
23 Aug 2006, 15:05
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Regarding Appian, Rex asks: I don't think Wolfe intends to be clear on these issues. To even try to answer them I am drawn to the scene where Severian meets Appian in the House …
21 Aug 2006, 03:27
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Roy, thanks for the good feedback. I had considered all but one of your objections previously and I'll try to address each of them. Well, not the root, but more a side branch. …
18 Aug 2006, 02:34
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Maybe that's a poor choice of name for this post since it is pretty hard to draw a family tree for very vaguely described creatures who can reproduce sexually or asexually. I me…
15 Aug 2006, 18:29
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Jonathon McKitrick asks: At the end of Citadel, I think, Gene Wolfe makes some comment about BotNS being the culmination of seven years of writing, re-reading, re-writing. So …
15 Aug 2006, 11:21
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No, Don I can't leave a cliffhanger! Especially if the logic for this family tree ends up making sense only to me. Too much build-up. But I'll try to fit the whole thing in o…
14 Aug 2006, 14:49
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Roy C. Lackey writes: I'm sympathetic to the view that Dorcas really isn't Severian's grandmother. It is only implied by some "ham handed" clues, but never revealed outright. …
13 Aug 2006, 16:26
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Regarding this exchange: Roy says: bsharp says: Roy says: Roy is right of course, as always, but at the risk of hairsplitting I'll note it seems the Hierodules were found then …
11 Aug 2006, 03:49
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There is a lot of good input lately on this subject I think. James B. Jordan, your gentlemanly responses and personal expertise are very welcomed, by me anyway. I don't see it …
10 Aug 2006, 03:16
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Sorry for this flurry of posts, but I can't resist responding right away to Roy's Apheta-Bug (aphid?)post, which made me laugh out loud. Okay, fine, she is larva, she lights lik…
09 Aug 2006, 16:17
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Roy C. Lackey takes me to task for using the abbreviation "Hieros" to refer collectively to the groups named Hierogrammates, their larvae the Hierarchs and their servants, the Hi…
09 Aug 2006, 13:16
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James B. Jordan writes regarding the fallen angel origin of the Nephilim: but isn't the word also derived from the Hebrew for "fallen"? also he writes: The beginning of Genesis …
09 Aug 2006, 11:38
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Well some interesting discussion points Dan'l (and wishing for an immediate improvement in the employment situation! Someplace must soon discover the valuable mind they are missi…
08 Aug 2006, 03:47
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Regarding Dan'l's response (copied below), I'll have to express chagrin that Lilith wasn't mentioned which makes me think he didn't read my "E&G- the need for Ushas" post which w…
07 Aug 2006, 11:49
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Continuing to try to interpret the subtext of BotNS in terms of Christianity replacing pagan religions: The flood was meant to purify humanity from contamination while Jesus bro…
06 Aug 2006, 12:48
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I promised Dan'l I'd say why I think Wolfe finds Ushas necessary so this is my best stab at it. I think the answer is found most clearly (hah!) in the play Eschatology (study of…
02 Aug 2006, 12:16
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Tony Ellis writes: Does the same principle apply to the circumstantial evidence for shapeshifters in BotNS? Do they exist on Urth? (no I will NOT mention the Piteous Gate ;-) ) …
31 Jul 2006, 17:53
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As noted in the "more symbols" post I think BotNS has Gnostic characters who seek advancement/salvation through acquisition of arcane knowledge. This is in opposition or competi…
28 Jul 2006, 13:06
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regarding teratoid symbols as radiation warnings Jeff Wilson notes: As I see it, little Thecla and Domnina were admiring themselves in the mirror hallway when Father Inire warns …
28 Jul 2006, 11:41
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