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An excellent point upon which I agree fully. Judging by their posts I think others might be at least grudgingly in agreement.…
11 Nov 2011, 19:25
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Because I enjoy being proven wrong or at least shown viable alternatives to my views. That's how I learn. And I've learned plenty by that process here in the past seven years. I,…
11 Nov 2011, 17:58
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Thanks Jeff. I appreciate the feedback and accept any hard science SF author as a substitute for Niven in my comparison. I guess I was trying to think of a story where the scient…
11 Nov 2011, 14:11
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"Awake, for the Morning in the Bowl of Night, has flung the Stone that puts Stars to Flight" Aw, c'mon, 'fess up! This is bending over backwards and twisting sideways to avoi…
11 Nov 2011, 02:59
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In the sky, the sun isn't the Hunter. Orion is the Hunter, a mythological fact of which Omar Kayaam was as aware as most of us here. The constellation rises in the east like all…
10 Nov 2011, 22:34
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Yes. David came up with a scenario which would allow the Big Dipper to come into play but perhaps Kayaam meant the stars of Orion's bow or perhaps Taurus as the noose. Could be, …
10 Nov 2011, 21:26
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It could be. The planets move faster in the sky than the stars. Of course the "stone" that really "puts the stars to flight" is the sun, and it moves in the sky faster still. I t…
10 Nov 2011, 20:02
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Yes! I think this is on the proper path to understanding. Planetologically, Green might be expected to have oceans. But Green is not a planet. It is a literary creation. Larry Nive…
10 Nov 2011, 14:20
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Heh. Sounds along the lines of David's Planet of the Apes/Statue of Liberty scenario. Could be. I think the important point you bring up is that the Whorl is an ark. Noah's ship…
10 Nov 2011, 13:38
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No, that was Thecla. ack! sorry, sorry! ;- )…
09 Nov 2011, 19:59
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Thanks Dave. I think this is a better direction for the discussion- offering alternatives to consider. Okay, but can you go a step further. Why does Wolfe make them resonate? Can …
09 Nov 2011, 19:55
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Erm...to get ideas on developing a space age, stackable potato chip? ;- )http://kokorognosis.livejournal.com/43391.html Don't worry Sergei. There is no censure involved. Nick …
09 Nov 2011, 19:32
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I think some do. Others are angling for political power. The ones that get the power must, by necessity, redirect their efforts into keeping that power a very different game. Often…
08 Nov 2011, 21:13
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For me it seems "sequitur" or as a logical connection. We have heard the terms "terrorist", "rebel", "insurgent" and "freedom fighter" all used to describe the same group. Or they…
08 Nov 2011, 19:04
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Good counter-example as would be the genocidal rebel-elevated-to-leadership of certain African nations. I suppose any simple statement about global politics is likely to break dow…
08 Nov 2011, 17:08
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Yes but, judging from your posts, the only substantive ideas to be found in here are your own. So the question remains unanswered: Why do you bother with this list? To provide the…
08 Nov 2011, 14:59
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This debate always reminds me of Severian flying around the Citadel, unable to find the top of Valeria's tower. Where is it? Green perhaps? There is a quote somewhere about Nessu…
08 Nov 2011, 14:49
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Iirc, there is also another Chenille possession to consider. But in regard to Kypris, the identity confusion is surely intentional. Chenille is a prostitute and in one interview, W…
08 Nov 2011, 13:25
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I think that is very well argued Jeff. I see no reason you should consider the possibility that the Green Man is anything other than what he seems. The whole idea of Father In…
08 Nov 2011, 03:21
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I agree with this view. I also think it is congruent with WOlfe's stated personal beliefs regarding the gods of the pagan world. When placed in the position of demiurge rather th…
08 Nov 2011, 03:06
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I'm guessing you mean how do Typhon's soldiers shackle Severian if he could time-space travel out. The obvious answer would seem to be that such travel is not consciously available…
07 Nov 2011, 17:46
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Yes, that is worth mentioning. The mechanics of that "luna-forming"process generated a long and spirited discussion in here, a while back.…
07 Nov 2011, 16:35
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I dunno. But it might be meant to represent our moon. I consider that as part of the evidence that Yesod is our universe though overall I don't consider that to be a very firm conc…
07 Nov 2011, 16:29
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That is not quite germaine to the conversation, at least from my point of view. There is one image amd two faces. But only one is visible at a time and which one you get depends …
07 Nov 2011, 16:01
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A good call Nick. Vertumnus is another rustic Roman nature god joined to the cadre of Bacchus, Faunus, Fauna, Flora etc. who all seem at least tangentially referenced in the Sun…
07 Nov 2011, 03:23
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Well, in priniciple I agree. But why should the Vanished People be the ultimate goal for humanity? They are hairy (like goats?) and tribal and have that weird indeterminacy like…
07 Nov 2011, 02:42
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I'm with Jerry on this. I always pictured Typhon and Piaton as appearing to be the same age. I think Typhon speaks as a man in the very prime of life. I've also thought that 33 m…
05 Nov 2011, 23:40
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Now, THAT'S a statement! I think it is important to recognize that not everyone comes to this forum as a scholar. Some are pure observers, some are jesters and, of course, so…
05 Nov 2011, 21:48
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Well explained, Marc. I think you might be overestimating our differences on this issue but that is understandable. There has been much debate on whether there is/ has been a Chr…
05 Nov 2011, 15:25
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I agree, it is an important point. And especially in regard to the work of Gene Wolfe. Considering his biography, he is a man who spent his pre-writing years surrounded by engine…
05 Nov 2011, 15:07
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Hmph! Well, I can (and have) argued that from giant eels to kelpie hierodules, to giant sea Mothers and sexy mermaids, fish god (and fish mouth) themes are of the utmost relevan…
05 Nov 2011, 01:52
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Heh, fair enough! But I think it will be further demonstrated in this post that his methodology is the same as my methodology, despite the differing results. Nice analysis, Gerry…
04 Nov 2011, 18:56
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That is quite a sarcastic and bitter post Gerry. Why? Discussing the mythological under- pinnings of this story does not undercut nor debase your view of the story in any way. Yo…
04 Nov 2011, 17:06
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Heh. Thanks for remembering that James. Yeah, I was familiar with the Silenus and Dionysus connection but the silent/silver thing got me motivated to dig a little and find Silvanus…
04 Nov 2011, 15:04
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Great quotes. Recalls to mind the Hindu "10,000 names of God". I think Gerry's quote above nicely suggests that Tartaros is a Mainframe aspect of The Outsider. He does seem to hav…
04 Nov 2011, 13:31
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I wouldn't (of course) argue that the Commonwealth is an exact match to South America but I don't think you are recognizing how close the match is. The Commonwealth has pampas whe…
04 Nov 2011, 13:01
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Is the already-observed pattern the Zeus-Dionysus, Pas-Outsider, father-son-father ambiguity (which may also appear in BotNS)? If not, apologies for intruding my theory into the d…
04 Nov 2011, 12:24
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Apologies. I was being deliberately broad in my use of the word "sacrifice" to add some color to my post as well as make a point. Yes, there is the half-Pia in Baldanders' castl…
03 Nov 2011, 19:57
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Hm.. It might be a stretch to think that Wolfe has his minor godling character from RttW in mind when he was creating Hyacinth's character. But not an impossible stretch. I am stru…
03 Nov 2011, 19:44
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Sigh, well, this cuts to the heart of the matter for me. We are willing to discuss the ramifications of Wolfe being Catholic on his work. If he were openly gay, would that not simi…
03 Nov 2011, 18:48
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Hm. I'm not so quick to dismiss. The Inca rulers of the area were, like most other southern Native American groups, pretty damn brutal (we see the precursor to it with Apu Punchau'…
03 Nov 2011, 18:02
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I agree. Bring out your theory James, even in partial form. You can complete and polish it for publication later. This is just for fun and elucidation. will it really ignore the m…
03 Nov 2011, 12:44
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I think this is a good point (not coincidentally since it supports my current view of the Sun Series, heh). It seems to be a defining aspect of Christianity that all of God's ear…
03 Nov 2011, 12:31
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I agree with Dan'l. Earthquakes and mining can invert or disrupt many layers of rock strata with imbedded fossils and artifacts but they can't create them. Only time can do that.…
03 Nov 2011, 12:10
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I tend to agree. While Wolfe does a great job using state-of-the-art 70's science to back up his story, I think the deeper underpinnings of the story are more social and religious…
02 Nov 2011, 20:12
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Well, the Xanthic lands are mentioned. But I don't think we know where they are. Good question. It was something I'd rested on precedent for a while. Severian does move north an…
02 Nov 2011, 13:37
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Hm..I haven't seen anyone debate that the story is set in S. America for a while. That had been an early debate here. But, didn't we all think Urth was the future of Earth at one…
01 Nov 2011, 12:14
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I agree. I remember being struck by the pervasive bird theme from the first reading of Long Sun. Character names. Musk's hobby. Flyers. Almost as pervasive as the fishy theme which…
28 Oct 2011, 18:40
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Yes, you have answered your own question. And Wolfe most often takes that route relying on a description of "gnostic" or "teratoid" symbols non-specific adjectives to convey to his…
28 Oct 2011, 17:03
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Yes. But I'd hesitate to say "just" the Cumaean Sybil. There is a lot of relevant associations about her to consider. This character in mythology was a cave-dwelling Pythian (snake…
28 Oct 2011, 16:35
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