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I've just finished it, and I was getting really worried as the end approached without Silk turning up. All along I did wonder if he ever would, or whether Horn would realize that t…
08 Feb 2001, 12:44
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It does. It isn't dark at all, and enthusiasts of grittiness wave it aside. You have probably passed the single instance of profanity in the entire book, for instance. Stick with i…
31 Jan 2001, 10:26
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That's very true. These things don't get in there by accident, especially with Wolfe. Like the talos factory. So I agree, perception is important, and that explains why some people…
11 Jan 2001, 18:41
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Indeed, I didn't realize how many of the questions you were going to be able to relate to this. I see what you mean - but is she his full sister, or just half? Might she be half f…
11 Jan 2001, 18:07
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At 06:27 2001-01-11 -0800, Dan Rabin wrote: ... Try saying "Isle of Man" out loud, and you get a very doggy sentiment. If true, it would just be too clever. I wouldn't put it past…
11 Jan 2001, 17:20
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... Does that mean you can answer all, many, or even some of the long list of questions I posted a few weeks ago? The ever-optimistic, Spectacled Bear.…
04 Jan 2001, 19:05
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I see what you mean, but I think "them" refers to the Outsider and the rather large baletiger that helps Horn. Severian talks a lot about "the Increate" and "the Pancreator" in ver…
29 Dec 2000, 11:45
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I had no idea there *was* a new King Crimson - the last one I saw was "Three of a Perfect Pair", which was held up as a great example of the new medium, Compact Discs. I really mus…
08 Dec 2000, 18:42
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At 18:34 2000-12-07 +0000, Tony Ellis wrote: ... Fair enough (I found out that Geimhreadh meant Winter and felt very pleased with myself, though all I did was a web search), and t…
07 Dec 2000, 23:17
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I liked the cover of OBW, though I agree that it does have potential for embarrassment; even then, a lot less than a simple description featuring "a blonde woman with no clothes" w…
05 Dec 2000, 17:05
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... Compare M. Million's lesson in which he asks No. 5 and David about the supposed abo artifacts. David argues that the artifacts were not important in the lives of the abos comp…
13 Nov 2000, 10:09
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Tony Ellis recently offered the comforting observation that Mouse, inoperative but still containing a deadly blade, is under Sherby's pillow at the end. Look for "The mirror crack'…
20 Sep 2000, 16:32
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It's fairly convincing - I'm certainly not going to try saying it out loud, especially while I'm in the office! A good piece of work. So, does that mean the Flyers made it to Blue…
08 Sep 2000, 18:13
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I don't think so - it has a Captain, for one thing, and the Parks are not shown as having any particular vices. As for Chang being the Anti-Christ, he really doesn't play a big eno…
07 Sep 2000, 09:59
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It isn't exactly common, but I think I've heard it before. It isn't just seaweed, but specifically "seaweed case ashore in masses", according to Merriam-Webster (http://www.yourdic…
06 Sep 2000, 21:27
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Thanks for checking, Shannon - maybe it really was just Solomon after all. That was the only recognisable Grunday I found on the net, too. Yes, me too. Why else would I be reading…
01 Sep 2000, 16:27
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In the introduction to "Storeys from the Old Hotel", Wolfe describes "Parkroads" as (quoting it from memory) "as good a piece as I've ever turned out". This is high praise indeed, …
31 Aug 2000, 12:26
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Seconded! Ignore what Nigel says about mumbling and stumbling - his talk was very good. It now seems the most natural thing in the world for someone to use allusive neo-Platonic hi…
31 Aug 2000, 12:04
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I suggested this a while ago, but alga had some evidence that they really could: Of course, they do have human slaves, now. I can't look up the passage alga cites until I get home…
30 Aug 2000, 08:31
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... They're different planets! They might exchange microbes via meteorites, but life would have evolved separately. The particular numbers might be significant to the story someho…
25 Aug 2000, 10:46
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Ah, you're right. I had mentally transferred them to the river that runs through Pajarocu, probably because their life resembles that of the people of Shadelow more than it does th…
24 Aug 2000, 17:19
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Wow! What a good book! There are so many arresting moments, both hinted-at revelations and surprises pulled out of nowhere. Even "little" things like Mora's personal problems are …
24 Aug 2000, 11:56
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Is the baletiger around yet? SBear. *This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun.…
24 Aug 2000, 11:03
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At 23:08 2000-08-18 -0500, Robert Borski wrote: ... I see what you mean about Bricco, but Brother and Sister live on an entirely different continent to Fava. She is finding childr…
24 Aug 2000, 11:03
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You mean it's available *here*? Yes please! Excited Spectacled Bear *This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun.…
17 Jul 2000, 15:33
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At 23:07 2000-05-03 -0400, Alice Turner wrote: ... Crowley is quite scrupulous with period I'd like to read it! It was lucky I noticed this sentence, though, since I am skipping t…
04 May 2000, 10:36
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Thank you! [...] To clarify, I don't mean *really* wrong, just a little different: that inhumi take up the memories/intelligence of people bitten by their mothers while they are i…
16 Feb 2000, 18:20
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It was, too! I have just finished reading my best present. Two things struck me: first, the apparent simplicity of the writing. It reminds me of a drawing of a winter landscape by …
10 Feb 2000, 17:48
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Me either, and because of that and Stubb I don't think there's much in this, despite Candy and Ozzie being so clear-cut. ... I hope so :-) In your list you have: Whitten re…
26 Jan 2000, 17:31
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Nice idea, but there are only four of them, and most temptations are covered by the seven. Not fair! Not fair! *My* copy hasn't got a timeline! but I'm still left I was going to…
26 Jan 2000, 10:16
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At 22:46 1999-12-29 -0500, Talarican wrote: ... some excellent questions, and not the usual ones either ... They must surely have learned to direct gravity at will, or been able …
30 Dec 1999, 11:34
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I was reading "Three Fingers" again recently, and came up with a few questions. I still don't know what it's about! Michael shows a Snow White model to a woman who comments that s…
17 Dec 1999, 13:08
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I had the same reaction as alga in the very beginning; I think it's because of the very simple and direct style of writing, and the bright colours (1). The initial feel is rather l…
09 Nov 1999, 11:09
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NOVELS (in addition to Rostrum's list) "Free Live Free" is fairly straightforward; maybe it's not typical? I could be missing something, of course :-) I'm not convinced that one …
28 Oct 1999, 15:27
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At 18:22 1999-10-07 -0400, Michael Straight wrote: ... There's also the problem that by the end of _Urth_ Severian has acquired god-like magical powers, and such heroes are famous…
08 Oct 1999, 09:17
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How far, I wonder? How big do we think the Commonwealth is? It does seem a bit cramped, I agree. No, the only thing I think he has wrong is Left and Right. Compass directions pose…
24 Aug 1999, 09:33
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At 01:05 1999-08-23 -0500, Roy wrote: ... They aren't wrong about North and South, nor is Severian. I don't claim he gets compass directions wrong, just left and right. As you say…
23 Aug 1999, 09:01
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True North. Quite possibly magnetic South, but I don't insist on that. The fauna and flora of the Commonwealth are all South American, but not all of South America is in the Southe…
22 Aug 1999, 21:34
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How are all the deductions about calendars and saints' days affected by the idea of the Commonwealth being in the Southern Hemisphere? Personally I'm convinced that it's North of t…
19 Aug 1999, 14:31
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At 09:46 1999-06-02 +0200, you wrote: ... Not a person, but what about the Vatic Fountain? It shows Severian all sorts of things from his future. How does it work? Does it just sh…
02 Jun 1999, 10:50
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[spectacled bear coefficient = high] [balances pole on end] In _The Iron Man_ by Ted Hughes, there's a giant space creature, the space-bat-angel-dragon. [tries to climb pole] Al…
10 May 1999, 09:03
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.. Joan Sims couldn't be Dorcas, she's old enough to be his - oh, right. No, Barbara Windsor would have to be Jolenta. Hattie Jacques would be the leader of the Pelerines, and K…
07 May 1999, 09:25
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At 09:23 1999-04-21 -0800, you wrote: (interesting bit snipped ;-) ... I don't think anyone did; I think Typhon's suspended animation machinery restored him exactly as it was mean…
21 Apr 1999, 17:39
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Maybe she's a little older than that; could she have been born at the very start of Severian's reign, for instance? SBear. Peter Westlake, Harlequin Ltd, Barrington Hall, Barring…
13 Apr 1999, 10:02
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This is a wonderful idea, and the first I've heard that offers any reasonable explanation of that ribbon. But Agia is human, and she is or plays Agilus' sister, so she would surely…
13 Apr 1999, 09:57
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At 12:01 1999-04-12 +0000, you wrote: ... A reasonable and considered response. I would do the same, but it ought to wait till I leave the office, and you lose a lot of the sponta…
12 Apr 1999, 08:55
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Has it stopped working? It seemed okay last time I posted to it. It wouldn't be inactive if you had posted this to it, and there are quite a lot of spoilers in these messages. Of c…
12 Apr 1999, 08:47
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True, but we don't need a Wolfeian Clue to tell us that. I wondered if there was a tie-in with Dr Crane's spy network, especially as Violet volunteers to entertain the Trivigaunti …
31 Mar 1999, 15:57
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I intended to read the Book again before asking this question, but you can't read a book that size at the drop of a hat, so I'll ask while I still remember. Hence lack of reference…
31 Mar 1999, 13:38
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.. I've wondered about this too. The problem is that the constellations, fauna, and (arguably) the geography are quite like those of our time. The people even drink matte still. T…
31 Mar 1999, 13:33
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