# Inire's "Mirrors" *The Urth list — 2 messages, 2 voices, 01 Nov 1999* > Exported from an unofficial mirror of a public mailing list. Copyright > in each message remains with the person who wrote it. > Email addresses are obscured as `user at host`, the form the original > archive published. This file was rebuilt from parsed fields rather than > retained headers, so it is faithful in content but not byte-exact. --- ### Nicholas Gevers *01 Nov 1999, 22:02* I'm glad to see that my "Fairy Tale Logic" posting ended our dry patch; I'm also gratified that mantis agrees with me in part, a rare event. But to take up the cudgel again: I still contend that Inire's description of the working of his mirrors is intentional gibberish on Wolfe's part, to the extent that he wishes it to be read as gibberish, in contrast with all the intended-to-be-plausible explanations of FTL technology in SF. An ideas-driven writer like Poul Anderson or Isaac Asimov desires his FTL conception to be believed, to be given the benefit of a very large doubt; but for a style-driven writer like Jack Vance or Wolfe, an FTL-exposition is a CONCEIT, a rhetorical contrivance, serving a metaphorical or humorous purpose. Inire's mirrors should be interrogated on that basis. Incidentally, in defense of mantis' view of Typhon as alchemical symbol: the point of alchemy for many was the conversion of their base flesh into perfect matter blessed with immortality. Typhon's aim in usurping Piaton's body is also extended life. ===== --- ### Roy C. Lackey *02 Nov 1999, 02:10 · follows Nicholas Gevers* >> Nicholas Gevers wrote: >> I'm glad to see that my "Fairy Tale Logic" posting ended our dry patch; I'm also gratified that mantis agrees with me in part, a rare event. But to take up the cudgel again: I still contend that Inire's description of the working of his mirrors is intentional gibberish on Wolfe's part, to the extent that he wishes it to be read as gibberish, in contrast with all the intended-to-be-plausible explanations of FTL technology in SF. An ideas-driven writer like Poul Anderson or Isaac Asimov desires his FTL conception to be believed, to be given the benefit of a very large doubt; but for a style-driven writer like Jack Vance or Wolfe, an FTL-exposition is a CONCEIT, a rhetorical contrivance, serving a metaphorical or humorous purpose. Inire's mirrors should be interrogated on that basis. << To say nothing of the "white fountain". I would like to see the scientific explanation for the mating of a man and a larval "angel" producing an extra-universal remedy for a black hole in a dying sun. Roy ---