Subject: (urth) Island/Dr./Death + Detective + other topics

From: MBS <sablof_m at lsa.lan.mcgill.ca>
Date: Sun, 01 Mar 1998 20:13:41 +0000

[Posted from URTH, a mailing list about Gene Wolfe's New Sun and other works]

Hello all, a very infrequent poster here.
I had a few things I wanted to mention...
Oh, and if ppl are interested, there may be *Spoilers* below...
though I assume there are those in almost every post to this list

1) I have truly enjoyed all I have read of Gene Wolfe's writings.  In 
fact, I wrote him a short 'fan-note' back in time and he was kind 
enough to send me back a personal note. (The man has a beautiful 
signature!) Nonetheless, often after finishing a story or novel of 
his creation, though I am satisfied/pleased with it, another part of 
me feels "huh?", like I have missed something, or some 'mystery' left 
to solve by the reader was Not solved by me...
This general puzzlement makes me appreciate this list all the more, 
but perhaps I need to work on my own reader-skills as well as assume 
when beginning a Wolfe-work that I will need to read it more than 
once, if not more than twice!
Not really looking for comments or replies here (though 
advice/pointers are welcome! ) just wanted to share it with the 
list.. maybe see if others agree.

2)  In a similar vein, I just finished reading "Detective of Dreams" 
and was wondering if I "got" this one...  Something about a church 
and Jesus... right? though again, I am not sure I 'get' the dreams 
the characters have ... maybe I should read the New Testament first!

3) I just got The Island of Dr. Death &OS&OS out of the library to 
read for the first time. I was wondering if others on the list are 
interested in forming an (off-list or on-list) reading group for this 
collection.  And if not, perhaps I will just post all my queries and 
hope for guidance! 
The most difficult thing about this situation is that if someone just 
tells me, Oh X is Severian father and Y is his mother, well, 
discovering the same is a much different experience.
well that is more than long enough... hope comprehensible enough
Enjoy the day
Matthew