I am glad to see the discussion of Tracking Song beginning again.
Not that I have anything to add on that subject though...
I am interested in the 3 Island/Death/Doctor stories.
They do not form a unified whole as the Fifth Head of Cerberus does, but they do touch on similar themes, actually many of the 'classic' Wolfe themes (what do ppl think this list would be?): the nature of identity and what forms/makes the individual who he/she is, the interaction between reality and fiction/illusion. As well, there seems to be a growth in Wolfe's skill as a storyteller. GW seems to have come into his own as an author during the 70s and these three stories are interesting to view as touchstones along that path, the first published in 70 the last in 78 (I believe). Oh and in reference to someone who asked the island in the Prison story is the prison itself. I believe when looking out the window and what the prison has become, he seems the new complex as an island- sorry no citations here.