Subject: (urth) _Urth_: Superflous?

From: Jack Redelfs <jackredelfs at gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 20:21:59 +0000

> I think this is unfair to one of GW's most powerful
> moments. "I took off my boots and threw them into
> the water, so as not to walk shod upon sacred ground."

Oh, it certainly was unfair, I just have a penchant for
irreverence. It's a great scene, and it moved me
immensely the first time I read it, but I guess it's true what
they say: familiarity breeds contempt.

> Have you read _Urth of the New Sun_? It defines rather
> clearly where the power actually came from.

It's been years. The power comes from the White Fountain, I
seem to recall, but I cannot recall whether it is specific to the
Conciliator or not. I'm stil curious about the "Sev-as-aquastor"
angle.

> who, if anyone, besides me finds BotNS more satisfying without the
> fifth volume?

I partly agree with you. It was an excellent book, taken on it's own
merits, but, although I always felt that Severian was the Conciliator
somehow, I found his on-screen turn as the Conciliator to be quite
underwhelming. I just expected more. He carreer as Conciliator
lasted for, 1 day, was it?

Still, I really enjoyed the Hierogrammates, the explication of
Apu-Punchau and the re-enactment of Dr. Talos's play. To sum,
I'd be willing to trade _Urth_ for an extra Latro book, but it's
still Wolfe in top form.
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From: Adrian Robert <arobert at cogsci.ucsd.edu>
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 20:50:42 +0000

> lasted for, 1 day, was it?

To me UotNS stands as tall as its predecessors -- different, but  
intellectually delightful and emotionally satisfying in its own  
ways.  The Yesod sequences, the cleverness of the testing on and off  
the ship, and the fabulous imagery throughout are second to none; the  
desperately aimless nature of Severian's wanderings post-apocalypse  
typify "anticlimax".

The "Conciliator career sequence" was a fascinating speculation on  
how a towering legend can grow from a small seed.  Whatever your  
final conclusion about it is, hearty food for thought.

There are weaker points to be sure, things drag in places, but the  
strengths more than overwhelm them.