# Clute's Interpretation of Severian Becoming the Autarch

*The Urth list — 3 messages, 3 voices, 11 Jul 2007*

<https://urth.darkrealm.vip/thread/urth/4879>

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### E
*11 Jul 2007, 21:34*

Hello,

I was reading one of Clute's reviews
(http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue133/excess.html) and in it he mentions
that Severian is a liar, implying he assumes the role of Autarch in an
underhanded manner through murder.  Does anyone know what Clute's
exact argument is, and what evidence he uses to support it?  Because
if this is true then it really changes what I thought about the
story... I know Severian routinely lies or purposefully omits details,
so that does make him a "liar", but if he is completely lying about
over-taking the Autarchy, that makes him a much greater liar than I
imagined.

I have spent a good amount of time reading through these forums and
Google-searching for Clute's interpretation on this matter, but can't
find anything.  I have looked quite a while.  Also, unfortunately, my
library doesn't have copies of Clute's "Encyclopedia of Science
Fiction" or "Scores" works (although I'm not even sure if they would
be able to answer my question.)

Does anyone have any insight into this?

Best,


  - Adam

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### Dan'l Danehy-Oakes
*12 Jul 2007, 02:35 · in reply to E*

Adam,

I don't see there anything about murder. Clute does say that Sev
is concealing (something important about) how he came to be
the Autarch, but, really, what he does do -- cut the old Autarch's
skull open and eat his brains -- seems quite bad enough.

--Dan'l

> On 7/11/07, E <euth82 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I was reading one of Clute's reviews
> (http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue133/excess.html) and in it he mentions
> that Severian is a liar, implying he assumes the role of Autarch in an
> underhanded manner through murder.  Does anyone know what Clute's
> exact argument is, and what evidence he uses to support it?  Because
> if this is true then it really changes what I thought about the
> story... I know Severian routinely lies or purposefully omits details,
> so that does make him a "liar", but if he is completely lying about
> over-taking the Autarchy, that makes him a much greater liar than I
> imagined.
> 
> I have spent a good amount of time reading through these forums and
> Google-searching for Clute's interpretation on this matter, but can't
> find anything.  I have looked quite a while.  Also, unfortunately, my
> library doesn't have copies of Clute's "Encyclopedia of Science
> Fiction" or "Scores" works (although I'm not even sure if they would
> be able to answer my question.)
> 
> Does anyone have any insight into this?
> 
> Best,
> 
> 
>   - Adam
> _______________________________________________

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### Tim Walters
*12 Jul 2007, 06:09 · in reply to Dan'l Danehy-Oakes*

> Dan'l Danehy-Oakes wrote:
> Clute does say that Sev
> is concealing (something important about) how he came to be
> the Autarch,

Specifically, that the Autarch was Catherine, his mother. See the last 
essay in _Strokes_.

```
Tim Walters | The Doubtful Palace | http://doubtfulpalace.com
```

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