# This Week in Google Alerts: more _Land Across_ *The Urth list — 6 messages, 5 voices, 29 Dec 2013* > 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. --- ### Gwern Branwen *29 Dec 2013, 16:48* http://io9.com/dont-expect-to-figure-out-gene-wolfes-new-novel-the-f-1484516074 (review) http://www.bendbulletin.com/home/1591917-151/the-strange-lands-of-sci-fi-master-gene-wolfe (review) http://thebookofsilk.blogspot.com/2013_12_01_archive.html (character list) http://jdbookreview.com/gene-wolfe-no-comparison/ interview: > Whether you subscribe to the theory that Wolfe is some kind of hothouse-cultivated Ent, or “merely” a human genius, you’ll want to read his new novel _The Land Across_. The author graciously took the time to speak with me via email about the genesis of his typically inventive new work, the state of 21st-century SF, and many other subjects. An edited transcript of our conversation follows, below. — Paul Di Filippo ``` gwern http://www.gwern.net ``` --- ### Daniel Otto Jack Petersen *29 Dec 2013, 17:53 · in reply to Gwern Branwen* *http://jdbookreview.com/gene-wolfe-no-comparison/ interview:> Whether you subscribe to the theory that Wolfe is some kind of hothouse-cultivated Ent, or “merely” a human genius, you’ll want to read his new novel _The Land Across_. The author graciously took the time to speak with me via email about the genesis of his typically inventive new work, the state of 21st-century SF, and many other subjects. An edited transcript of our conversation follows, below. — Paul Di Filippo* For any other out-of-it sap like me, who didn't know what 'the Singularity' was that Di Filippo asked Wolfe about, here's a very helpful article I found (summary: it's 'the Rapture for nerds'): http://io9.com/5534848/what-is-the-singularity-and-will-you-live-to-see-it Knowing what it is makes Wolfe's answer all the more fascinating and tantalising... -DOJP > On Sun, Dec 29, 2013 at 4:48 PM, Gwern Branwen wrote: > > http://io9.com/dont-expect-to-figure-out-gene-wolfes-new-novel-the-f-1484516074 > (review) > > > http://www.bendbulletin.com/home/1591917-151/the-strange-lands-of-sci-fi-master-gene-wolfe > (review) > > http://thebookofsilk.blogspot.com/2013_12_01_archive.html (character list) > > http://jdbookreview.com/gene-wolfe-no-comparison/ interview: >> Whether you subscribe to the theory that Wolfe is some kind of >> hothouse-cultivated Ent, or “merely” a human genius, you’ll want to read >> his new novel _The Land Across_. The author graciously took the time to >> speak with me via email about the genesis of his typically inventive new >> work, the state of 21st-century SF, and many other subjects. An edited >> transcript of our conversation follows, below. — Paul Di Filippo > -- > gwern > http://www.gwern.net > _______________________________________________ --- ### Gerry Quinn *29 Dec 2013, 18:08 · in reply to Gwern Branwen* From: Gwern Branwen http://jdbookreview.com/gene-wolfe-no-comparison/ interview: 'Gene Wolfe easily admits to being a supernatural being. How else to explain his famous comment that editor Damon Knight, whose ORBIT series of anthologies helped launch Wolfe’s career, “grew me from a bean?”?' Hmm, if we are to assume it was a black bean, it would not make him the nicest kind of supernatural being! [I'm assuming that the story of the black beans cast into the sea in BotNS is meant to refer to the origin of Abaia, Erebus and the rest.] - Gerry Quinn --- ### Antonin Scriabin *29 Dec 2013, 20:48 · in reply to Gerry Quinn* The Singularity is a pretty popular trope in modern, mainstream sci-fi. Charles Stross' "Accelerando" and Harrison's "Light" come to mind. I didn't particularly care for either one, I think it makes for lazy writing. Tech becomes magic, but characters aren't mystified, they are experts. It is easy to explain away problems in the narrative. > On Dec 29, 2013 1:09 PM, "Gerry Quinn" wrote: > > > From: Gwern Branwen > > http://jdbookreview.com/gene-wolfe-no-comparison/ interview: > > 'Gene Wolfe easily admits to being a supernatural being. How else to > explain his famous comment that editor Damon Knight, whose ORBIT series of > anthologies helped launch Wolfe’s career, “grew me from a bean?”?' > > Hmm, if we are to assume it was a black bean, it would not make him the > nicest kind of supernatural being! [I'm assuming that the story of the > black beans cast into the sea in BotNS is meant to refer to the origin of > Abaia, Erebus and the rest.] > > - Gerry Quinn > _______________________________________________ --- ### Lee *30 Dec 2013, 19:22 · follows Antonin Scriabin* > Gerry Quinn: Hmm, if we are to assume it was a black bean, it would not make him the > nicest kind of supernatural being! [I'm assuming that the story of the > black beans cast into the sea in BotNS is meant to refer to the origin of > Abaia, Erebus and the rest.] With recognition of the lightheartedness of this reply, I truly do not think that Gene Wolfe considers himself to be the "nicest" of people. I haven't met him in person but I know he is often described as "genial". Still in the tone of some of his answers to direct questions, I know he has a sharp side. But these are all external judgements anyway. I find Wolfe's self-assessments best exemplified in his most autobiographical characters (Weer, Severian and Horn, imho). In these characters I find self-criticism which goes beyond acknowledgement of imperfection and which drifts toward true confession and self- condemnation. Moreover, if the role of author may be considered as demiurgical creator, as has been discussed in other threads, perhaps the comparison of Wolfe himself to giant god-like monsters is apt. If "black beans" hold the origin of "Abaia, Erebus and the rest", then Scylla must be included and thus, by extension, Typhon/Pas and Echidna (whom I find difficult to disconnect from The Cumaean). --- ### Gerry Quinn *30 Dec 2013, 22:48 · in reply to Lee* From: Lee > I haven't met him in person but I know he is often described > as "genial". Still in thetone of some of his answers to direct > questions, I know he has a sharp side. But these are all > external judgements anyway. Yes, he comes across as genial but often suddenly prickly at times. I love the books, I'm not actually all that concerned about the author. > Moreover, if the role of author may be considered as demiurgical > creator, as has been discussed in other threads, perhaps the comparison > of Wolfe himself to giant god-likemonsters is apt. If "black beans" > hold the origin of "Abaia, Erebus and the rest", then Scylla must be > included and thus, by extension, Typhon/Pas and Echidna (whom I find > difficult to disconnect from The Cumaean). I don't believe Typhon had the same origin as the sea monsters. Typhon is relatively human, I think. I doubt Wolfe would approve, but I do actually imagine the sea monsters in terms of 'singularity' concepts - they are creatures that can reconstruct themselves on a molecular level, and they have brains or other devices capable of powerful computations. They are gods [or demons] by our standards. I think the 'seeds; were nanofactories that built them. But that is equally true of all the seeds of living organisms. - Gerry Quinn ---