Subject: (whorl) Vodalus sez Urth flipt?

From: m.driussi <m.driussi at genie.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 00:01:00 +0000

[Posted from Whorl, the mailing list for Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun]

Reply:  Item #7558985 from WHORL at LISTS.BEST.COM@INET02#

Nutria (aka JBJordan),

I'm curious as to the text wherein Vodalus said that the Urth has
flipped on its axis--where would that be located?

Re: Cordwainer Smith and Wolfe, well sure, the similarities come down
mainly to the coincidences of: 1) a fairy-tale style over a science fictional
core; 2) some beastmen appropriated from H.G. Wells (who in turn took them
from animal fables via FRANKENSTEIN); 3) a sense of Big History, lifted from
Stapledon, or Toynbee, et al.; 4) a sense of Religion as a positive
force; 5) a use of pagan elements to explore the mysteries of
Religion (for example: the axis mundi part of Smith's QUEST OF THREE
WORLDS is remarkably similar to what Severian sees on Yesod).

Which I guess is a round about way of saying that there is more than
one way to make banana nut bread, but certain key elements will
distinguish said loaf from zuccini bread or pound cake.

=mantis=

Questions or problems to whorl-owner at lists.best.com

---

From: Jim Jordan <jbjordan at gnt.net>
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 19:33:06 +0000

>flipped on its axis--where would that be located?

	Aw, man! I don't know! Gimmeabreak!
	I've read the Urth novels thrice, but I did not take notes. I dimly recall
it from the alzabo feast when Severian eats Thecla and brings her back to
life inside of himself -- but that might not be the place. Maybe someone
else can remember. Or maybe I'm offbase.

>WORLDS is remarkably similar to what Severian sees on Yesod).

	There's a bit more. Fifth Head explores what it means to be human, and
that is a large part of Smith's work also. I started with Fifth Head, and
that is why I thought there was a good deal of Smith influence. Moving to
the Severian books, I saw the same kind of sacramental/symbolic concerns
that also run through Smith. Also, both have a real interest in
psychoanalysis (as in the stories in Island of Dr Death &c.). These, to me,
were more striking than the things you mention. At any rate, the
coincidences seem to arise from similar religious beliefs, and some similar
interests (religion, sacrament, political theory, war, human psychology).
	Curiously, there are lots of coincidences between Smith's Norstrilia and
Herbert's Dune, but both were written at the same time, so they are just
coincidences!

Nutria