Subject: Re: (whorl)Incus "elevated" to Prolocutor

From: Patri10629 <patri10629 at aol.com>
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 09:41:35 +0000

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

Dear Mantis et all,

A Q & D plug for Mantis' "Quick & Dirty Guide to The Long Sun Whorl"...

What Fun! Thanks Michael.

I have one quibble of ambiguity--wow, in a Wolfe novel??--

On p. 19 of the Q & D under the Patera Incus list you write:

"--Scylla (riding Chenille) elevates Incus to Prolocutor, but later settles
for Remora's position."

The actual event (Hardcover Book III, p. 32) is a bit more ambiguous,
conditional (and humorous). Scylla actually appoints Auk Calde' (something
I've heard no mention of here or elsewhere) on the condition (as I read it)
that he fails to persuade Silk to obey her, and that he kills Silk. Then,
offhandedly, she says: "The idiot here (Incus) can be prolocutor under
similar circumstances, I suppose."

The humor (for me) is how quickly Incus seizes upon this insulting divine
promotion, enshrines it as an unconditional endorsement, and, judging by his
hostility toward him, how easily he forgets Auk might well soon be his boss!

And, speaking of ambiguity, what are those "similar circumstances" under
which Incus may become Prolocutor? Is this an invitation to assassinate
Remora?

Apparently the Outsider's in the details.

best

Patrick O'Leary

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