Subject: (whorl) Pike's Ghost

From: Alice Turner <al at ny.playboy.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 16:06:01 +0000

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

mantis,

Vance is right--we should clear up Pike's ghost. Couldn't it be a "baker's
dozen" or "one-to-grow-on" question from all of us as a group on top of our
individual questions? I think the wording should be more specific---Weasel
should be Wolfe's Vironese name! What about: "Is the apparation at the top
of the stairs that Silk takes for Pike's ghost really a form (i.e.
aquastor/eidolon) of Pike? If not, who or what is it?"

Alternately, "Is 'Pike's ghost' really Quetzal? If not, who or what is it?"

-alga

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From: m.driussi <m.driussi at genie.com>
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 21:14:00 +0000

Reply:  Item #7269253 from WHORL at LISTS.BEST.COM@INET00#

alga,

True, further questions might help.  And multiple choice would narrow
it down.  Since Wolfe wrote "it wasn't machine made," I'm inclined to
think that Pike's ghost is neither aquastor nor eidolon--not wanting to
drive into the but-an-AI-computer-isn't-a-machine avenue (I think it
would be a blind alley).

So it seems to me we are down to two candidates: alien (inhumu, Quetzal
or some other one) and miraculous (along the lines of the
enlightenments--i.e., it is a real ghost).  The thing seems to have physical
presence--wears the beanie, after all.

Therefore, your second version: "Is `Pike's ghost' really Quetezal?
If not, who or what is it?" appears to fit the bill.

And, if we don't get a whole bunch of questions from new people, then
we can let it be yours.  (Or vizcacha's, if he wants to use it as his
follow-up.)

=mantis=