Subject: (whorl) Blue/Green == Urth/Moon???

From: John Eric Ivancich <ivancich at eecs.umich.edu>
Date: Mon, 06 Oct 1997 16:32:28 +0000

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

Hello All,

I've just completed TBotLS series, and I feel lucky to have stumbled
upon WHORL.  Having read through the WHORL Archives, (only vols. 4
through 7 so far), I'm amazed at all that I missed.

My first contribution, which I offer with great humility, will be a
question/possibility...

In looking through the archives, people have referred to the Whorl as
a hollowed out asteroid.  My image of it is as a cylinder, perhaps
obviously man-made when viewed externally.  Did I miss the evidence
for this asteroid view?

Also, having also read TBotNS, do I recall correctly that the moon
there had been planted with forests, making it green?

And if so, is it possible that Blue/Green is Urth/Moon?

Along those lines, could Typhon have launched the Whorl to repopulate
Urth/Moon after a war, or as a hidden, dormant army to retake Urth?

It's obvious where the term Short Sun comes from, but both the world
preceding the Whorl is referred to as the Short Sun, as is Wolfe's
upcoming series.  Does this just refer to generic solar systems, or is
this a return.

Furthermore, if the Whorl is a hollowed out asteroid, wouldn't that be
great camouflage to hide an army (or a new seed) from a potential
enemy.  Perhaps this asteroid was sent along some very wide orbit, or
just circled for a while in a rather tight orbit.

On the other hand, if Starcrossers' Landfall were an accurate
potential title, then this possibility ain't worth much.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing what people say.

Eric
(ivancich at eecs.umich.edu)