If I recall, when we discusses long sun the question of the literary purpose of the long drawn-out description of the mechancial engineering process of talus production came up. Horn's new book at least gives us a fuller explanation of this than "Wolfe is an engineer by trade". Horn alludes to his purposes in making the Book of Silk have a utilitarian function for those on the short sun who may need some of the long sun know-how.
"I am an impure thinker. I am hurt, swayed, shaken, | paul + | + elated, disillusioned, shocked, comforted, and I | --|-- have to transmit my mental experiences lest I die." | + | +
-- Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy | pduggan at world.std.com
*This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun.