Gene Wolfe's _Peace_

Kieran Mullen · 23 Jul 1996, 07:23 · from sf-lovers.1996.mbox

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From: Kieran Mullen <kieran at phyast.nhn.ou.edu>
Subject: Gene Wolfe's _Peace_
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 02:23:44 -0500
Message-ID: <sflovers-v21-308-23 at digest.sf-lovers>
X-Digest-Issue: SF-LOVERS Digest V21 #308
X-Urthmirror-Source: https://archive.org/details/sf-lovers-digest-vol-21b

Since I don't see much discussion of Gene Wolfe (other than "when will the
fourth book in the Long Sun series come out?")  I thought I'd start the
ball rolling.

   First, Wolfe is one the best damn writers alive, IMO.  He's one of the
few I'll buy in hardcover :-).  When I understand (in part) what he's
doing, I am amazed by his work.  However, I often have the feeling that I
really don't quite grasp what he's trying to say.  I found _Pandora_ and
_Castleview_ to be very frustrating, because I *know* that he's trying to
do something, but I don't understand what.  I felt better about _Free, Live
Free.  But I am currently perplexed by his novel _Peace_.

   _Peace_ is about 10 years old, and recently reprinted.  I thought I'd
try to get some discussion started amongst those of us who have read it.
Here are a few questions to kick it off:

(1) What is the significance of the title?  The only "obvious" mentioning
of peace is in the silly quote from _The Lusty Lawyer_.  On the other hand,
there is little mention of war in the book.

(2) Did the author die in the opening paragraph?  Why is he seemingly
"unstuck" in time?  (Actually, he seems to create virtual worlds of his
past, where he can talk to others.) What does this mean?

(3) Where is the author at the start of the story?  Where is the rest of
the world?

(4) This book is (as many of Wolfe's novels) filled with people telling
stories.  Why are there so many ghost stories?

(5) What is the significance of the name "Alden Dennis Weer"?  If I grasp
at straws, it's "All then, then is, we are."  (Wolfe is not beyond bad
punning, as with "Alladin Blue" in _Pandora_.)

(6) It's clear that the bookseller Gold has made a fake Necronomicon.  Part
of this substory is about books, and the reality they create.  By creating
a fake Necronomicon, Gold can sell it to a library that already has it
listed (as a joke) in its card catalog.

   Finally, Wolfe often writes novels that incorporate themes or ideas from
other classic works.  The New Sun series is pretty clearly (to me!) an
ascending Christology.  The Long Sun is closer (though *not* a trivial
retelling) to the story of Abraham or perhaps Paul.  _Castleview_ has a lot
of Arthurian images and themes.  The Soldier books draw clearly on Greek
and Roman myths and history. So what is going on in _Peace_?  Is there a
similar subtext?  If not, what do you think are the essential themes of the
piece?

Kieran Mullen

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