Book of the New Sun-Should I keep going?

Kevin J. Maroney · 13 Dec 1996, 16:32 · from sf-lovers.1996.mbox

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From: kmaroney at crossover.com (Kevin J. Maroney)
Subject: Re: Book of the New Sun-Should I keep going?
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 16:32:01 GMT
Message-ID: <sflovers-v22-21-21 at digest.sf-lovers>
X-Digest-Issue: SF-LOVERS Digest V22 #21
X-Urthmirror-Source: https://archive.org/details/sf-lovers-digest-vol-22a

awnbreel at panix.com (Michael R Weholt) wrote:
>Regarding Jo's point about the Gyoll being the Amazon.  I thought as much
>myself, but then started thinking that we can't really say in that the
>story must take place millions of years in the future (else the sun
>wouldn't be in such bad shape, no?)  The continents would have moved
>around a bit, no?  The "true identity" of the Ascians is fairly obvious
>and I believe there is some mention that they are from the "continent to
>the north".

Ascia is not Asia. Really it isn't. "Ascian" means "those who cast no
shadows", and is the Commonwealth's term for the people who live closer to
the equator. It is clear that the Ascians are parodies/interpretations of
the Chinese Communists*, but they are not on Asia.

Wolfe said specifically, perhaps in "Books in _The Book of the New Sun_",
or perhaps somewhere in _Castle of the Otter_, that the Commonwealth is on
South America, and that the Gyoll is the Amazon, but an Amazon which now
flows to the west.

*Whom, of course, Wolfe fought in the Korean War. 

Kevin Maroney

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