Auk's fate?

Matthew Groves · 31 Mar 2007, 14:44 · from 2007-March.txt.gz

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From: matthewalangroves at gmail.com (Matthew Groves)
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 08:44:56 -0600
Subject: (urth) Auk's fate?
Message-ID: <39ed084f0703310744r726fc96btd538e2c8652362cf at mail.gmail.com>

It's been a little while since I read the books, but in The Book of
the Long Sun, (Horn and Nettle write that) Patera Silk shrives Auk,
and the content of his shriving is, among other things, that he struck
and kicked Chenille when she spurned his gift (I forget what the gift
was).  I seem to recall he had already been shriven for this by Silk's
predecessor, Patera Pike, but his guilt is so great that he confesses
again to Silk.  Anyway, after Silk/Horn kills Jahlee, he also is
unable to forgive himself.  I suppose the gift Jahlee spurns is
Silk/Horn's forgiveness.  He invites her into his family in spite of
the attack that nearly killed Sinew, and she tries to kill Horn's
wife.

I like Auk too, especially in that pair of scenes surrounding Silk's
caper at Blood's villa -- his shriving beforehand and his laughter at
Silk's adventure afterward.  He's a great foil for Silk.  As for what
happened to him, we're just not given that much information.

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