AEG parallels with Urth Cycle

Nigel Price · 03 Nov 2008, 22:00 · from 2008-November.txt.gz

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From: nigelaprice at talktalk.net (Nigel Price)
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 22:00:58 -0000
Subject: (urth) AEG parallels with Urth Cycle
Message-ID: <AFEFKBJKJDDJOMBNACBNIEELDNAA.nigelaprice at talktalk.net>

I'm currently reading TBotNS. I keep getting struck by parallels with AEG,
which I have just read.

It has already been noted that the role of the malign underwater Storm God
of AEG is similar to that of Abaia in the Urth Cycle, but some of the
parallels are even more specific. Compare, for example, Severian's dream of
the sunken city in chapter XV of Shadow, "Baldanders", with the dream of the
underwater city that Cassie experiences when she holds hands with Pat Gomez
in chapter 22, "The City under the Sea", in AEG.

Then there's Dr Talos' transformation of the skinny waitress into the
voluptuous Jolenta. His purpose is to create a female star for his play.
It's very similar to what Gideon Chase does for Cassie in AEG.

I haven't thought through the similarities and differences between the flood
apocalypse of UotNS and the closing section of AEG, but I am wondering about
possible similarities between the roles of Vodalus and Gideon Chase. Both
appear to be working to undermine a powerful ruler (the Autarch, Bill Reis
who is King of Takanga) whom they subsequently turn out to be serving. Both
pay the hero/heroine a fee to recruit them to their side at the start of
their respective stories.

Nigel

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