AEG: a Wolder on Earth

Dave Tallman · 23 Dec 2008, 13:16 · from 2008-December.txt.gz

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From: davetallman at msn.com (Dave Tallman)
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:16:59 -0700
Subject: (urth) AEG: a Wolder on Earth
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.4.64.0812231727460.8480 at orpheus.qimr.edu.au>
References: <Pine.LNX.4.64.0812231727460.8480 at orpheus.qimr.edu.au>
Message-ID: <4950E4CB.6020801 at gmail.com>

>
> Catching up with the list now I have read AEG.  His "bad heart" is pretty 
> obviously not physical.  I thought it likely that he was a changeling, viz 
> the description of incipient followers of Mr Squid. 
The idea that it was a spiritual malady is interesting. Reis said "A 
defective heart valve is what they said, although I think it was really 
something else" (p. 277). Whatever it was, it caused physical weakness, 
since Reis talked about Rian's ability to play football after the 
healing. The connection to Squiddie is a bit of a stretch, though. Our 
best guide to Squid-God transformations are the assassin and the zombie 
Pat Gomez. Rian's case doesn't seem anything like those.

> And I presume his 
> mother (who is wealthy) might well own "a thousand million" and a yacht. 
> She must have been the Ambassadress that lived with BR on Woldercan.  And 
> Shirley Bench knew an awful lot about her and Rian, including the fact 
> that he was too brave.
>   
According to the timelines that Roy Lackey and I worked out, the mother 
is more likely Bill's first wife and the one who went to Woldercan with 
him is the second. The photo from Klauser said "... all the kindness and 
hospitality he and his family have shown to my wife and me" (p. 301). 
Ten or so years back, Rian would be six or less. If he were with them, 
it would be more natural to say "...he and his family have shown to me 
and my family."

Sharon's knowledge of Reis' ex-wife and Rian suggests to me that they 
are local to Springfield. Her warning not to "brace them with it" (p. 
25) tells me it's someone Cassie also knows. I think Norma is a good 
candidate for Rian's mother. Rian's mother named him (p. 277), and Rian 
and Norma are both Gaelic names. Norma says she "used to be married to 
the volcano god" but leaves it open whether she means Vince Palma or 
Bill Reis. I think it's the latter.

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