Lives of the Great Beasts

Jeff Wilson · 02 Jul 2010, 20:47 · from 2010-July.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at io.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:47:17 -0500
Subject: (urth) Lives of the Great Beasts
In-Reply-To: <4C2E40F0.5070004 at io.com>
References: <AANLkTilx2dMaB7OYnqlFnKcr7NJwF_eV4Ht_qlQ6Y5-M at mail.gmail.com>
	<4C2E40F0.5070004 at io.com>
Message-ID: <4C2E5055.5090708 at io.com>

On 7/2/2010 2:41 PM, Jeff Wilson wrote:
> On 7/2/2010 1:38 PM, Jonathan Goodwin wrote:
>> There was some discussion on the list recently, or at least I think
>> there was, about the origins and nature of Abaia, Erebus, and the
>> rest. I've just read the books again recently and had some questions I
>> wanted to ask the list.
>>
>> The narrative function of the megatherians is quite clear, I think.
>> The literary and mythological antecedents are also reasonably clear.
>> What is not clear to me, however, is just what Wolfe had in mind about
>> their nature, their arrival on Earth, or their motivation (though
>> there's more evidence for this last than the others).
>
> I don't think these are the same megatherians as the eponymous seventeen
> black magicians. Though some of the seventeen were doubtlessly in league
> with the mountain-sized crew, and I'd have to guess that they symbolize
> opportunist forces who bodily intrude where camel's nose, mortal sig,
> went before.

or even "mortal sin"

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
IEEE Student Chapter Blog at
< http://ieeetamut.org >

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