Urth Digest, Vol 73, Issue 45

Andrew Mason · 23 Sep 2010, 20:00 · from 2010-September.txt.gz

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From: andrew.mason53 at googlemail.com (Andrew Mason)
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 21:00:39 +0100
Subject: (urth) Urth Digest, Vol 73, Issue 45
In-Reply-To: <mailman.29152.1285266670.29658.urth-urth.net at lists.urth.net>
References: <mailman.29152.1285266670.29658.urth-urth.net at lists.urth.net>
Message-ID: <AANLkTikoutWrTWvUfKoqf3rNDQVYA5+3JBuqna3CZEtb at mail.gmail.com>

> First, if you are born in the capital, you could not choose to make it your capital---it would already be the capital. You could only "choose" to make?another planet?your capital, anywhere there is a capital there are entrenched power structures.?
> Granted, we don't even know there was already a capital or already an empire. Typhon may have created the empire rather than inheriting or even seizing it.

I has assumed that Typhon created the Empire - that seems to be
Cyriaca's view (or that he tried to); that the ruler she's talking
about is Typhon is supported by his bringing the books to the Citadel,
which is explicitly ascribed to Typhon in _Urth_.

> Third, I don't see why an origin in the stars would be inconsistent with a desire to return humanity to the stars. It strikes me as much more sensibly consistent than an origin on Urth, where by Severian's time no one cares about them but Vodalus, Inire, Baldanders, and the Autarch.

And the Ascians. And Vodalus seems to think it will get him support.

But actually I agree with you; if it's just Typhon by himself,
arriving from the stars and trying to stir up Urthians to an interest
in them, there's no inconsistency. What worried me is the image some
people have, I think, of Typhon as ruler of a galactic empire, with
people coming and going all the time, which would leave it very
puzzling what point there would be be in sending out a Whorl. Whereas
I would argue that though _New Sun_  clearly says nothing about actual
Whorls, it does paint a picture of Typhon as trying to recapture the
long-lost stars, and sending out a once-for-all expedition to them.

> By the way, I like your translation of "Bird in the Wood." Nice work!

Thanks!

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