Inhumi

Alex David Groce · 12 Apr 1999, 13:50 · from urth-v0025.mbox · original

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From: "Alex David Groce" <adgroce at eos.ncsu.edu>
Subject: (urth) Inhumi
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1999 13:50:13
Message-ID: <urth-v0025-0057 at digest.urth.net>
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On Apr 12, 11:27am, David Wells wrote:
> Subject: (urth) RE: Digest urth.v025.n005
> >Speaking of ambiguity, we might remember that the Long Sun books were
> >written by a colonist (Horn) who may not have been entirely impartial in
> >his portrayal of Quetzal and the inhumi.  Some of the scenes where we get
> >the most characterization of Quetzal must be somewhat speculative
> >reconstruction on Horn's part, or at best second or third hand accounts
> >(such as the scenes with Quetzal and Remora).
>=20
> Indeed. At the end of Exodus, Horn describes the inhumi as being
> "no more intelligent than dogs". As one of them posed successfully as
> a senior clergyman on the Whorl for around 30 years, this is either a
> particularly biting satire on the clergy (which I rather doubt) or eviden=
ce
> that Horn, at least, is suffering from a seriously misapprehension.
>=20
> ....which apart from any moral dilemmas it may cause, may also lead
> to nasty surprises for the colonists when they try to defend themselves
> against an opponent which they so seriously underestimate.

Does Horn actually say that?  I'm reading the lines:  ". . . no more have
character than a hus; but those who trap hus and tame them have told me that
they differ at least as much as dogs."  That's the only mention I can find =
of
dogs in Horn's defense that's possibly relevant.  I can't imagine Horn maki=
ng
that statement (although it does sound awful familliar) given the portrayal=
 of
Quetzal in the Book.  Am I missing something?
	The one thing I demand of Short Sun is that Wolfe better give me some
idea about how Quetzal got on board, why he acted as he did, and whether he=
 was
trying to get everyone killed by choosing Green...  Since he's admitted that
you can't really figure it all out from Long Sun.

--=20
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." - John 8:32
--
Alex David Groce (adgroce at eos.ncsu.edu)
Senior (Computer Science/Multidisciplinary Studies in Technology & Fiction)
'98-99 NCSU AITP Student Chapter President
608 Charleston Road, Apt. 1E (919)-233-7366
http://www4.ncsu.edu/~adgroce

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