woldercan's sacrifice, the circus of Dr. Lao

Marc Aramini · 31 Jan 2011, 22:18 · from 2011-January.txt.gz

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From: marcaramini at yahoo.com (Marc Aramini)
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:18:47 -0800 (PST)
Subject: (urth) woldercan's sacrifice, the circus of Dr. Lao
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.4.64.1102010734430.11145 at orpheus.qimr.edu.au>
Message-ID: <501927.67752.qm at web161815.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>

Just had a chance to read Circus of Dr. Lao this week, and was shocked by how much of the stuff has at least some resonance with Wolfe.  The Hound of the hedges is a chlorophyl driven green hound that just kind of sprung into existence, but I was wondering if anything had been made of how the entire Woldercan scenes are just geared around the sacrifice of the most beautiful virgin.

As far as Evil Guest goes, I believe it was Dave Tallman who made a lot of cogent comparisons between it and other literature, (my apologies if it was another Dave, about all of my friends somehow are named David) and I was wondering if that sacrificial beauty pageant has anything to do with Cassie's final trip to Woldercan.  I know there is the sacrifice on the Island, but is there something about her glamorization that has made her worthy of human sacrifice, too?

Also, the most fantastic part of the book is Dr. Lao just walking into a department before closing and getting the circus permits one night before the show.  That was my job for three years, pretty much impossible anywhere nowadays.

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