The Best Introduction To The Mountains

Adam Stephanides · 02 Jan 2002, 15:13 · from urth-v0031.mbox · original

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From: Adam Stephanides <adamsteph at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: (urth) Re: The Best Introduction To The Mountains
Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2002 09:13:45 -0600
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Thanks for putting this essay on your website, Andy; it's a great service.
I agree that it's an important essay for Wolfe scholars, even if you don't
care about Tolkien, as I don't.  (Has Wolfe ever mentioned Tolkien in print
before?)  Some aspects of his work definitely need to be reconsidered in
light of it, such as the presentation of the Autarch's rule in BOTNS as the
best possible under the circumstances, and of rebellion against it as
"Satanic"; and the portrayal of Silk and Silkhorn as "natural leaders."  And
I may have been too quick, earlier, to dismiss the poster who argued that
BOTSS presented examples of "good rule."  But then, those elements of the
books never appealed to me.

I haven't looked at MEDITATIONS ON MIDDLE-EARTH, but possibly Wolfe's essay
was rejected because the image of Tolkien as propagandist for a society in
which the lower orders cheerfully obey and serve their betters was not one
the editor wanted to project.

Between this and Wolfe's comments on 9-11 I'm learning more about Wolfe's
politics than I think I want to know, and I fear for THE WIZARD KNIGHT.

And Terry Brooks again!  First Pullman praises him, then Wolfe criticizes
his detractors.  I've never read him, but can it be that his bad reputation
is not entirely deserved?

--Adam

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