[Blue notes, spoilers, etc.]

Patri10629 · 04 Oct 1999, 12:43 · from whorl-v0010.mbox · original

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From: Patri10629 at aol.com
Subject: Re: (whorl) [Blue notes, spoilers, etc.]
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 08:43:32 EDT
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In a message dated 10/3/99 11:41:23 PM, mantis at sirius.com writes:

<<=20
The letter of summons to the lander reminds me quite strongly of the Letter
from Prestor John to the Pope.  And as in that case, there is much
speculation on where the kingdom is located--it has =3Dmoved=3D over the
centuries! >>

It struck me on rereading the opening letter that it is a tissue of lies. B=
ut=20
we know that. Imagine it is the words of the Inhumi--throwing their voices,=20
as it were, through their human agents-- and it becomes an entirely differe=
nt
message altogether. Very creepy.

It also struck me that the initial meeting with the Leaders of the Communit=
y=20
was a bit awkward.  A clumsy plot device to get the quest rolling. "We need=
 a=20
a god--get Silk. We need better seed--back to the whorl. Our businesses are=20
failing, our crops, too--our society is disintegrating, decadent--we need a=20
moral center that everyone can agree on. We need Silk. We need 'fresh=20
blood.'"=20

But then there was that unspoken agenda which Nettle intuited--"They don't=20
want us to write anymore." Not sure I get that. We're the Powers that=20
be--secular and sacred: Business, Church, Law (not sure about that=20
one)--conspiring to consolidate their earthly power by removing their one=20
true legitimate rival--the man who wrote their history? Whose only authorit=
y=20
was the fact that he tried to tell the truth? And had the means to do=20
so--paper? Or are one or more of this group Inhumi collaborators?

Interesting that Horn's most valuable commodity--paper--is stolen almost=20
immediately. He must rely on other resources.

How like TBOTLS--short-sighted agendas which ultimately are futile. As Horn=20
says from the begining--he failed.

Some of many questions. Amazing that this fragment, this first installment=20
can be so powerful and so incomplete.

best

Patrick O'Leary

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