Typhon Era Fliers

Macronaut23 Sep 1999, 14:49original as archived

Typhon Era Fliers

My first post, and I hope one that does not repeat an earlier discussion! An earlier post remarked on the difference between the locust-like fliers in the era of Typhon and the cherry leaf fliers in use at the time of the Autarchy. Could the locust-shaped fliers be attack helicoptors of some sort? -- it seems to me that the blunt cylindrical bodies of such craft might resemble a locust or grasshoper.

Mitchell A. Bailey24 Sep 1999, 15:24original as archived

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Macronaut wrote:...

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An earlier post remarked on the ... locust-like fliers in the era of > Typhon ...Could the locust-shaped fliers be attack helicoptors of some sort? ...

I seem to recall that Sev compared their "thrumming" sound as well as looks to that of locusts. That thought occurred to me during a period when we had an unusual amount of military copter traffic around here AND the usual early autumn grasshopper invasion. The hoppers make a racket very like little 'copters. Another thought floated up unbidden like a denizen of the Lake of Birds, who spat up its lead slingstones, even as I write: one of the final plagues in Revelation involved "locusts" which ascend from the Pit and attack people. Did Wolfe want to evoke that reference, tangentially? Make of that what you will.

Macronaut24 Sep 1999, 13:41original as archived

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Mitchell wrote: one of the final

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plagues in Revelation involved "locusts" which ascend from the Pit and attack people. Did Wolfe want to evoke that reference, tangentially? Make of that what you will.

I think it fits in very well with the idea of human interstellar empire, as represented by Typhon, as a plague upon the face of the Earth, ravaging its resources, driving down galactic property values, etc. etc.

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--- "Mitchell A. Bailey" <MAB at lindau.net> wrote: Macronaut wrote:...

An earlier post remarked on the ... locust-like fliers in the era of > Typhon ...Could the locust-shaped fliers be attack helicoptors of some sort? ...

I seem to recall that Sev compared their "thrumming" sound as well as looks to that of locusts. That thought occurred to me during a period when we had an unusual amount of military copter traffic around here AND the usual early autumn grasshopper invasion. The hoppers make a racket very like little 'copters. Another thought floated up unbidden like a denizen of the Lake of Birds, who spat up its lead slingstones, even as I write: one of the final plagues in Revelation involved "locusts" which ascend from the Pit and attack people. Did Wolfe want to evoke that reference, tangentially? Make of that what you will. the New Sun and other works