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Very interesting. A review of the Eliades book mentions:
'In chapter 1, "The Dacians and Wolves", the author adduces
substantial evidence...of the original meaning "wolf" for the tribe
name "Daci", which places this group in the line of peoples who
considered a blue or grau
she-wolf their mythical ancestor. This is substantiated by a number of
valuable observations on the role of the wolf... and werewolves.'
I sometimes fear that to understand Wolfe, I will have to read everything.
13 quoted lines · 1–2 deep
On 12/23/2014 7:16 PM, David Duffy wrote:
On Tue, 23 Dec 2014, Nick Lee wrote:
This discussion has turned my attention back to the Land Across and
my old
notes. I'd originally intended to write a series of essays on TLA but lost the time and will. What follows is a summary of my thoughts after I read the book and did some research just after it was released. I've just added many paragraphs from memory. I've lost some of my notes. I'd post it directly to the list, but I hate what it does to my formatting.
https://vagueshrine.wordpress.com/2014/12/23/the-land-across/
Very interesting. A review of the Eliades book mentions:
'In chapter 1, "The Dacians and Wolves", the author adduces
substantial evidence...of the original meaning "wolf" for the tribe name "Daci", which places this group in the line of peoples who considered a blue or grau she-wolf their mythical ancestor. This is substantiated by a number of valuable observations on the role of the wolf... and werewolves.'
_______________________________________________
David Duffy
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The list delivered this and never kept it. What survives is
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Sorry to be boring. The helpful man in black with his wolves partakes
of lots of different mythologies, but specifically in Slavic folktales
there is the Wolf-Shepherd, who is both Master of the Wolves and
protector of cattle. He is identified with several saints (SS George,
Martin...) and
appears especially in the wolf holidays: Nov 1, 2, 11, and the twelve
nights of Christmas ("wolf nights"). He summons and dismisses wolves
around pasturing season, and is a healer...(from Supernatural beings
from Slovenian myth and folktales By Monika Kropej).
On 12/24/2014 1:51 AM, David Duffy wrote:
Sorry to be boring. The helpful man in black with his wolves partakes of lots of different mythologies, but specifically in Slavic folktales there is the Wolf-Shepherd, who is both Master of the Wolves and protector of cattle. He is identified with several saints (SS George, Martin...) and appears especially in the wolf holidays: Nov 1, 2, 11, and the twelve nights of Christmas ("wolf nights"). He summons and dismisses wolves around pasturing season, and is a healer...(from Supernatural beings from Slovenian myth and folktales By Monika Kropej).
If this is boring, please continue to be boring!
I initially thought the man with burning eyes might be the ghost of Vlad the Impaler or something, because the small man associates Vlad with the lake house, which is haunted by a man with burning eyes (p49-50). But your interpretation better fits his behavior. That conversation also touched on demons, fairies, cherubim, and bells.
The character who drives me crazy is the Leader, who appears to project himself, eidolon-like, only where he is needed. Can werewolves do this? Is he Zalmoxis?
David Duffy
missing from the archive
The list delivered this and never kept it. What survives is
what the reply below quoted of it.
More googling about Eliade brings up his links in the 1930-40s with
the Legion of the Archangel Michael (Iron Guard, Romanian Nazi Party).
They took up Zalmoxis as a precursor of Christianity, and sought "a
Christian revolution, a spiritual, ascetic, manly revolution". I
think others have suggested they might be a model for the Legion of
Light, or possibly for the current government.
Cheers, David Duffy
PS re transliterated Greek words Mousukos <- Mousikos
PPS Why does Grafton dislike the sound of the glass bell the
Archbishop rings?
On 12/24/2014 12:43 AM, David Duffy wrote:
More googling about Eliade brings up his links in the 1930-40s with the Legion of the Archangel Michael (Iron Guard, Romanian Nazi Party). They took up Zalmoxis as a precursor of Christianity, and sought "a Christian revolution, a spiritual, ascetic, manly revolution". I think others have suggested they might be a model for the Legion of Light, or possibly for the current government.
Cheers, David Duffy
PS re transliterated Greek words Mousukos <- Mousikos
PPS Why does Grafton dislike the sound of the glass bell the
Archbishop rings?
Bells seem to be associated with the Fee and cherubs (p50). Grafton may be linked with beings opposed to them, again perhaps werewolves. The Master seems to like him.
This actually makes Grafton a bit like Latro, IIRC.
Nick Lee
missing from the archive
The list delivered this and never kept it. What survives is
what the reply below quoted of it.
This discussion has turned my attention back to the Land Across and my
old notes. I'd originally intended to write a series of essays on TLA
but lost the time and will. What follows is a summary of my thoughts
after I read the book and did some research just after it was
released. I've just added many paragraphs from memory. I've lost some
of my notes. I'd post it directly to the list, but I hate what it does
to my formatting.
https://vagueshrine.wordpress.com/2014/12/23/the-land-across/
On 12/22/2014 11:54 PM, Nick Lee wrote:
This discussion has turned my attention back to the Land Across and my old notes. I'd originally intended to write a series of essays on TLA but lost the time and will. What follows is a summary of my thoughts after I read the book and did some research just after it was released. I've just added many paragraphs from memory. I've lost some of my notes. I'd post it directly to the list, but I hate what it does to my formatting.
https://vagueshrine.wordpress.com/2014/12/23/the-land-across/
I'd guess that Paraustays means something more like "beyond regret." Dead, in other words.
Greg Kurzawa
missing from the archive
The list delivered this and never kept it. What survives is
what the reply below quoted of it.
4. The Archbishop was not the Undead Dragon.
5. Grafton pushed the Archbishop from the tower, but it wasn't the
real Archbishop.
6. The Archbishop (at the time he "jumped" from the tower) was an
Imprint Doll.
7. (I like this one) The Russ that Grafton met in prison was actually
an Imprint Doll, probably the very same Doll that "jumped" from the tower.
On 12/18/2014 4:25 PM, Greg Kurzawa wrote:
4. The Archbishop was not the Undead Dragon.
5. Grafton pushed the Archbishop from the tower, but it wasn't the
real Archbishop.
6. The Archbishop (at the time he "jumped" from the tower) was an
Imprint Doll.
7. (I like this one) The Russ that Grafton met in prison was actually
an Imprint Doll, probably the very same Doll that "jumped" from the tower.
Greg
The imprint dolls are a pain, like playing with a deck full of wild cards. I guess we need to look for anything out of the ordinary, just as in a Wolf novel with androids.
(1) When the archbishop dies, there is a small bit of blood: "a tiny dot of red."
(2) The archbishop moves "a lot faster than I would have thought a man his age could."
(3) "People in movies scream all the way down," but "He did not make a single sound until he hit."
Very ambiguous. Unfortunately, I don't think we have a good idea of how the dolls behave, nor how the Undead Dragon would behave. The guy seemed pretty much like an old archbishop to me.
Urth Net