From: Dan Parmenter <dan@lec.com>
Subject: (urth) Severian the Memorious
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 12:44:26 

From: David_Lebling@avid.com

>Another one.  After describing his near drowning on the day he rescued
>Vodalus, he says "I never went back" to the river.  Yet a few chapters
>later, ("The Last Year", I think) he describes taking the apprentices down
>to swim in the river, "though I could never dive in deep water without
>fear."

Hmmm, perhaps a better list would be "Severian inconsistencies" since
it's conceivable that they are not lies.  I for one have always
championed the example of the old Autarch's robe, described as yellow
many times, but later described as saffron "as I had always seen him"
(sorry I don't have the exact quotation, but its from CITADEL).  Now
admittedly saffron is a shade of yellow, so perhaps it's forgiveable,
but given his constant reminders about his perfect memory, it
certainly gives one pause.  

Of course the saffron robes themselves are significant, evoking
buddha, etc.

D


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