Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 09:14:32 -0500
Subject: Re: (urth) Future passed in the New Sun
From: Adam Stephanides 

on 4/22/02 8:51 AM, Paul Duggan at pduggan@Op.Net wrote:

> But remeber, the text of the Book of the New Sun came into the hands of
> Gene Wolfe *after* Severian wrote it and threw it into space in the lead
> coffer. Wolfe is just the translator. So Severian wrote in the "distant
> past" prior universe and the manuscript survives the singularity (!) and
> Wolfe then gets it and tranlastes it
> 
> All references to "the future" should just be taken as refering to how
> Severian is in the future of where "we are" in the past universe's
> timeline (since the timelines are amazingly similar).

I have a hard time reconciling this reading with the references in the
SHADOW appendix to "a tongue that has not yet achieved existence" (unless we
are supposed to believe that the timelines are so similar that the exact
same languages will develop) and "the posthistoric world."  Also, we would
have to accept that some artifacts and even buildings had survived the
singularity, as well as Sev's manuscript.

> My only objection to this is theological, in that the theoanthropos then
> comes to save everybody at least 2 if not more times. But its just a
> novel...

This, OTOH, could be explained as the Incarnation "casting its shadow" into
the past universe.

--Adam



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