From: "Don Doggett" 
Subject: (urth) The leatherskin
Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2002 13:27:03 -0800

Howdy all,

One of (imho) Wolfe's first tricks in SS to give us the impression of Blue
as an alien world is his introduction of the leatherskin, a terrible
creature with three (gasp!) jaws.  It is the only really alien creature in
the book (even the neighbors are four limbed humanoids).  Or is it?  Here's
a more mundane (sort of) explanation:  The leatherskin is a sort of evolved
shark. Yes, a shark.  Its three jaws are really three rows of teeth.  To
someone like Horn, or Silk, who has probably never had any previous
experience with salt water creatures, these rows could very well appear to
be three jaws.  Sort of the way people with no experience with horseback
riding might have seen the first horsemen as centaurs.  Sharks also have
extremely rough skin.  Just a thought (a scary thought - a shark that can
climb into your boat.  Ugh.)

Don



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