From: "Chris" 
Subject: Re: (urth) Botanical Gardens
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2003 05:42:56 +0000

I also was intrigued by the couple in the Gardens, but I can't place them.

As far as the symmetry, it's not that I discount it, it's just that this is 
one of those rare cases where the author's intention can't be ignored. 
Specifically, at the time that book was written, it was meant to be a 4 book 
series. Even after the series was done, Wolfe was against writing another 
novel because to his mind the series was done.

Symmetry as a matter of design interests me, but Wolfe's books already offer 
so much in the way of abstract and mysterious connections that I can't bring 
myself to start bringing accidental factors into it as well.

Chris (still unable to choose a proper name)

>Also, on an unrelated subject, those readers disinterested in symmetry will
>probably not care, but it may prove a small detail to add to the endless
>arguments about the ties between Severian, Typhon, and Silk:  the event 
>where
>Severian encounters the corpse of Typhon on the mountain, the boy Severian 
>is
>killed, and Severian speaks with and assassinates the revived Typhon takes
>place in the exact middle of the cycle of five books that make up the whole
>New Sun series.  Since I have a writer's interest in symmetry, this 
>interests
>me; but I understand if it seems less than relevant to the rest of you.
>Still, such a connective between the New Sun and the Long and Short Sun
>books, in such a central position, seems relevant to me.
>
>But who can say?
>
>Joshua the Falchion
>
>--


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