From: CoxRathvon@aol.com
Subject: Re: (whorl) Inhumi
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 12:00:50 


[Posted from Whorl, the mailing list for Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun]


Thanks to everyone posting to this group!  I feel I get a little insight from
every message.

As I re-re-read the quartet of "Long Sun" books, I'm keeping my eye on
Quetzal.  It's pretty clear that he preyed on Teasel and Mattak; I can't find
a hint about any other such attack, nor do I find a reference to any other
inhumi aboard the Whorl--except for that revealing remark by Patera Pike that
"devils" had infiltrated the Whorl against the wishes of Pas.  Very
mysterious comment, that.  

Like a total dope I first read "Exodus" without browsing the introductory
list of "Gods, Persons, and Animals Mentioned in the Text," so I missed a
couple huge hints about Quetzal and the inhumi.   I did accidentally bump
into the reference to Horn as "the colonist who undertook to write the Book
of Silk"--but I figured "The Book of Silk" would get mentioned near the end
of the story; I wasn't prepared for that book to be Wolfe's  "Long Sun"
itself!!!

--Henry Rathvon


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