From: CoxRathvon@aol.com
Subject: Re: (whorl) Patera Pike's Ghost
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 11:46:03 


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

I tend to agree with David Lebling that the vision of Pike, followed by an
object flitting out the window (not Oreb, he wouldn't lie), is probably our
dark friend the shape-shifting Quetzal.  Silk's ruminations about gods,
devils, and ghosts can't be taken too seriously here in the first book of the
adventure, for Silk still has a lot to learn about the true nature of the
Whorl.  

I have another question about Quetzal which I'm still formulating and will
post soon.  It has to do with his presence at Silk's apparent death, when
Silk's floater crashes into the pit and he is temporarily buried--and when,
notably, Silk has a vision of his *four* parents (two biological, plus his
adoptive mother, plus Calde Tussah).  More on that soon.

--Henry Rathvon

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