From: douge@nti.com (Doug Eigsti)
Subject: Re: (whorl) Re:  Digest whorl.v001.n052
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 15:31:56 


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

Keiran Mullen,

	I emphathize with your views on the "story vs. puzzle" Wolfe. I,
too, appreciate a good story more than searching for hidden clues. I have
stated on these pages that I think Wolfe is magical in his ability to put
thoughts in one's head without directly telling the reader every little
detail. The counterpoint is that his work does reside on both the story
and puzzle level. Finding arcane tidbits in a story one has grown to love
is rewarding, especailly now that we have this forum to broadcast our 
ideas.
	 In LONG SUN Wolfe has surpassed even his earlier works in that the
background information pieced together from NEW SUN allows the reader to
play with possible Whorl scenarios that fit together to form a story in
and of itself. Each reader can come up with his own favorite explanation.
Interactive fiction. 
	I sometimes think that Wolfe is writing for a reader that doesn't
exist. He has to build his audience up from people who have read his 
stuff once already. It is the 2nd pass reader he is really after. I can't 
say I am a fan of everything he writes. CASTLEVIEW left me confused, and 
I still don't see the point of Dr. Talos' play other than for symbolic 
clues. Maybe someone out there can enlighten me on this; help me find a 
way to like it. I always get the feeling, in every Wolfe story, that I'm
missing something important. But I keep coming back for more. It's a 
welcome addiction.

=Talon=
douge@nti.com

P.S. Perhaps you would like to adopt a Vironese name to avoid the Kieran
confusion.


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