From: m.driussi@genie.com
Subject: (whorl) Vodalus sez Urth flipt?
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 97 00:01:00 GMT


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

Reply:  Item #7558985 from WHORL@LISTS.BEST.COM@INET02#

Nutria (aka JBJordan),

I'm curious as to the text wherein Vodalus said that the Urth has
flipped on its axis--where would that be located?

Re: Cordwainer Smith and Wolfe, well sure, the similarities come down
mainly to the coincidences of: 1) a fairy-tale style over a science fictional
core; 2) some beastmen appropriated from H.G. Wells (who in turn took them
from animal fables via FRANKENSTEIN); 3) a sense of Big History, lifted from
Stapledon, or Toynbee, et al.; 4) a sense of Religion as a positive
force; 5) a use of pagan elements to explore the mysteries of
Religion (for example: the axis mundi part of Smith's QUEST OF THREE
WORLDS is remarkably similar to what Severian sees on Yesod).

Which I guess is a round about way of saying that there is more than
one way to make banana nut bread, but certain key elements will
distinguish said loaf from zuccini bread or pound cake.

=mantis=

Questions or problems to whorl-owner@lists.best.com