Gene Wolfe: these books are basically the Dark Souls of reading

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > Gene Wolfe: these books are basically the Dark Souls of reading

Action Jacktion: Jun 3, 2003

Neurosis posted:

I'm fairly sure you're correct. I think it might come up in the last book.

Yes, it's toward the end of the last book when Severian figures out that he's always had the power to bring the dead back to life, even before he got the Claw. I think Triskele is one of the details added by the Heirodules to the original Severian's history to change him into someone who can bring the New Sun.

# ¿ Nov 4, 2012 17:40

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# ¿ Apr 23, 2024 08:11

Action Jacktion: Jun 3, 2003

House Louse posted:

On the other hand, they and Tzadkiel are both on the ship. I seem to remember it as always being his own virtue, though. It's been too long since I've read these. I know what I'm reading next.

Levitate posted:

Yeah, I can't remember why the heirdols are interested in him and doing all that they do if he doesn't have some kind of innate powers, but it's been a long while since I read it as well

As I recall, Severian is killed but Tzadkiel creates an equally-real copy of him, and says that a copy and the original can't meet each other through time travel or it'll cause a big explosion (which is what happens when Severian meets Apu-Punchau at the end of the second book). One theory is that the creature that kills Severian is an aspect of Tzadkiel, since another aspect says it's doing penance for something. I think the Heirogrammates are interested in Severian basically because they looked into the future and saw that he brings the New Sun. I don't think Severian has any innate powers, but he has his powers as long as the New Sun exists, which is how he had them before he got the Claw.

# ¿ Mar 14, 2013 00:23

Action Jacktion: Jun 3, 2003

I don't think Abaia would fit in the river, since it's supposed to be the size of a mountain.

It could be that the disturbance was caused by one of Hethor's creatures. That chapter is titled "Hethor" and the disturbance happens right after they meet Jonas; Hethor knows Jonas and tries to avoid him, so he might have caused the commotion to sneak away. Or maybe he was also already trying to kill Severian.

# ¿ Sep 28, 2017 02:31

Action Jacktion: Jun 3, 2003

Your Gay Uncle posted:

I don't think Agia had turned Hethor yet, she didn't want to kill Severian until he beheaded her brother and that's not for a few chapters .

The disturbance at the gate happens in the book's last chapter. Agilus dies several chapters earlier.

# ¿ Sep 30, 2017 01:53

Action Jacktion: Jun 3, 2003

...the only truly magical ring this universe would ever know.

And really Fredric Baur is more responsible for creating Pringles. After he died in 2008, he was cremated and his ashes were buried in a Pringles can. I am not joking.

# ¿ May 22, 2018 18:20

Action Jacktion: Jun 3, 2003

DickParasite posted:

Can someone remind me what word Wolfe uses to describe a priest who reads prophecy in lighting?

Fulgurator. It�s a real word going back to Roman times.

# ¿ Aug 2, 2020 08:55

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# ¿ Apr 23, 2024 08:11

Action Jacktion: Jun 3, 2003

Tokelau All Star posted:

2) Tzadkiel tells Severian that they are also on trial, but for what, and by whom? We don't see any other Hierogrommates, is Tzadkiel's trial to bring about the New Sun and thus preserve their own existence?

There's a theory that the creature that kills Severian is a form a Tzadkiel, and helping the duplicate Severian is some sort of penance.

quote:

3) We're told a lot that there are other myriad races in the universe, and that humans don't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Later, after Severian becomes the New Sun, Apetha sort of hints that this was a lie to take some of the pressure off of Severian. Are there even other races? Or is everything just offshoots/byproducts of humanity, like the Hierogrommates and the Hierodules themselves are?

The Cumaean is an alien, and she makes contact with another alien during the ritual she performs.

quote:

6) Did we ever learn what was going on with Mountain-Typhon's ring, the one that zaps Little Severian? I thought we'd see something of it in that part of Urth, but I might have missed it.

I thought it was just to prevent people from stealing the gold.

# ¿ Oct 21, 2021 23:58

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > The Book Barn > Gene Wolfe: these books are basically the Dark Souls of reading