From: David_Lebling@avid.com
Subject: (urth) Undines, Predestination, Time
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 98 18:06:51 


[Posted from URTH, a mailing list about Gene Wolfe's New Sun and other works]

Xury,

I find it easier to believe that the undine saved Severian as part of an
effort to (if you will excuse the expression) lure him to the "dark side
of the force."  All the exemplars of evil (except for Agia and the
Sorcerors) try to win Severian over to their side, not kill him.  The
undines (or is it the same undine each time?) are particularly
persistent in this regard.

I still think (mantis' opinion aside) that the "original" Severian
didn't succeed in bringing the New Sun.  On the other hand, even after
more rereadings than I remember, I still don't have it straight exactly
how many Severians there are, and how many times he dies, and what the
original timeline looks like.  Was Apu-Punchau always Severian?  How did
Severian end up buried in the tomb below the Citadel?  How much time
elapsed between Typhon's reign and Severian's?  I suppose it is only to
be expected that a novel in which time is a major player should be
somewhat confusing in this regard.  I accept, but I do not understand...

     -vizcacha
     (david_lebling@avid.com)