Date: Mon, 22 Apr 2002 23:33:41 -0700
From: maa32 
Subject: (urth) godleaf?!

This post exists to ask a question rather than to posit another 
unsubstantiated theory: I haven't read 5HC in a long time (and I've only read 
it once, a terrible sin I will rectify this summer). These Shadow children ... 
so this godleaf is something that they perhaps consumed to explain their weird 
properties? I especially liked the idea of the fall of man as a separation 
from the Tree of Life which was posted by someone recently (was it you, Roy? a 
lot of posts lately).  Reconciliation with God as a return to that Tree ... I 
think that makes a pretty neat redemption in light of some of the things I've 
talked about ad nauseum. (fall of man: Adam eats fruit of tree; redemption of 
man: tree eats man to produce fruit (which could be a crucifixion on one 
level, I suppose))

Is this godleaf from a tree? A consumption of the vegetable which illicits 
changes in an animal/human? Or just a "finding" of the godleaf?  Just 
wondering if Wolfe is doing weird things with plants in 5HC as well.  If some 
item found on the planets has changed humanity, then perhaps these shadow 
dudes could have been altered from that odd early wave of settlers from 
gondwanaland (or whatever)by coming into contact or consuming this substance.  
I totally need to re-read the text, much like Towelie, "I have no idea what's 
going on right now."

Has anybody ever commented on how much Severian looks like a Buckaroo Bonzai 
lead Peter Weller (I think that's his name) for the cover art of Citadel of 
the Autarch?
Bwa ha ha.
Marc Aramini




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