Baldanders and Dr. Talos are such a beguiling pair, because they feel more "real" than a lot of what happens in Shadow and in Claw, more grounded somehow. They are recurring, and relatively easy to comprehend, at least on a surface level. But what is the significance of their traveling show? Why are they such a completely cartoonish duo? Why does Severian keep hanging out with them?
I've just recently read their play near the end of Claw and, well, as with everything else in BotNS so far, I'm relieved but also sort of mystified that it doesn't necessarily make any more sense to people reading the book for the fifth or sixth time than it did for me reading it for the first time.
Wolfe borrowed Abaia for his own devices the same way H.P. Lovecraft took Dagon for the same reason.
I only hope Abaia isn't an electric eel...
Baldanders and Dr. Talos are such a beguiling pair, because they feel more "real" than a lot of what happens in Shadow and in Claw, more grounded somehow. They are recurring, and relatively easy to comprehend, at least on a surface level. But what is the significance of their traveling show? Why are they such a completely cartoonish duo? Why does Severian keep hanging out with them?
I've just recently read their play near the end of Claw and, well, as with everything else in BotNS so far, I'm relieved but also sort of mystified that it doesn't necessarily make any more sense to people reading the book for the fifth or sixth time than it did for me reading it for the first time.
BotNS is just a dream that you're awake for.
Nothing to say except that I loved the dream of the giant mer-women. Atmospheric!