(urth) Able and allowed

[Bob Miller]

There is and has been a lot of legitimate, quite justified, criticism of 
Able and thus, to a lesser degree, of TWK.  Up front, I think it is the best 
book published so far in this new century, one of the best coming oif age 
books since Rudyard Kipling blessed the world with Kim.

To me, Able was telling the tale ex post facto and not hiding any of his 
errors or sins.  To me, the ascension to Skai was a reward for one area of 
growth/progress.  To me, the return was for completion ( or as my wife tells 
me, closure).  To me, the justification, beyond the take away the breath 
scenes, beyond the personal growth he led or inspired or acted as a catalyst 
for Puck and Uns and Svon was the scene where in Disiri came for him before 
the final dustup.  Herself begged Able to come back with her to Aelfrice and 
he said no.  And in this one moment in the dark and wind and the dirt Able 
was justified.  He returned to the people to whom he had assumed, even if it 
were for Disiri's sake, duty and obligation.  And he met those obligations.  
And in denying/turning down the ascent, for a second time, to Skai Able  
became more.  To a collector of trophies or a scorekeeper, Able became less 
because he "descended".  Because he accepted his cup, "do what you can or 
else do what you must", Michael from beyond Skai has come for him and his 
lover that his love has made able to ascend.  So, to me this book was about 
growth and the greater rewards gained than would have been from the "simple" 
completion of the task.

As an aside, or because I couldn't figure out where to put it in my 
meanderings above, throughout TWK I was reminded again and again of the 
scene in Zelazny's Lord of Light where Sam told Taraka that he fought him 
because he was a man, and being a man sometimes did aspire to more than the 
belly and the phallus.

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