(urth) Wolfe's brilliance or my denseness?

[Jerry Friedman]

> From: David Stockhoff dstockhoff at verizon.net

[no hidden puzzles]

> As an example, I think the current discussion attempting to relate various 17s, 
>while perfectly understandable, logical, and even laudable, is a dead end. The 
>theory of the "Identity of 17s" assumes way too much interest on Wolfe's part, 
>as well as counting on his own assumption that his reader is all that interested 
>in this kind of mystery. It's all future secret history, not a plot point, so 
>there is no need for a puzzle to be there at all.

I agree that it's not a plot point.  All I really wanted was to suggest that 
people not use "megatherians" to mean the alien monsters as if there were a 
consensus on the subject, and to point out a different speculation for those who 
were interested.  It's clear there isn't.

By the way, "for the record" I had no idea the old man's "Cas" was Dorcas.  I 
probably realized that on some reread.  It's even possible that I needed it 
pointed out (maybe here).  Lee Berman's point about the pronunciation was part 
of it.

Jerry Friedman