(urth) Hethor

[David Stockhoff]

On 10/27/2011 12:05 PM, Lee Berman wrote:
> If we must have Hethor as inspired by a current-day name, I would like to
> propose the more obvious sound-alike, Heather. Does it bother some because
> it is a girl's name? It doesn't bother me since I consider Hethor to be of
> the same ilk as Tzadkiel and thus without a definite gender. Moreover,
> heather is also a sort of wool fabric which comes in shades of gray. And
> Hethor is a character dominated by that color. (I don't see any connection
> to the heather plant).

excellent!

If you think of the Long Sun naming conventions, the plant would suggest 
a female person. Since (a) those conventions can't apply because the 
reader doesn't know them yet and (b) we know Wolfe considers EVERY 
connotation, I agree that "heather gray" is an intended association. The 
plant looks gray-purple even in bloom; his doll's eyes are purple or 
violet; his own hair is gray.

But additionally I wouldn't put it past Hethor to slyly imagine himself 
as a woman if he is from our era. He's all kinds of messed up.