(urth) FW: May 2014 Wolfe interview in _Technology Review_

[Lee]

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> From: severiansola at hotmail.com
> To: urth at urth.net
> Subject: FW: May 2014 Wolfe interview in _Technology Review_
> Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2014 10:18:32 -0400
>
>>Gerry Quinn: Shadow Children are referenced only in the second novella of the
>>trilogy. The entire novella takes the form of an SF mystery in which
>>'scenario 2' is slowly elucidated. In all, quite a number of pages are
>>carefully devoted to elucidating this scenario. It is stated as a fact
>>several times.
>
>>Where do you find a story that supports 'scenario 1'?
>
>
> Well, you have already answered that question- in the second novella of the trilogy,
>
> named: "A Story" by John V. Marsch, that being the only place Shadow Children are referenced.
>
>
> Whether abos have replaced humans is a primary, superficial mystery (one to which even Wolfe has
>
> publicly revealed the answer). But a deeper, more veiled mystery has been embedded in the
>
> story- what is the origin of Abos?
>
>
> They look human. But they can't use tools very well, presumably because they superficially
>
> can imitate hands but not the deeper coordinating neuro-muscular structures. So what did
>
> Abos look like before they looked human? Are we given any clues?
>
>
> Shadow Children seem a likely suspect for a first attempt at imitating a human being (much like
>
> "Zak" in UotNS). Are Shadow Children a primitive version of Abos? There are no other ape or monkey
>
> or other proto-human creatures seen on Ste Anne so it is a possibility which can't be ignored.
>
>
> As was correctly noted previously, if one sentient species has imitated and replaced another,
>
> a lie must be formulated to explain certain inconsistencies. So are there any lies we can
>
> identify in the story of Shadow Children?
>
>
> We are given the story of Shadow Children as degenerate humans. But we are also given the story
>
> that they are native, shadowy telepathic creatures. Which is the lie and which is the truth?
>
> Even The Old Wise One says he can't remember anymore.
>
>
> If the human origin were the truth, we would expect Shadow Children to be more
>
> "handy" than Abos. If the Shadow Children were a more primitive version of Abos we would
>
> expect them to be even less "handy" than Abos, being a step further removed from humans.
>
>
> I think it is clear that Shadow Children are even less "handy" than Abos, thus their proto-Abo
>
> status is more likely the truth and their human origin is more likely the lie. Their telepathy
>
> would seem to further establish the domestic origin as the true story.
>
>
>
> I think a similar scenario plays out on Green and Blue in Short Sun. Wolfe is not going to
>
> commit the Star Trek error of making human beings simultaneously, independently evolved on
>
> multiple planets across the galaxy. If there are human shaped beings found on an uncolonized alien
>
> planet, they have to be an imitative species copying us, such as Shadow Children, Abos and Inhumi.