Summary:
Fast forward another few weeks, and Maia is landing in Lanargh.
Disembarkaing at port, with her sister, we are treated to the panolopy of
sights and sounds in the bustling port city. When Leie returns to her
ship, Maia even feels a little *fear* being out on her own.
Maia's ship finally finds a buyer for their coal. While hard at work
unloading the coal, Maia receives a mysterious sexual advance. Strange, as
male libido should be well faded by this time of year. Strange, as no man
wants to father a child with a virgin, and a var. Strange, as the man has
a powdery stain on his mouth, with an off-sweet smell.
Meanwhile, we continue to learn bits and pieces about how Stratoian society
is in trouble. Contact has been re-established with Earth. Summerlings,
both men and women, are creating a glut of labor. Unfortuntately,
information broadcast on the public televisions is heavily censored, so
Maia leaves with more questions than answers - but the knowledge that those
answers may well bring a healthy reward from the Central Government.
Analysis:
It seems a bit odd, that given the existence of television that clans do
not have some way of communicating that would avoid having fully-loaded
ships pull into harbors where there are no clients. (pg 65)
Although Stratoian religious beliefs also seems to include a "Creator" (pg
68), Brin seems to stick to familiar territory when it comes to religious
beliefs in his knowledge. As in the NoraChuGa of _Earth_, Stratoian
religion has a healthy dose of environmentalism and a bit of Gaia-worship.
Likewise, there is a religious belief in capricious forces controlling
exogenous forces, only instead of simple "Ifni", it is the spirity of
Lysos. Indeed, just as in _Jijo_, much of religion is simply based on the
writings of the ancients - many of which seem to have lost their meaning.
(This is certainly a common theme for Brin, as it matches his general views
on the Bible.)
Panhandling is regulated by the Church (pg 69). While the government often
seems invisible, the regulations seem to be everywhere. Sort of a Brin
neo-Libertarian paradise.....
The presence of white jackets at the hospital (pg 69) suggests that
Stratoians have retained "Germ Theory." Another subtle reminder that this
place is not entirely pastoral - as are the mention that Maia does not
recognize some of the items in the shops. Then again, Stratoians have
"esteemed phrenologists" (pg 70). Phrenology is the now-discredited
belief that you can judge a person by the shape of his or her skull.
Maia has a fascinating encounter with a "heretic" from the "Sisters of
Venture." There are many subtle Brin-themes in this passage, from the
saturation of society with the "antagonism of authority" meme, to the
desire of the failed to see "conspiracies" all around them. My favorite,
though, is the subtle tribute/dig at SF fandom with the heritics closing
goodbye: "to the stars."
Notes:
-Women and men once fought together to repel an invasion of "the Enemy."
(pg. 66)
-Men are permitted to have secret societies - and they seem to have all of
the relevance of our Masonic Chapters or Elk and Moose lodges. (pg 70)
-Perkinitism again is show to have something to do with trying to reduce
the stature of men in society.(pg 70)
-How many novels in the English language have ever had someone consider
admonishing women who are picking on a man to, quote, "pick on someone
their own size" (pg 70)
-The main Stratoian institutions, based in Caria City, appear to be the
Council, the Temple, and the University (pg. 72)
-Even Maia uses "varness" as a slur. (pg 78)
-Male rut in the summer is triggered by environmental cues. (pg. 78)
-Maia describes a phrase as being "familiar" from teledramas (pg. 82), but
previously we leanred that watching television was an incredible luxury in
Port Sanger.
-Stratos has three moons, not two, as previously thought. (pg 86)
Animals:
-Redwood tress (pg 66)
-Red Howler Monkeys (pg 67)
-Mere-Dragons: can sit on human shoulder, eat grapes (pg 67)
-Perhaps a "patarkal" (pg 74) - shortened to "tark'l" (pg. 78) is an animal?
Technologies:
-Eyeglasses (pg 71)
-Paper (pg 71)
-Automobile (pg 76)
-Plastic (pg 76)
-stun-trident (pg 81)
Questions:
-What's a patissiere? (pg 67)
__________________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - ICQ #3527685
"The point of living in a Republic after all, is that we do not live by
majority rule. We live by laws and a variety of institutions designed
to check each other." -Andrew Sullivan 01/29/01
