Summary:
Chapter 5 is unusually short in comparison to the first four. More
Brin-like in a way.
Maia has left Grange Head, and has passed through the mountains to Clay
Town. Maia is earning her railroad fare by helping load and unload cargo
for the railroad clans.
Once in Clay Town, Maia realizes that her incredibly annoying travel
companion is actually a member of the "Bull and Bell" Clan (possibly the
Beller Clan?) she first encountered in Lamargh. This Clan operates
"comfort houses", catering to men in the summer and women in the winter.
Lately, they seem to be augmenting their income through sale of a
black-market drug that enhances the sexual libido of men in the off-peak
months. Presumably, this drug was first developed for the benefit of
their female clients in the winner.
This drug seems to cause chaos wherever it is released, however. Having
alread witnessed the riots in Lamargh, the drug seems directly implicated
in causing a train accident in Lamargh. Only intervention by clan members
prevents male rage from exploding into causing serious injury to the
hapless engineer.
Analysis:
Stratos appears to be the second attempt at this expirement, the first
being the aptly named "Herlandia", failed. (pg 117) Lysos was apparently
involved in this expirement, which discovered that technology cannot
"safely" remove men from the reproductive process.
Notes:
-Lamatia Clan has a standing arrangement with the Pinniped Male Clan.
Lamatia Clan also provides little training in the fine arts to their vars.
(pg 118)
-Stratoian sexuality is tied to natural signals. For men, the appearance
of aurorae and the icnreased brightness of Wengel Star in the summer seems
to trigger their sex drive. For women, it is the appearance of "glory
frost" in the winter.
-Male sanctuaries are situated near the coast. Men are exiled to the coast
during the summer months.
-The Perkinite heresy, which seeks to succeed where Herlandia failed in
subjugating men, is prevalent in the inland regions.
-The Musselli, Fontana, and Braket Clans jointly run the Holly Lock Railroad.
Technology:
-Solar Power (pg 121)
Lifeforms
-Kuorn Grass: purple flowers (pg 121)
-Zahu: plant of many species and many uses (pg 122)
__________________________________________________________
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
