I would like to explore the detailed texture of two of Smith's settings that he uses recurrently in what might be called "cycles": Zothique and Hyperborea.

These two settings are quite distinct and consistent. Just to get the discussion of comparative attributes off the ground, consider what must be considered the "royal preogative" of Hyperborea, a young and vigorous culture, versus that of Zothique. Smith not only tells us that Zothique is tired and decadant, but, as I recall, the royalty never once once engages in a war of expansion, nor do I recall any mention of any such vigorous displays of expansionist foreign policy in the context of the history of Zothique. This might be contrasted with Hyperborean royal sensibilities in The Ice Demon, in which we are told of a king who attempts to wage war on an advancing glacier.

Any comments are valued!

--Sawfish

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The food at the new restaurant is awful, but at least the portions are large."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just briefly, mate, what of the prescence of ennui, as a concomitant of the decadence of Zothique?

Does this reflect a knowledge (Ihe wonders) of Spengler?

P



*Author of Strange Gardens [www.lulu.com]


*Editor of Calenture: a Journal of Studies in Speculative Verse [calenture.fcpages.com]

*Visit my homepage: [voleboy.freewebpages.org]

voleboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just briefly, mate, what of the prescence of
> ennui, as a concomitant of the decadence of
> Zothique?

Not sure that it comes to the forefront, but it is for sure implied. Do you recall any instance of Zothique nobility being vigorous, other than in their pursuit of pleasure? That's why when Zotulla, disembodied, finally gives Namirrah what for with the mace, it is something of a surprise.

>
> Does this reflect a knowledge (Ihe wonders) of
> Spengler?

The Decline of the West Spengler? Haven't read him since college. I'll have to think about it.

>
> P
>
>
>
> "Vole (noun): rodent with an interesting
> population dynamic, and a tendency to giggle at
> sporrans. Best before 06/06/2066."
>
> *Visit my homepage:




--Sawfish

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The food at the new restaurant is awful, but at least the portions are large."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~