latro in the mist

Apologies for the hiatus. Aili has been busy with schoolwork lately, and I've been dealing with a debilitating Windoze issue that has cut down my already pathetic productivity. And truth be told, I am also attempting to kick a serious and somewhat unexpected King's Bounty addiction. If it wasn't for those bastards over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun, I wouldn't have even known about the damn game.

But something new today. Periodically, people ask silly questions, like, "What's your favorite band?" or "Who's your favorite author?" Silly because for most people of taste and culture, it is a futile endeavor honing in on a penultimate musical or literary influence. A common response is, "It depends." In large part, it depends on what stage in life one references. For example, my answers to those two questions during the latter stages of high school would probably have been Pink Floyd and Orwell. In college, Tool and Marquez. Later, Radiohead & Kundera. Familiar names, all. For the past several years, however, I've been thoroughly taken and often obsessed with the works of Gene Wolfe.

Wolfe is often categorized as a science-fiction author, but the label doesn't do him justice. His science-fiction - such as the award-winning The Book of the New Sun series - is geared towards adults, not teens, and demands a certain work-ethic to read. His fantasy - such as The Wizard Knight - can only be fully appreciated if one possesses a mastery of folklore and mythology. Neil Gaiman has cited him to be among his favorite and most respected authors. In my mind, he certainly ranks as one of the greatest writers, regardless of genre, of our time.

If you wanted a single recommendation to start with, I'd probably suggest the Soldier series - the first two books are compiled in a single volume entitled Latro in the Mist. It is ostensibly a work of historical fiction, set in ancient Greece and based upon actual events that took place in 479 BCE. This is the year that the Persian empire, under the rule of Xerxes, invaded the Greek peninsula and were rebuffed at the famous battles of Thermopylae (source material for Miller's graphic novel, 300), Salamis, and Plataea. Our historical record of these events is drawn almost entirely from the Herodotos' The Histories. Wolfe appropriately dedicates Latro to Herodotos, and I am inspired to read The Histories sometime this winter.

The protagonist, Latro, is a Roman mercenary fighting in the Greco-Persian wars. We meet him as he is recovering from a serious headwound suffered in battle that has left him with with a profound case of amnesia. He remembers nothing of his origins, and little of his own personality. Moreover, he cannot form new memories. He retains a trace of each day's events, but when he wakes each morning he is again a blank slate. He carries a scroll with him, upon which he writes much of what he does and sees. He has trained himself, to a degree, to read this upon waking each morning so that he knows where he is, what he is hoping to accomplish, and who his companions are.

"I must read this each morning when I rise, and write each day before it is too dark; thus it will become a habit. Though I forget that I am to do it, I will do it still." (p. 379)

What makes these novels both brilliant and difficult is that this diary is the text provided to you by Wolfe. In other words, Wolfe reveals the action of the novel through a series of diary entries written by a narrator often ignorant of what he has (or has not) revealed previously. Wolfe is famous for using unreliable narrators, who either lie, fail to provide important narrative details, or forget key events. The reader often learns of these plot-points via transcribed dialogue, usually phrased in the past tense. Thus, you often have to wait a hundred pages or so to figure out what happened exactly at the river in chapter 2. Some might consider this annoying, or trite, but I adore the style. Reading Wolfe is not a passive experience. He forces you to work diligently to piece together the plot and keep track of the protagonist's experiences.

"A black man is with me. He wears the skin of a spotted beast, and his spear is tipped with twisted horn. Sometimes he speaks, but if ever I knew his words, I have forgotten them all. When we met, he asked by signs if I had seen such men as he. I shook my head, and he seemed to understand. He peers at these letters I make with great interest." (p. 23)

Of course, Latro is no ordinary soldier. He is visited regularly by the gods and goddesses of Greece, and has clearly been chosen to follow a hero's fate. One often gets the sense that the pantheon of gods is moving the world around Latro, much like they did for Perseus or Hercules. Latro is noble and strong - an indominatable warrior and instinctive leader. His path shines before him. But it is also clear that some gods and goddesses wish him harm, or at least, hope to make his task (whatever it might be) more difficult.

Wolfe's novels are typically replete with mythological figures, religious events, and symbolic imagery that require careful consideration and interpretation. He rarely hands you plot points on a plate. Thus, when Latro meets a "golden giant" in the temple of the Shining God, you must infer that it is Apollo.

"'For them I am not here,' he said, answering a question I had not asked. His words were fair and smooth, like those of a seller who tells his customer that his good have been reserved for him alone. 'How can that be?' Even as he spoke, the others murmured and nodded, their eyes still on the prophetess.

'Only the solitary may see the gods,' the giant told me. 'For the rest, every god is the Unknown God.'

'Am I alone then?' I asked him.

'Do you behold me?'" (p. 29)

Instead of referring to "Spartans" in the text, Latro speaks of the "Rope-makers." Instead of saying "Xerxes," he says "Great King." It is up to you to figure out what these terms reference, and I often find myself with dictionaries, Bulfinch's, and Wikipedia open as I read Wolfe. The action of Latro is consistent and spellbinding- he journeys across Greece, meets kings & goddesses, befriends the Amazon queen Hippephode (yes, with a single breast), kills a werewolf, becomes enslaved, fights in numerous battles, and even competes in the Olympic Games. So you are willing to work because the story is so good; it is a labor of love to read Gene Wolfe. And after a few months of letting Latro settle, you re-read it and discover something new and wonderful again.

I am sure you know the feeling of trying (and failing) to explain your passion for something to somebody else. Wolfe's work holds a special place on my bookshelves and in my soul, and I dare say I have learned more from him than most teachers I have had. He is worth your while.

Here Latro sits in a temple of the Grain Goddess, waiting for a dream or an omen...

"Thus I am here, sitting with my back against a column and writing these words by the light of the declining sun. I have had a good deal of time to think this afternoon; and it seems to me that more than once I have felt the spirit of a house when I, a stranger, went into that house - though I cannot retrieve from the mist those times or those houses. A temple is the house of the god who dwells there, and so I open myself to this house of the Grain Goddess, hoping to know whether it is friendly to me.
__________________

There is nothing - or rather, there is only the sense of age. It is as if I sit with a woman so old she neither knows nor cares whether I am real or only some figment of her disordered mind, a shadow or a ghost. A fly may light upon a rock; but what does the rock, which has seen whole ages since the morning when gods strode from hill to hill, care for a fly, the creature of a summer?" (pp. 144-145)

obama

I have avoided political commentary thus far in this election, primarily because the blogosphere is already clogged with partisan opinion. Furthermore, when discussing politics (or religion, for that matter) one typically finds oneself in one of two uncomfortable positions: preaching to the choir, or banging your head against a brick wall. I find neither particularly appealing. And yet, after watching the last debate I felt inspired to make some comments on Obama & McCain.

First, I just have to get a couple things off my chest. While I am used to Republicans in the Rove-era using scare politics to win elections, I find two of the current neocon tactics too despicable even for my cynical and jaded palate. The portrayal of Obama as a radical, Muslim terrorist is reprehensible and irresponsible. Yes, I am worried some that right-wing, white trash nutjob is going to off Obama a week before the election. And if that happens, McCain/Palin will have to feel party responsible for the anger and hatred they have intentionally stoked. Furthermore, I find it disturbing that people have to defend Obama by saying, "No, he's a Christian." What if he was a Muslim? My mother's Muslim. I was raised reading the Koran and knew far more about Muhammed than about Jesus. I assure you: this does not make me, nor my mother (a diminutive 4'11" saint) a terrorist. Arab = Muslim = terrorist is an equation that must be eradicated from the American consciousness, and McCain/Palin have only reinforced this falsehood.


Second, I absolutely detest it when people use the phrase "pro-abortion" to describe pro-choice. McCain did so several times in the debate, and I found it repugnant. No one, obviously, is pro-abortion. Using that phrase trivializes the issue to an extent; it creates a black & white world, stoking people's anger and moral outrage against women, doctors, and advocates of the right to choose. I actually understand, and perhaps even sympathize, with the pro-life argument: if you truly believe that abortion is murder, than you should campaign to make it illegal. That's a reasonable position to hold. But it's not necessary to portray the opposition as evil.

radical

I believe Obama will win the presidency. But I suspect that many on the left will be severely disappointed by his actions. Obama has crusaded, from the beginning of his campaign, as someone who will bridge the divide. He will work with Republicans, and may in fact, cave in to establishment-demands in order to push forward aspects of his own agenda. He will likely expand the war in Afghanistan. He will almost certainly struggle to get a universal health-care system off the ground, and I'm certain that he'll continue to protect the interests of BigPharm and insurance companies. He won't purge Washington of lobbyists, and he won't eradicate pandering, soft-money, or pork. He won't be a pacifist who cuts military spending in half and doubles the education budget. He won't be a shining hero of leftists everywhere. He won't be a Ralph Nader, or a Dennis Kucinich.

Many on the left will be hurt and angered by this - perhaps so much so that Obama won't get elected to a second term. If you expect that of him, you haven't been paying attention and your disappointment will be your own fault. But there's no need to worry. Obama has the potential to shape our country, and possibly the world, like no other leader in recent history.

How? Primarily, by serving as a role-model and a symbol. A symbol of diversity, intelligence, and compassion.

A bi-racial child of a black Kenyan and a white woman from middle America, Obama could initiate our desperately needed separation from the Puritan-rich-white-male heritege that has dominated American politics since its inception. Do I hate rich white males, just because? No. But rich white men can't represent America today. Obama's existence embraces so much more of what it means to be Amercian, and for that matter, a human being. I like the fact that his father exposed him to Islam, and that his mother was an agnostic anthropologist. How much more worldly he will be than G.W.! I know from personal experience that having parents from two very different cultures has provided me with a broader understanding and appreciation for the diversity of ways that people live their lives. Rather than promoting a doctrine of American dominance, I believe that Obama will preach acceptance, integration, and appreciation for cultural diversity. He will appeal to our common humanity, rather than heavy-handed American patriotism/jingoism.

It both amuses and pains me to see Republicans try to turn Obama's educational background against him. Perhaps in no other country would education and intelligence be so negatively portrayed as "elitist". Americans, apparently, don't like smart people running their country. But after 8 years of being embarrassed by Dubya's idiocy, how refreshing and inspiring it will be to have someone of intelligence and eloquence in the white house. Consider the effect this could have on young people, especially minorities, yearning for powerful role-models outside the domains of entertainment and athletics. And consider the message that his presidency sends to the rest of the world: the American dream is real! It's not just something we sell on TV! We are a meritocracy!

Finally, I believe Obama will make compassion - true compassion, not Bush's "conservative compassion" - a center-piece of his administration. Does Obama want to redistribute wealth? You bet he does. And it's exactly what our country, and the world, needs right now. An investment in the poor, hungry, uneducated, and down- trodden. A Robin Hood, taking money from rich executives and investing it into public works. A Jesus Christ driving the moneylenders from the temple, helping the sick and diseased. If "wealth distribution" scares you, as McCain hopes it does, recall that the richest 1% of people own ~40% of global assets.

If you don't believe that inspiration and symbolism are potent forces, consider the effect that the neocons have had on our world ethos in a short 8 years. Americans are inspired by greed, hatred, and fear. Republicans have peddled Armageddon to their great advantage. When people think the world could end tomorrow (terrorists could kill them, or the economy might collapse), it doesn't make rational sense to invest in the future. When you live in fear, you spend, burn, and behave selfishly to give you and your family as much as possible without a concern for the rest of the world - or future generations.

If Obama can inspire hope in Americans, and people around the world, that there's a future for our species... that inspiration may have a greater impact on the health and well-being of our planet than any policy decision.

a few nice photos

I periodically find very nice anonymous photos from the 1920s on the internet. Today's selection:

RPG feminism

A shorter, and much lighter, post than my recent offerings.

Old-school gamers like me (one of these days, I'll have to simplify that to just "old") appreciate the slow pace and intricate decision making of a well-made TBS. For those that don't know, TBS stands for "turn-based strategy"; basically, a computerized boardgame. The classic example is Civilization, in all its glorious manifestations. Move your tanks around, build an oil rig, send a missionary to Japanese emperor, check happiness in Philadelphia, deliberate, demand tribute from Mongols, get a snack, press "END TURN". It's all very civilized, unlike these frantic RTS click-fests the kids like so much nowadays.

So when a new ubergeeky fantasy TBS comes on the radar, my spidey-sense tingles. Enter: King's Bounty (1990). Perhaps the progenitor of the genre, and certainly the forefather to such classics as Heroes of Might and Magic (I - XXXVIII). With some mild interest, I took note when Russian developer Katauri Interactive recently released a legendary sequel. Prepare to take your stupendously Caucasian hero into the technocolor wilderness, recruit orcs/dwarves/elves and other fantasy stereotypes in your quest to... do something. But seriously, it looks fun. I will patiently wait for the price to drop (as no one in their right mind will buy this thing) and then scoop it off the bargain basement floor for a weekend rollick.

But I still haven't told you perhaps the most interesting and disturbing aspect of this new King's Bounty. The acquisition of a wife.

"The ability to acquire family and have children is a very important and interesting feature of King's Bounty: The Legend. Wife gives useful bonuses to hero and his army and adds ability to wear more equipment as she has four additional slots. You can talk to your wife practically at any moment, all you need to do is to click on her portrait in the inventory. In the dialog you can divorce or start conversation about children. If you ask for a child and wife agrees, a kid will appear soon.

Child occupies one slot and gives various bonuses to the hero's characteristics. Each wife can have up to four children. In case of divorce remember that your wife will take children, all equipment from her slots and 1/5 of gold."

In case you didn't click the offered link, this is indeed the picture and description offered on their webpage. Although to their credit, they also show a smaller portrait of a "hot elf" wife, as an alternative to the fucking insane teenage fantasy demon-bride shown here. Given the choice, I'm not actually sure which I would take. And that's clearly the attitude you're encouraged to adopt, since your wife is part of your inventory. I do like how she (and your child) give you bonuses (+5 rash control?) and that they limit children to a reasonable 4. I suspect infant mortality isn't modeled, although it wouldn't surprise me if you can sacrifice your demonspawn to make more room in your inventory for that cool magic sphere you just found.

The alimony penalty mentioned, I assume, is not tongue-in-cheek. A one-time fee of 20% gold seems reasonable compared to, say, 10% per game turn. I'd really like to be able to listen in on the developers' discussion when this gameplay item came around. And does anyone else find it disturbing that you can "divorce" her by simply clicking a button? I assume she never dumps you, even if you ignore the "start conversation" button the entire game.

This, however, does bring up an interesting point for RPG's in general. It's rare to see a game incorporate development of a family. Certainly, when we used to play D&D in junior high, we never considered the role-playing possibilities of finding a spouse (even a Penthouse demon) and having children. I suppose it just didn't sound like quite as much fun as slaughtering kobolds. Modern computer RPG's often allow you to acquire a home (see Oblivion), a job (but you have to call it "crafting" to make it sound fun), and even a family history. Several allow you to pursue casual sex with willing women as specific quest goals: perhaps the most infamous example of this is the recent Polish RPG, The Witcher. As the protagonist comes to "know" various female characters in the game, he is given a unique trading card as a token of his accomplishment. For example:

Kinda hot and clever, or incredibly sexist, depending on your POV. But I'm sure as eggs is eggs that you aren't given the choice to marry any of these women. Maybe the inventory isn't big enough.

And so isn't King's Bounty breaking some ground here? On a comparable level to Palin crashing through that cracked glass ceiling?