The Book of Dreams was Utterly Forbidden, Fragment II: Lord of the Fifth World
The Book of Dreams was Utterly Forbidden is now posted.
Two of Three.
Scholars from the Reliquary, including the Lord Mortician of the Necropolis, tentatively identify the archon confronted by the nameless narrator as Sulvus, the Progenitor of Sulva, whose globe, for reasons which need no recital here, is half sterile and half bountiful.
As reported elsewhere, the green and forested areas of that globe, year by year, grow ever smaller, as living organisms are replaced by cyborgs, then by machines, and with the loss of tree cover, first moisture then atmosphere is lost into space. Such is the result of eschewing fertility to pursue sterility, both in sexual matters and otherwise.
That the nameless narrator would be received by so august a personage, and speak to him face to face, implies he is of equal rank, that is, an archon and progenitor of his realm. This leads to theological speculations difficult to address.
Theologians agree, however, that if this is Sulvus, and the dialog faithfully represented, as Sulvus is a Nomothete, his address to the Traveller granted him that as a name, and imposed the nature and duties attendant thereupon. It is curious that the Nomothete refuses to name himself, however.
About John C Wright
John C. Wright is a practicing philosopher, a retired attorney, newspaperman, and newspaper editor, and a published author of science fiction. Once a Houyhnhnm, he was expelled from the august ranks of purely rational beings when he fell in love; but retains an honorary title.
