"'...the theorems I do know let me cross from continuum to continuum, with a fair probability of landing in whichever one I want, or a reasonable facsimile of it. I even deduced there had to be an interuniversal nexus. That's how I found the Old Phoenix.'"
-Poul Anderson, A Midsummer Tempest (London, 1975), Chapter xi, pp. 95-96.
Chiron the centaur in the Inn of the Worlds' End:
"...I have travelled here before. Those of us who travel between realms encounter it on occasion."
-Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: Worlds' End (New York, 1994), p. 146.
The hostess of the Worlds' End (whom we suspect is Kali):
"By the door. Just leave and walk. You will return to the worlds from which you came, or ones very similar." (p. 158)
Thus, Kali (we think) echoes Valeria. It is all one multiverse.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I disagree that Mrs. Taverner, the hostess of the Old Phoenix is in any sense KALI, the sinister goddess of death and destruction in Hinduism. Both of the Taverners are far too kindly and HUMAN to be any kind of Satanic, destructive spirits.
Sean
Sean,
But it is the Worlds' End hostess that is suspected of being Kali. No identification is being made between the Old Phoenix and the Worlds' End.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Oops and drat! I read your blog piece here too hastily! Mea culpa!
Sean
Sean,
I think that Shiva and Kali personify natural destruction, not moral evil. Of course the Thugi cult was evil but so is any religiously motivated murder.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I have to disagree, because I think some pagan "gods" arose from the darker sides of our fallen human nature. Moloch and the Aztec gods, with their lust for human sacrifices, comes to mind. And that has to include Hindu "gods" like Kali as well. I think people like the Thugs invent gods who would commend their evil
And, with Jihadist Islamic fanaticism, we are STILL religiously motivated murder and slaughter today.
Merry Christmas! Sean
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