Mute (70 page)
Authors: Piers Anthony
Tags: #Science Fiction, #General, #science fantasy, #Fiction
There are over a hundred characters in the novel, and one of the challenges of writing is coming up with original names for so many people and creatures. I try to move around the alphabet, so as not to have several character beginning with A or B or whatever. Late in the novel I needed a name in the H part of the alphabet, and considered Harlan. But there is a well-known genre writer named Harlan Ellison; would readers take it to connect to him? I decided that if I let existing folk limit my free selection of names, soon enough I’d have no names left. Harlan was the right name for this character, so I named him that. And sure enough, a reviewer claimed I was taking off on Ellison. Well, I wasn’t; Harlan is a baby in this novel, but was slated to be the main character, twenty years later, in the sequel novel, and no shame for anyone to associate with if so inclined.
Ah, yes, that sequel. I can’t find my original notes on it, and in any event doubt I’ll ever write it. But from memory, here is what it was to be:
Moot
, as in something being of no further account, impractical, doubtful. Yes, like the psi powers of other folk in the presence of Harlan, who can damp any of them out. Between novels, after
Mute
, Knot marries Finesse, and they have daughters. So it is twenty-year-old Harlan who goes instead to meet Thea’s normal daughter, as Knot and Thea had agreed. But it’s one hell of a trip, because there are all manner of complications in this restless galaxy, and all of his formidable anti-psi ability is needed. Probably the dark force lopsi is trying to stop him, because his quest will somehow prejudice its case. He is accompanied by two small animals—I wonder how he got that notion?—whose psi abilities help greatly. Hermine Weasel and Mit Hermit Crab, unfortunately, have not lived twenty more years, having lesser lifespans, so can’t participate. I had very nice animals—and can’t remember them, to my frustration. Harlan will surely win through and find happiness with the lovely girl after changing the power balance in the galaxy. That’s one phenomenal novel I won’t be writing; now you know.
Since
Mute
was written five years before I computerized, there was no electronic file. So my wife scanned in the original carbon of the manuscript. What a bitch! I mean the job, not my wife; the carbon was fuzzy and the interpreter got all manner of weird effects, like different sizEs and fonts, skipped material, and odd symbFl$ in 1iëu of lettJr¦. She struggled with it day by day, quitting when the frustration level got too high, and starting again another day. Thus she made it easy for me to edit, as I did not have to wrestle with those effects. Still, some slipped through. At one point Knot encountered a phalanx of elegant fighting cooks. Intriguing as that mental picture was, I nevertheless corrected it to fighting cocks.
I also edited out quite a number of surplus dashes and exclamation points, corrected misplaced “only” and fixed awkward parenthetical construction. It is possible to drift into bad habits without realizing, and I have done it. So when I get the chance, with the clearer perspective of time, I fix them. That perspective was enhanced by a juxtaposition of reading events. Late in the year 2000 I edited the 26th Xanth novel
Up in a Heaval
, then edited the quarter million word ChroMagic series novel
Key to Chroma
, then in early 2001 read for blurbing the excellent 300,000 word fantasy novel
Kushiel’s Dart
by Jacqueline Carey, and then edited
Mute
. Thus I got to compare two of my own current fantasy novels, one potent fantasy by a new writer, and one of my own twenty-year-old novels. And you know what? I conclude that I remain more or less at the same writing level, neither improving nor fading. That will do.
I noted familiar Anthony themes, such as concern for the environment and the welfare of the other creatures of a planet, not just mankind. It is no accident that in this novel animals have psi powers too, and even insects, and seek parity with man. I didn’t get to plants (though I do in that ChroMagic novel), but they will surely figure into the sequel. My concern with honor shows; Knot is a great liar and manipulator when he needs to be, to the telepathic weasel’s delight (
Naughty man!
), but he is true to his word and to his own. Finesse is a pretty woman, but not just an empty skirt. You will not find anyone quite like these characters elsewhere; they are unique to this novel, and alive in their own particular fashions. That’s the way I like it.
So it was a good experience, returning to this novel after two decades, and I’m sorry to leave it again. I hope my readers find it worthwhile too.
CONTENTS
PART I: MUTATION
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
PART II: MUTILATION
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
PART III: MUTINY
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
MUTE
Copyright © 1981 – 2001 by Piers Anthony
Library of Congress Number: 2001119057
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Los Angeles, California
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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