Beyond the Rainbow

[Michael Bailey]

>
> The obsession, recall the linguist in GR, who reads the Rocket parts,
> as the linguist in M-D eads the head of the sperm whale? There are
> thousands of such common tropes in these two works. The fact that P
> and M overwhelm the reader with an encyclopedia on rockets/whales is
> the problem. A brillian white hot prblem. Solve it if you must.
>

I never really liked "encyclopedic" as a description of a novel.
a) In a novel, even one where the author goes on and on about
something, or a number of things,
there's no pretense of presenting them impartially.  In fact, it's
important not to.
b) Yes, oftentimes it's important that the author get facts right, but
the made-up stuff is the most essential, which is a totally
non-encyclopedic concept.

However, I really like "A brilliant white problem.  Solve it if you must."

continuing the comparison to encyclopedias,
a) in an encyclopedia, the problem of selecting and writing up a set
of facts - gleaned from primary sources - to which people might want
to refer is implicit in its existence, though it be but scarcely if
ever referred to in its text.

b) in a novel, the author's solutions to the problems inherent in
discoursing upon topics of current and more or less lasting interest,
using the techniques of fiction, in a recognizably unique and
memorable voice, are offered as a primary source.