Posted by Tim Stretton on April 11, 1997 at 05:01:35:
In Reply to: Why posted by Dom Ciocca, Jr. on April 10, 1997 at 10:44:49:
: Maybe I'm just being dense on this matter, but I can't figure out what connection the transformation/rejuvenation clinic in the JV short story has to do with the Chateau d'If prison in Dumas' Count of Monte Christo, if indeed there even is a connection. Can anybody enlighten me about this? DCjr
I think the link is a fairly indirect one. For Dumas, Chateau d'If is a concrete geographical location with a history grounded in French culture. Vance has used the 'If' in the name to imply that the experience on offer is one with all the infinite possibilites pregnant in the word 'if': readers of the story can hardly argue against this description. The original title of the story, 'New Bodies for Old', accurately captures the scope of the adventure on offer...
TS