(Warning: _Issola_ spoilers.) --- Jose Marquez <jhereg69 at earthlink.net> wrote: > Damien Sullivan wrote: [...] >> [Aliera] was Kieron's sibling (we don't actually >> know her old gender) and Kieron (and Dolivar) were >> Dragons. With dragon genes. The house of the >> Phoenix has phoenix genes. Dolivar founding the >> Jhereg is an exception. [...] > I now recall that a) the Jenoine genetic experiments > established the genes that determine House (except for > Jhereg); and that b) the "tribes" or Houses were > already more or less established. So unless there is > some way for a genetic Dragon to also be a > Phoenix, and also be the first Phoenix empress, my > little theory won't wash. Oh, well, it was fun while > it lasted. After _Issola_, I think we must consider Aliera's explanation of Dragaeran genetics in _Jhereg_ to be suspect. First, Sethra tells Vlad that there were originally not seventeen but thirty-one tribes. Second, Sethra also tells Vlad (corroborated somewhat indirectly by the Serioli in _Dragon_) that the Dragaerans were originally of human stock -- and, specifically, that Aliera refuses to believe this. It could be, of course, that Aliera's account is substantially true but lacks some details. For example, there might have been thirty-one tribes constructed from thirty-one animals, almost half of which were wiped out or assimilated to the Teckla or Jhereg. It could also be that the concept of House (Phoenix and Dragon equally with Teckla and Jhereg) is socially constructed[1] -- a myth with slight or no basis in biological fact that is used to support certain social practices and institutions. Most likely, I think, there is some biological basis for the prevailing concept of House (and the distinction between Dragaerans and Easterners; there is considerable ambiguity concerning Vlad's relationship to the Paths in _Taltos_) but not nearly so much as Aliera would lead Vlad to believe, or as she herself believes. I have found generally that the Dragaera books contain a very interesting treatment of race and class in the fantasy context. -- Greg [1] Please forgive my use of an sometimes-abused and often-mocked phrase. At times specialized language, whatever its defects, is the easiest way to express an idea quickly. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com