Message-ID: <308@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 17-Jan-85 13:21:47 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.308
Posted: Thu Jan 17 13:21:47 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 21-Jan-85 01:21:26 EST
Sender: daemon@topaz.ARPA
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 19

From: Alderson@Score

	>I don't see why an author has to give you a complete glossary and
	>gazetteer to a fictional universe. As long as he knows what is
	>happening, according to a thesis by Tolkien, the world he is
	>describing will seem real enough. (I don't recall the term Tolkien
	>used to describe the flavor of realism got by placing a story in a
	>well-thought-out setting--do any of you?).

The term is "sub-creation."  See Tolkien's essay, 'On Faery Stories,' reprinted
in _The Tolkien Reader_.

On another topic, the shape-changing alien woman in "Space: 1999" was named
Maya--the name of the Hindu/Buddhist goddess of illusion.  Another version of
her appears in Zelzny's greatest book, _Lord of Light_.

						Rich Alderson
ARPA: Alderson@Score, Alderson@Sierra
-------