What if Hoban’s gunpowder plot is an ingeniously riddled red herring designed to hide a deeper story line set forth only in “syns” and “nindicaters” and “tels?” What if the ingredients of gunpowder are riddled signs? What if charcoal, made from alder by burners who keep secrets, signifies “alder,” the special tree and “hart of the wood” in the forager tradition? What if saltpeter, gathered from beneath pig manure, signifies “pig matters” that must remain secret in Riddley’s tradition? What if the bag of “yellerboy” (119) sulphur brought to Inland by the “farring seakert” sailor signifies a secret light source in the forager tradition? Riddley sees the bag as having “Power in it. Why would exuberantly metaphysical Russell Hoban spend five years refining a story whose essential message seems to be a depressing “Look! Suicidal humanity has reinvented gunpowder?” Put in another way, why would he have Riddley declare that he’s a riddler walking his riddles on paper only to have his seemingly essential riddle be answered by the reinvention of gunpowder, which accomplishment will eventually lead to another murderous war of political and social dominance and the hunting and killing of Hoban’s canine secret service?Īs Lissener would say, “theres some thing else here les get to it” (103), “it” being, in this case, Riddley’s riddling. It seems to me that when readers get to the end of Riddley’s narrative, they should not only be puzzled by its precipitous conclusion but also be curious about its plot. Perhaps recognition of these qualities is slow in coming because they are not self-evident. Raising awareness should begin with a fuller appreciation of the marvelous depth and complexity of Riddley Walker and of the subtle genius of its creator.
All graduate programs in literature should include a course on Hoban, his unique vision and inspired creativity. It invites a reconsideration of all of Hoban’s novels, from The Mouse and His Child to Soonchild. It is a wonder and should be recognized as one of the great works of twentieth century literature. In both conception and presentation, Riddley Walker is a novel unlike any other. I agree, but for reasons not noted in any review. According to reviewers of literature, Hoban’s masterpiece is Riddley Walker.
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