>> Yeah. I suppose for this analogy it'd be like a coping mechanism not working anymore. <<

Pretty much.

>> Both pairs are fish out of water for differing reasons. <<

That is true.

>>But it is easier and simpler to gain book knowledge than physical knowledge. Plus it's relatively less time-consuming, if you're a fast reader and there's no translations needed.<<

Learning whole new senses is hard though. Gabriel is lucky that he has Barb to help with that now.

>> I wonder if that means that there's just dead-air - as in no magic -around doppel-Gideon and doppel-Raymond. Or could they eventually learn their new world's nature-based magic? <<

It will feel like dead air to them. That world has almost no magic. What it is does have is more science, which they could learn.