jrrt@hogpd.UUCP (R.MITCHELL) (11/16/83)
I disagree with the plot summary recently given concerning Black
Easter. The book is indeed by James Blish, and is certainly part
of a three-book series examining Humanity and Religion.
Black Easter is Blish's attempt to show two things. First, what
form magic would really take in our "advanced" mechanistic society?
The emphasis is on the mechanics of sorcery, the role of the
Catholic Church, and the effect of hubris on powerful, if flawed,
human beings. The second purpose of the book is tell a good scary
story. Blish succeeds admirably, even if you are not fond of
horror/supernatural fiction (and I'm not).
I won't spoil the ending, except to say I was surprised and
impressed. I would suggest, though, that glenn reread the last
chapter or two; to claim the book ends with "Satan finds himself
forced to be God" is wrong.
I *think* the first book in the series is called "The Island {?}
of Dr. Mirabilis;" I know the third is the classic "A Case of
Conscience." Sorry I don't have the exact title; I've lent my
copies out...
Rob Mitchell
hogpd!jrrtnotes@ucbcad.UUCP (11/25/83)
#R:hogpd:-20600:ucbcad:23400006:000:1447
ucbcad!kalash Nov 18 12:10:00 1983
/***** ucbcad:net.sf-lovers / hogpd!jrrt / 12:52 am Nov 18, 1983*/
I disagree with the plot summary recently given concerning Black
Easter. The book is indeed by James Blish, and is certainly part
of a three-book series examining Humanity and Religion.
Black Easter is Blish's attempt to show two things. First, what
form magic would really take in our "advanced" mechanistic society?
The emphasis is on the mechanics of sorcery, the role of the
Catholic Church, and the effect of hubris on powerful, if flawed,
human beings. The second purpose of the book is tell a good scary
story. Blish succeeds admirably, even if you are not fond of
horror/supernatural fiction (and I'm not).
I won't spoil the ending, except to say I was surprised and
impressed. I would suggest, though, that glenn reread the last
chapter or two; to claim the book ends with "Satan finds himself
forced to be God" is wrong.
I *think* the first book in the series is called "The Island {?}
of Dr. Mirabilis;" I know the third is the classic "A Case of
Conscience." Sorry I don't have the exact title; I've lent my
copies out...
Rob Mitchell
hogpd!jrrt
/* ---------- */
Your right, "Black Easter" doesn't end up with Satan becoming God, "Day After
Judgement" ends with Satan becoming God (and complaining bitterly about it too).
The First book in the series is "Doctor Mirabilis", followed by "Case of
Conscience".
Joe Kalashstever@tektronix.UUCP (Steve Rogers) (12/06/83)
As quoted from an afterword by David G. Hartwell in Blish's THE DAY
JUDGMENT:
"Although the DAY AFTER JUDGMENT can be read as an indepen-
dent book, it is essence the climax of a two-volume novel
(the first volume is BLACK EASTER, in which the major
characters are introduced and the stage is set for the events
in this book.) The two volumes comprise the middle section
of a three-part work which considers the same theme in the
past, present and future settings."
"...The "After Such Knowledge" trilogy consists of DOCTOR
MIRABILIS (1965, revised 1971), a historical novel concerning
the life of the medieval scientist/theologian [Roger Bacon];
BLACK EASTER and the THE DAY AFTER JUDGMENT (originally l968,
1971), a fantasy work set in contemporary times about the
end of the world brought about through black magic; A CASE
OF CONSCIENCE (1958), a science fiction novel concerning
the discovery of an alien race without original sin. Blish
states that it was only after the completion of BLACK EASTER
that he became conscious of the works as a trilogy:
""I realized that I had now written three novels,
widely separated in times of composition and even
more in ostensible subject-matter, each one of which
was a dramatization in its own terms of one of the
oldest problems of philosophy:
IS THE DESIRE FOR SECULAR KNOWLEDGE, LET ALONE
THE ACQUISITION AND USE OF IT, A MISUSE OF THE
MIND, AND PERHAPS EVEN ACTIVELY EVIL?
I found all three works to be extremely interesting. DOCTOR
MIRABILIS is heavy reading, but brought great satisfaction.
The two volumes of the middle of the trilogy were easy
reading, but raised interesting points and I think an original
situation. CASE OF CONSCIENCE is interesting to me in the
presentation of its example of alien thought. To me "doctor"
and "case" are worth rereading many times.