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!jrrt
notes@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 Kalash
stever@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.