Theological Science Fiction

Russ Allbery · 23 Sep 2009, 00:04 · from 2009-September.txt.gz

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From: rra at stanford.edu (Russ Allbery)
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:04:21 -0700
Subject: (urth) Theological Science Fiction
In-Reply-To: <22E22987-BDD5-4DEE-BC1A-53904CB91977 at io.com> (Adam Thornton's
	message of "Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:07:16 -0500")
References: <65D78AC2-9334-4BEA-A828-69ED3EEE20BA at phyast.nhn.ou.edu>
	<22E22987-BDD5-4DEE-BC1A-53904CB91977 at io.com>
Message-ID: <87bpl2jzlm.fsf at windlord.stanford.edu>

Adam Thornton <adam at io.com> writes:

> I don't think _A Case of Conscience_ is at ALL ambiguous.

> I also think it started out promising and then went in precisely the
> least interesting direction it could have gone.  Not a fan.  Russ
> Allbery has put it well here:
> http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/reviews/books/0-345-24480-X.html

To be fair, I should note that I read that book in complete isolation of
the surrounding context, and a recent NYRSF contains a cogent argument
that I should have read it in context with Dr. Mirablis, Black Easter, and
The Day After Judgement.  Based on that essay (the author of which I don't
recall and don't have with me, alas), I'm at least open to the possibility
I could have seen a lot more in it.

It remains the case, however, that I thought (and think) the writing is
mechanically poor, which is a big impediment to enjoying it.

I'll second the recommendation for Mary Doria Russell's _The Sparrow_,
which I thought was an excellent treatment of the interaction between
religious faith and first contact with respectful treatment of the
capabilities of religion, although that one is definitely in the crisis of
faith category.  (There's a sequel, _Children of God_, which I have not
yet read.)

-- 
Russ Allbery (rra at stanford.edu)             <http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/>

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