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badseedgirl's review against another edition
3.0
This is a cautionary tale about mans second expulsion from the "Garden of Eden." Guess who ends up being the snake this time, you guessed it, its the humans.
wardhammer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
grayjay's review against another edition
1.0
This was pretty terrible.
A team of humans has been living on an alien-inhabited planet called Lithia in order to report on what the colonizing Earth should do with it. One member of the team, a Jesuit Priest, decides that because the reptilian Lithians are good and ethical people without Religion, the planet must be sealed off and never returned to, because the whole planet is an elabourate trap set by Satan to ensnare humanity. The rest of the team thinks he's being ridiculous and they return, bearing the gift of a Lithian egg.
Back on Earth, they raise the Lithian, who becomes a popular political commentator on Television. Through his influence he starts a revolution that could lead humans down a dark path. He is, in essence, the Anti-Christ.
It was just so silly. A sort of Satan Panic sci-fi novel. It contained many long passages of theological debate.
A team of humans has been living on an alien-inhabited planet called Lithia in order to report on what the colonizing Earth should do with it. One member of the team, a Jesuit Priest, decides that because the reptilian Lithians are good and ethical people without Religion, the planet must be sealed off and never returned to, because the whole planet is an elabourate trap set by Satan to ensnare humanity. The rest of the team thinks he's being ridiculous and they return, bearing the gift of a Lithian egg.
Back on Earth, they raise the Lithian, who becomes a popular political commentator on Television. Through his influence he starts a revolution that could lead humans down a dark path. He is, in essence, the Anti-Christ.
It was just so silly. A sort of Satan Panic sci-fi novel. It contained many long passages of theological debate.
jason_pym's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the idea behind this book - what happens when a Christian, a Jesuit no less, finds a new planet of aliens who live without sin - yet have no knowledge of God. How would it affect his faith? How would he deal with them? If he set up a mission, how would he convince the aliens of God's existence?
All the great ideas that this sparks were not really followed up. Instead the priest decides that the planet was created by Satan to shake peoples' faith in God. The Pope on earth tells him to exorcise the whole planet - a fun idea, but not taken anywhere interesting, as at the very end of the book he does exorcise the planet, the planet explodes, thus the planet must have been the work of the devil.
If the paradise planet really was a creation of the devil, then there are a lot more interesting stories could have come out of it - actually, thinking back on it, the demonic alien talk show host was also a nice idea, but you don't realize he really is an agent of the devil till the end of the book. But another kind of novel (the kind I was expecting) would just look at the Jesuit priest as a man, how he deals with his reality, how this discovery affects his faith. There's no need for a planet to explode.
The book was written in 1958, which means that I should cut it a lot more slack than I am - it is an amazing piece of work for its time. And as it is it is still a very readable story. Just it has such a great premise, I wish more was done with it.
All the great ideas that this sparks were not really followed up. Instead the priest decides that the planet was created by Satan to shake peoples' faith in God. The Pope on earth tells him to exorcise the whole planet - a fun idea, but not taken anywhere interesting, as at the very end of the book he does exorcise the planet, the planet explodes, thus the planet must have been the work of the devil.
If the paradise planet really was a creation of the devil, then there are a lot more interesting stories could have come out of it - actually, thinking back on it, the demonic alien talk show host was also a nice idea, but you don't realize he really is an agent of the devil till the end of the book. But another kind of novel (the kind I was expecting) would just look at the Jesuit priest as a man, how he deals with his reality, how this discovery affects his faith. There's no need for a planet to explode.
The book was written in 1958, which means that I should cut it a lot more slack than I am - it is an amazing piece of work for its time. And as it is it is still a very readable story. Just it has such a great premise, I wish more was done with it.
spacephilosopher's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ac_lytle's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
3.5
Interesting premise, thought provoking.
jjmclellan's review against another edition
2.0
A lot of irrational Catholic paranoia and bizarre philosophical arguments
How can a perfect Eden like world exist without a knowledge of god? Well obviously it must be because the planet was created as a trap by the great Diabolical adversary! A lot of bizarre Catholic rigamarole and paranoid delusions.
The only saving grace of this book is that it was relatively short.
How can a perfect Eden like world exist without a knowledge of god? Well obviously it must be because the planet was created as a trap by the great Diabolical adversary! A lot of bizarre Catholic rigamarole and paranoid delusions.
The only saving grace of this book is that it was relatively short.
category_fury's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
One of the strangest and most well written books i've had the pleasure of experiencing. Blish is inimitable. sometimes frustrating and odd but so so unique erudite funny entertaining. ahhh loved this one