I gathered up my Leiber books to see which ones I hadn't read. Sure enough, there was one -- Gather, Darkness! Even though written in 1950, this is a subversive novel. Set about 350 years in the future after a nuclear war, Fritz informs us in no uncertain terms that when political power over people is involved, it doesn't matter if people worship God or the Devil, because for all practical purposes, they're the same thing. And, that science and religion aren't as much of enemies as people think, because the rulers of this post-Apocalyptic world have used both to enslave and impoverish the masses and enrich themselves. This isn't really an anti-religion novel, or even anti-science, but about the perversion of both when the lust for power and wealth is involved. As always, Fritz can't help but be satirical, even when he's trying to be serious. One of the forms it takes here are aerial dogfights between "angels" and "demons," only they're fighter aircraft disguised as both. The "demons" even have horns. Of course, Fritz has to toss in his favorite animal -- cats -- even though they're not major characters. Sneaky, subversive book, and I can't imagine it being taught in school, ever. The authors of the Left Behind series would have conniption fits, as would their fans. Not only that, there have been ages in which both this book and the author would have been burned at the stake.
Posted by Bob Wallace, who sez, there are clones and lightsabers and brainwashing and all kinds of cool stuff in this book.
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