An edition of A Case of Conscience (1958)

Case of Conscience

  • 3.5 (2 ratings) ·
  • 25 Want to read
  • 3 Currently reading
  • 13 Have read
Case of Conscience
James Blish, James Blish
Not in Library

My Reading Lists:

Create a new list

Check-In

×Close
Add an optional check-in date. Check-in dates are used to track yearly reading goals.
Today

  • 3.5 (2 ratings) ·
  • 25 Want to read
  • 3 Currently reading
  • 13 Have read

Buy this book

Last edited by mheiman
November 25, 2023 | History
An edition of A Case of Conscience (1958)

Case of Conscience

  • 3.5 (2 ratings) ·
  • 25 Want to read
  • 3 Currently reading
  • 13 Have read

The citizens of the planet Lithia are some of the most ethical sentient beings Father Ramon Ruiz-Sanchez has ever encountered. True, they have no literature, no fine arts, and don't understand the concept of recreation, but neither do they understand the concepts of greed, envy, lust, or any of the sins and vices that plague humankind. Their world seems darned near perfect. And that is just what disturbs the good Father.

First published in 1959, James Blish's Hugo Award-winning A Case of Conscience is science fiction at its very best: a fast-paced, intelligent story that offers plenty of action while at the same time explores complex questions of values and ethics. In this case, Blish has taken on the age-old battle of good vs. evil. Lithia poses a theological question that lies at the heart of this book: is God necessary for a moral society? The Lithians are nothing if not moral. Not only do they lack the seven deadly sins, they also lack original sin. And without any sort of religious framework, they have created the Christian ideal world, one that humans would be eager to study and emulate. But is it too perfect? Is it in fact, as Father Ruiz-Sanchez suspects, the work of The Adversary? And what role does Egtverchi, the young Lithian raised on Earth, play? Is he an innocent victim of circumstance, or will he bring about the Dies Irae, the day of the wrath of God, upon the earth? The fate of two worlds hinges on the answers to these questions, and will lead to an ancient earth heresy that shakes the Jesuit priest's beliefs to their very core.

A Case of Conscience is a brilliant piece of storytelling, and it packs a lot into a scant 242 pages. Most readers will probably finish the book in one sitting, unable to stop until the spectacular denouement. But the questions posed by this little-known gem will stay with you for days afterward. --P.M. Atterberry

Publish Date
Publisher
BALLANTINE BOOKS @

Buy this book

Previews available in: English

Edition Availability
Cover of: A case of conscience
A case of conscience
2000, Del Ray Impact
in English - 1st Impact ed.
Cover of: Case of Conscience
Case of Conscience
July 12, 1987, Del Rey
Mass Market Paperback in English - 6th Printing - August, 1987. edition
Cover of: Case of Conscience
Case of Conscience
1958-01-01, BALLANTINE BOOKS @

Add another edition?

Book Details


ID Numbers

Open Library
OL45820958M
ISBN 10
1127448358
ISBN 13
9781127448357

Source records

Promise Item

Community Reviews (0)

Feedback?
No community reviews have been submitted for this work.

History

Download catalog record: RDF / JSON / OPDS | Wikipedia citation
November 25, 2023 Edited by mheiman Merge works
May 24, 2023 Edited by tmanarl merge authors
January 14, 2023 Created by ImportBot Imported from Promise Item