Sci Fi books with spiritual sideline.

[katiafish]

Hi, I am wondering if anyone could advise me on any Sci-Fi books that have spiritual or a religious sidelines or agenda. Doesn't have to be any recognized religion, anything will do, I am generally interested in how Science Fiction deals with spirituality and feel that I should do some research.

 

[The Judge]

James Blish - A Case of Conscience. A Jesuit priest is also a scientist/botanist who decides that a paradise world is really the creation of the devil, which means that he has to destroy it by performing an exorcism - killing the millions living there. Very nice. Lots of theological internal debating. Pretty crummy story and characters.

Robert Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land. Christ-like figure founds a free-love religion with water-brothers. Sex is good is the message. Quite how bonking everybody in public at the drop of a hat is good when there are children involved in the cult isn't addressed. Homosexuality is still a perversion (though I don't recall lesbianism being dismissed in the same way - strange that, eh?) and doubtless any other kinkiness prevents you being a water-brother in the first place. God and the Archangel Michael much in evidence. Tells you a lot about Heinlein, not a great deal about spirituality.

Sorry can't recommend a good book that deals with religion, haven't found one yet!

J

 

[LaMattie]

There's Marion Zimmer Bradley's Avalon series. It's about Celtic pagan religion. The books are considered to be very reliogious.

 

[Somni]

Avalanche soldier by [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, Sans Serif]Susan R. Matthews has some religous/secular issues.
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[HareBrain]

Haven't read it, but this has been recommended to me:

The Sparrow: Amazon.co.uk: Mary Doria Russell: Books

Here's the Amazon blurb:

This strange, ambitious science fiction novel has already won enough attention for its first-time author to make it a selection by both the Book of the Month and QPB clubs. Father Emilio Sandoz, a Jesuit linguist, heads a team of scientists and explorers on an expedition to the planet Rakhat, where contact has been established with two apparently primitive races, the Runa and the Jana'ata. The narrative shifts back and forth between 2016, when contact is first made, and 2060, to a Vatican inquest interrogating the maimed and broken Sandoz. A palaeoanthropologist, Russell makes the descriptions of the inhabitants of Rakhat both convincing and unsettling.

Edit: then there's CS Lewis's Cosmic Trilogy:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0330313746/?tag=brite-21

 

[kythe]

I'll second Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon series. It is fantasy though, not sci fi if that makes any difference. It is a retelling of the King Arthur legend from the pagan women's perspective, and deals a lot with the early conflicts between Christianity and paganism.

C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia are an allegory for Christianity. Those stories are also definately fantasy and not sci-fi.

Sci-fi tends to concentrate on the development and use of science and technology, so there is a tendency to skip religious and spiritual references altogether.

 

[j d worthington]

Can't agree about the verdict on either Case of Conscience or Stranger in a Strange Land given above, as I'd say both (especially the Blish) are much more finely nuanced than that. Blish, for example, walks a fine line on whether the view the priest takes is valid or not, or whether the outcome is brought about by purely physical means and human greed; while Heinlein's exploration of faith and various religions (not always the same thing) has many levels to it, as well (not to mention a fair degree of humor).

There have been quite a few sf books to deal with the subject in various forms. Some of those I've found of particular interest are:

A Mirror for Observers, by Edgar Pangborn (a sf retelling of the Book of Job; quite poignant and an examination of the themes in the biblical account as well)

The Day the Sun Stood Still -- three novellas, by Poul Anderson, Gordon R. Dickson, and Robert Silverberg, with an intro. by Lester del Rey

An Exaltation of Stars -- ed. by Terry Carr; while not restricted to religion, the tales here are definitely concerned with explorations of it

Deathbird Stories, by Harlan Ellison -- an examination of modern "gods" and religious/mythical tropes and ideas

A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller, Jr. -- possibly the single greatest sf book on the subject, and simply a marvelous book which is alternately humorous, tragic, troubling, and uplifting, and always thought-provoking.

Behold the Man, by Michael Moorcock -- a time-traveller who goes back to the Holy Land to find out the truth about Christ, and ends up with more than he bargained for... or was this really the reason for his going?

These are only a few; there have been many, many others, both novels and shorter tales, no few of which are very good and excellent for provoking questions (Clarke's "The Star", or Silverberg's "Good News from the Vatican" being among them....)

EDIT: Though there are problems with this particular list, you may find it at least helpful and suggestive for further research:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religious_ideas_in_science_fiction

 

[chrispenycate]

If you want some Lewis in SF, it's the "Out of the silent planet" trilogy; like Narnia, thinly veiled Christianity.

Taking "religion" fairly wide, perhaps Orson Scott Card "Speaker for the dead" (actually, a lot of his books tend towards religion, and not always with any great precision)

You could try "Sin of origin" by John Barnes or "Father to the stars" by Philip José Farmer', if I remember correctly, or even "the Jesus incident" By Herbert/Ransom or (somewhat cynically "the Jehovah contract" by Victor Koman, none of which I have read recently, so I could have mixed them up with other volumes.

 

[katiafish]

Thank you very much everyone, that is extremely helpful I shall now go ahead and order if not all of these books, then most of them in order of relevance to my particular interest. My research is cut out for me or so it seems!

 

[gully_foyle]

I'll second A Canticle for Leibowitz, although I think the post apocalypse theme jostles with the religious theme.

Behold the Man is very worthwhile because it questions what faith means when the truth doesn't support it.

In a similar vein I'd also recommend Jesus on Mars by the recently departed Philip Jose Farmer. It also examines faith in the light of a shocking (for the characters) reality.

On the other hand, if you fancy some Hindu gods slugging it out in the far future, try Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny.

 

[Nesacat]

I'll third Canticle For Leibowitz and second Behold The Man.

My addition would be Neil Gaiman's American Gods ... what happens to the gods when people forget them.

 

[Hypnos164]

The Sparrow is a excellent book - the Jesuit characters have a rare, spitirual, perspective for a SF POV character

I would think it meets your criteria, and even if it doesn't its a worthwhile read

 

[thepaladin]

I like the C.S. Lewis space trilogy also (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength). Sparrow and it's sequel Children of God are pretty good I tend to agree, in many ways the spiritual is more of a side show in those. Blaylock's All the Bells of Earth is also religously themed..some of his others are supposed to be but I haven't read them all. G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who was Thursday would also qualify.

If you want to move to Fantasy there is of course The Lord of the Rings and also one of my favorites The Deed of Paksenarrion. Older books, Charles Williams' wrote several and George Macdonald's Lilith or Phantastes.

I'm sure there are others and a lot depends on your definition of spiritual content. Some might include Gene Wolfe's books here or maybe R. A. Lafferty. Look around. if others come to mind or I run across any i'll try to remember the thread...of course that assumes my mind is working at that point....

 

[ElectricOwl]

I'll fourth Canticle. It's one of my favorites.

Philip K. Dick's Valis is always a good read. It presents Dick's (Horselover) views on multiple different religions and philosophical/theological ideas.

 

[katiafish]

Fantastic, thank you very much everyone! Now I only wish I had enough money to order all of these books at once, but I will have to space the ordering of the books between few month, so far I have ordered A Canticle for Leibowitzand another two books. Also there are few that are not available in the UK so I'll have to order them from the US.
Once again, Thank you to all!!

 

[Dagny]

the Judge said

Sorry can't recommend a good book that deals with religion, haven't found one yet!

Russell's The Sparrow is that book. when i learned the main character was a Jesuit priest, i was apprehensive, but the book is wonderful. Wonderful, yet i never need to read it again. how telling is that?

 

[Rodders]

I'd take a look at the Forge of God and Anvil of Stars by Greg Bear.

As the story unfolds, there is quite a bit on how the public in general and specifically the President of the US turns to religion to provide comfort and to justify his decisions.

Anvil of Stars is less about religion and more on morality.

 

[Contrary Mary]

Zenna Henderson's short stories about the People--Pilgrimage and NO Different Flesh have some religious overtones. They are also very excellent stories!!!

 

[j d worthington]

Zenna Henderson's short stories about the People--Pilgrimage and NO Different Flesh have some religious overtones. They are also very excellent stories!!!

Oh, my... how could I have forgotten to include those? Yes, I'd second that suggestion, most definitely!

 

[GOLLUM]

........so far I have ordered A Canticle for Leibowitzand another two books.

Canticle is one of the best, so you should enjoy that one.....