Friday, 23 August 2024

A Judas

"Sargasso of Lost Starships."

Searching the blog reveals a long list of Biblical references, including several specifically to Judas, but here is one that we might have missed:

"How does it feel to be a Judas?" (p. 403)

The word has become part of the language to such an extent that anyone called "Judas" does not like it and does not say, "But I don't believe that Biblical stuff!"

The Nebular planet is terrestroid and humanly habitable but Anderson writes just enough to get us to accept this. The planet is inhabited by humanoids who have preserved its environment despite its age. After the spaceship crash, the rest of the action is on the planetary surface.

6 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

And PLANET STORIES was renowned for its wonderfully lurid illustrations, one of which you chose here!

Ad astra! Sean

Jim Baerg said...

"anyone called "Judas" does not like it and does not say, "But I don't believe that Biblical stuff!" "
Even someone who thought the Jesus story was entirely fiction would know that Judas is a villain in the story, and would think of it as like being called an "Iago" to take the villain of another famous story.

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Or Hannibal Lektor.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Jim!

Of course you are right about no one liking being called a "Judas."

Re Shakespearean bad names: I think some would be more offended at being called a "Shylock."

Ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Also Scrooge.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I agree, as long as we remember how Ebenezer Scrooge repented of his greed and harshness.

Ad astra! Sean