p. 1: blurb;
p. 2: other Sphere titles by Anderson;
p. 3: title page;
p. 4: publication details;
p. 5: quotation, Revelation, viii, 6-13;
p. 6: quotation, Rig-Veda, vii, 56;
p. 7: Chapter One begins.
We note another Biblical quotation.
In Chapter Four, we learn that the anakro, space-time vehicle, was bound for prehistoric Africa and protoman. That is an appropriate pretext to bring in James Blish whose character, Kit Kennedy, finding a secluded valley in Africa, compares it to Paradise:
"...that garden planted eastward in Eden...And a river went out of Eden to water the garden..."
-James Blish, The Night Shapes (London, 1963), pp. 44-45.
When I had published the previous post, I realised that I had not included Blish. Then I realized that I could link him to The Dancer From Atlantis. Then I found a Biblical quote just inside Dancer.
Far out.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I've never read Blish's THE NIGHT SHAPES, else I might have included him in my list of SF writers who used the Bible. Unfortunately I can't recall him quoting Scripture in his AFTER SUCH KNOWLEDGE books.
Poul Anderson quoted the Bible, the Rig-Veda, the Elder Edda, the Chinese BOOK OF SONGS (did he ever quote from Confucius' ANALECTS?). And favorite authors such as Shakespeare and Kipling. But I don't recall him ever quoting from the Koran--no surprise, considering his dislike for Islam as such. Unless the Muslim character in STARFARERS (a Sufi, I think) quoted it.
Sean
Sean,
Blish's THE TRIUMPH OF TIME does start with a Koranic quote.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I'll be checking that out.
Sean
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