Both Poul Anderson's "Operation Changeling" in his Operation Chaos and Alan Moore's "Down Amongst The Dead Men" in his Swamp Thing: Love And Death recount the rescue of an innocent from Hell although every detail differs when two imaginative authors address a common archetypal concept.
The figure in the attached Operation Chaos cover image remarkably resembles a demonized Swamp Thing.
Kaor, Paul!
ReplyDeleteThere's also Dante's journey thru Hell with Virgil as his guide. And Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven's INFERNO and ESCAPE FROM HELL, using Dante's work as a template.
I've tried, including reading it all the way thru once and partway a second time, but I gave up on Milton's PARADISE LOST. Unlike Dante's poem, I found Milton's effort heavy, ponderous, boring.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
ReplyDeleteThe particular comparison that I was drawing was between rescues of innocents from Hell. In orthodox terms, innocents should not wind up in Hell but fantasy writers make their own rules.
Paul.
Kaor, Puul!
ReplyDeleteDang! I missed that obvious point!
Ad astra! Sean