“If Worlds of Science Fiction,” September, 1953. Wrap-around cover art by Ken Fagg for James Blish’s “A Case of Conscience.”
“Rarely, if ever, has science fiction plumbed so deeply and with such sensitivity the depths of human thoughts and emotions as in this case. For here, Earthmen’s vote has a direct effect upon the future of a planet, their own culture and the universe itself.” [Editor’s note]
“A Case of Conscience” is a Hugo Award-winning sci-fi novel about a Jesuit priest, Father Ruiz-Sanchez, sent to investigate the planet Lithia, inhabited by a reptilian race that has achieved a perfect, sinless, and logical society without religion or God. Lithia seems like a utopia, with its inhabitants living in perfect harmony, raising questions about original sin and the necessity of faith and morality.
The story centers on Father Ruiz-Sanchez’s deep psychological and spiritual crisis as he grapples with his scientific findings and religious doctrines. The core conflict is the struggle between his faith and the observable reality of a morally superior, yet godless, alien race. The story is a deep dive into logic, faith, and the nature of good and evil, wrapped in classic science fiction with strong theological underpinnings, exploring whether true perfection can exist outside of God's grace or if it's a sign of something far more sinister. Might it even be a diabolical deception justifying a quarantine to protect humanity, despite the Lithians’ apparent goodness?
The novel features detailed, imaginative settings, including Earth's post-nuclear underground society and Lithia's unique, mineral-scarce technology.
“If Worlds of Science Fiction,” September, 1953. Wrap-around cover art by Ken Fagg for James Blish’s “A Case of Conscience.”
“Rarely, if ever, has science fiction plumbed so deeply and with such sensitivity the depths of human thoughts and emotions as in this case. For here, Earthmen’s vote has a direct effect upon the future of a planet, their own culture and the universe itself.” [Editor’s note]
“A Case of Conscience” is a Hugo Award-winning sci-fi novel about a Jesuit priest, Father Ruiz-Sanchez, sent to investigate the planet Lithia, inhabited by a reptilian race that has achieved a perfect, sinless, and logical society without religion or God. Lithia seems like a utopia, with its inhabitants living in perfect harmony, raising questions about original sin and the necessity of faith and morality.
The story centers on Father Ruiz-Sanchez’s deep psychological and spiritual crisis as he grapples with his scientific findings and religious doctrines. The core conflict is the struggle between his faith and the observable reality of a morally superior, yet godless, alien race. The story is a deep dive into logic, faith, and the nature of good and evil, wrapped in classic science fiction with strong theological underpinnings, exploring whether true perfection can exist outside of God's grace or if it's a sign of something far more sinister. Might it even be a diabolical deception justifying a quarantine to protect humanity, despite the Lithians’ apparent goodness?
The novel features detailed, imaginative settings, including Earth's post-nuclear underground society and Lithia's unique, mineral-scarce technology.