
A Case of Conscience
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Narrated by:
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Jay Snyder
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By:
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James Blish
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Critic reviews
Hugo Award, Best Novel, 1959
"Kudos to Audible Frontiers for carefully audiobooking this Hugo Award novel. A Case Of Conscience is an SF classic!" (SFFaudio.com)
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Great listen
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Disappointed by the Audible performance and highly decorated novel
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The strong story is of biologist, biochemist and Jesuit priest Fr. Ramon Ruiz-Sanchez. He is part of a scientific mission to determine what kind of relationship, if any, Earth should establish with the Lithians. A sentient lizard like species with no religion or concept of morality, yet instinctively established an idealistic Christian society. This causes the Priest to reach a rather unexpected, but plausible once explained, conclusion dealing with an area of theology I was unfamiliar with. I won't spoil the surprise but it causes a crisis of faith he must struggle with both internally and with the church.
The other weaker story deals with an alien egg being brought to Earth, raised essentially isolated in a lab, and introduced into human society. Without morals (not in their biology) he challenges the establishment and human nature.
The world is very well developed and thought out. The aliens are well realized, they are not just 'different humans.' They are lizard like who think differently and even scientifically evolved differently due to a lack of metals. It is well thought out and described.
However, like any classic science fiction the future didn't turn out the way the story tells it. Earth cities have turned into underground 'shelters' due to the nuclear cold war scare. It's an interesting alternative take and nothing too jarring. Interesting how influence of talk show personality and celebrity culture still relevant today.
Dealing with religion themes can be difficult but I thought it was handled well, with respect and the author has done his research.
In fact, I found the forward most interesting. The author accounts the feedback he'd received from theological scholars, including the actual Church's guidelines on dealing with extraterrestrials. Essentially there are three possibilities, the aliens have no soul, they have a soul and share our state of having fallen (original sin) or they haven't fallen an are in a state of grace.
If you like heavy themes of philosophy, morality, and not scared off by religious themes give it a read.
Sci-fi first, thought provoking theological second
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It made me think. I was not sold in the end by the book, but it is thought provoking. The performance is good - not great.
Interesting story, okay performance
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Fantastic Concept Played Out Well
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pre bloat science fiction!
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Excellent audio book of a Hugo winning story
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ACOC is a "first contact" novel more about certain aspects of religion (God’s existence and influence on humanity) than on the first and only known alien civilization.
Part One, on the extraterrestrial planet, is the more interesting section but also the more abstruse. The biologist priest’s concerns about this Edenic world felt a bit too early Christian theology - even though that's the author's intent. It’s a new world and he’s deeply concerned about this paradise’s lack of religion? They’re aliens, that’s the least of their differences!
Part Two. back on Earth. is less interesting. Returned to our home planet, the scientists are caught up in the world's problems and the metaphysical religious issues raised by the alien society diminish. That's despite the contrast between the alien paradise and Earth's dystopian present. On the other hand, you can actually listen to the audio book without constantly pausing it and saying "Eh?"
I’d recommend this book to someone looking for food for thought on morality, God and aliens, and religion. It’s perfectly simple once you understand it - but I still think listening to Part One will be a challenge.
“It’s perfectly simple...”
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James Blish is one of the pioneers of modern science fiction, and this is one of his seminal works which has served as an inspiration to many contemporary authors as many of them readily acknowledge. It must be evaluated in view of the time in which it was written. Blish explores issues that are timeless, but may take other forms in this postmodern area, or be completely ignored in the fads of our time with its obsession with apocalyptic and dystopian themes.
This book made quite an impression on me when I read it many years ago when it was breaking new ground in science-fiction. It is still captivating, though the ending is weaker than I had remembered.
Listening to this as an audiobook gave a new perspective which I really enjoyed.
Excellent Narration of a Classic
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Worth a read
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