Completed Walter Miller's A Canticle For Leibowitz; a post-apocalyptic novel that follows a monastery in what used to be New Mexico as the world crawls painfully out of a new dark age toward a new civilisation for doomed to repeat the holocaust in a final act of Armageddon. Though it's never been out of print since its publication in the 1950s and is recognised as one of the true classics of science fiction, it never sat very comfortably with the sci-fi readership. This is not surprising, since the novel lacks the usual trappings of shiny machinery or romantic post-atomic adventure. It's frank and sincere Christian (not to mention Roman Catholic) was also uncomfortable for the typical fan's more materialistic prejudices. However, the level of writing with its strong characters, wry humour, and insightful plots place it head and shoulders above the more common fare of the genre.
Full review here.
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