Any good Gnostic SF Lit Out There?
Has Gnosticism ever inspired any good science fiction?
I would argue that David Lindsay’s VOYAGE TO ARCTURUS, which was Gnosticism almost undisguised, merits praise as one of the greats and classics of science fiction literature, an attempt to tackle truly profound issues, matters of God and Devil, life and death, vice and virtue, in a science fictional narrative and metaphor. I think all the answers are most wrong and wickedly wrong, of course, but the audacity of the narrative is intoxicating. CS Lewis and Alan [sic: should be Harold] Bloom — men who even their foes admit know literature well — agree that Lindsay’s obscure book is fascinating reading.
THE MATRIX was also a gnostic parable, and so is THE LITTLE PRINCE, both of which had some good wire fu fights in them. Well, okay, only MATRIX had wire fu in it.
Other books I do not know if we can classify them as Gnostic. What about A.E. van Vogt’s WORLD OF NULL-A? Or some of the writing of Phillip K. Dick? What about THE PARADOX MEN by Charles Harness?
Feel free to discuss. Here is one of the few areas where you overopinionated host (me) does not have a strong opinion.
About John C Wright
John C. Wright is a practicing philosopher, a retired attorney, newspaperman, and newspaper editor, and a published author of science fiction. Once a Houyhnhnm, he was expelled from the august ranks of purely rational beings when he fell in love; but retains an honorary title.
