TY  - BOOK
AU  - Wollheim,Donald A.
TI  - Saknarth
T2  - Produced from Science Fiction Quarterly Spring 1942
AV  - PS 
PY  - 2024///
CY  - Salt Lake City, UT
PB  - Project Gutenberg
KW  - Science fiction
KW  - Short stories
KW  - Martians -- Fiction
KW  - Mars (Planet) -- Fiction
KW  - Astrologers -- Fiction
N1  - Release date is 2024-03-21; Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net; Originally published; New York, NY: Columbia Publications Inc., 1942
N2  - "Saknarth" by Millard Verne Gordon is a science fiction novella published in the early 1940s. The narrative centers on themes of enlightenment versus oppression, as it explores the life of Saknarth, a Master Astrologer who grapples with the tension between his understanding of the cosmos and the constraints imposed by the ruling priesthood. The story unfolds on Mars, capturing the struggle between knowledge and ignorance within a society that fears the power of learning.  The plot follows Saknarth, who recalls a critical prophecy given to him by Kwarit during his youth. As he prepares horoscopes for the Emperor, he becomes increasingly aware of the oppressive nature of the priesthood, which stifles knowledge and enforces superstition. Intrigued by Kwarit's claims of lights on the Morning Star, he sneaks into the Imperial Museum to gaze through a forbidden telescope, discovering evidence of civilization on a nearby planet. Realizing the implications of his findings, he writes a manifesto urging rebellion against the priestly elite. However, he is quickly apprehended and sentenced to execution, yet he finds solace in having shared his revolutionary message just before his fate is sealed. The story illustrates the importance of knowledge and the courage required to challenge authoritarian rule. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
UR  - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/73218
ER  -