02580cam a22003733u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000360011324500130014926400510016230000470021333600260026033700260028633800360031249000570034850000310040550800960043652013630053253400740189565300200196965300180198965300240200765300290203165300270206083000570208785600430214499900190218773218UtSlPG20260610134708.0mcr n260607r20241942utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPS1 aWollheim, Donald A.,d1914-199010aSaknarth 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2024  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier1 aProduced from Science Fiction Quarterly Spring 1942.  aRelease date is 2024-03-21  aGreg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net  a"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.)  pOriginally published:cNew York, NY: Columbia Publications Inc., 1942  aScience fiction  aShort stories  aMartians -- Fiction  aMars (Planet) -- Fiction  aAstrologers -- Fiction 0aProduced from Science Fiction Quarterly Spring 1942.40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/73218  c113943d113943