Mabel Stark of See The Elephant enjoyed James Morrow’s The Madonna and the Starship.

The Madonna and the Starship gives a brisk spanking to fundamentalism on both sides of the religion vs. rationalism debate. I found the characters interesting, but not terribly nuanced. The backdrop of the innocent early days of science fiction lends a certain charm, as does the cast of quirky characters. The centerpiece of the novel is the satirical, surreal episode of the formerly pious By Bread Alone, created by Kurt and Connie and the actors. The ending has the lilt of a Shakespeare comedy, with lessons learned and good cheer all around. A quick read with plenty of inside jokes and clever bits for fans of classic science fiction and philosophy alike.

Read the rest of Stark’s review at See The Elephant.

For more on The Madonna and the Starship, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover and design by Elizabeth Story.