A Canticle for Leibowitz thoughts

“A Canticle For Leibowitz” by Walter M Miller Jr.(1959) is a post apocalyptic novel that originally started as 3 separate stories published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Due to this, the story follows 3 different plot timelines with different characters and technology timelines. In addition, Walter M. Miller Jr takes the approach of forming philosophical and moral arguments using the characters to discuss the problems that each face in each era. In part 1, the story focuses on a severely limited technological environment where this character, Francis encounters a strange man while prospecting and is led to a secret vault of which astounds Francis and his entire abbot. Without giving too much of the plot away, themes in this part focus on fear of the unknown, the nature of ego, or more specifically, pride, humility and how human action has driven humanity into self destruction and intellectual darkness. In part 2, the story follows characters who investigate the stored knowledge of previous generations and the characters develop some old technology through their curiosities. This part of discovery in development is contrasted by the intrigue and curse of human politics. The author is trying to present his ideas of a world that is sharply divided by those with practical views and those with higher ideals. Part 1 and 2 are relatively interesting and give the reader things to think about when considering themes as before mentioned. Unfortunately, Part 3 is where things turn more convoluted. For Part 3, the details of a world that has modern technology including space travel, nuclear testing, mass media, and even euthanasia. The main character of this part, Zerchi is experiencing the effects of war where he is tested for his believes when trying to help victims. The problem with this part of the story is that it lasts too long compared to parts 1 and 2, with many elements in this part that distracts from the main themes covered earlier in the book. Perhaps, the moral system of the author in how these characters interact more so than why they behave this way is what slows the narrative down. It is reasonable to make the assumption that in 1959, the arguments laid before the reader in this part is more convincing to the average western reader, but in contrast to modern sci fi novels, it feels somewhat limited. When reading, “A Canticle For Leibowitz”, the similarities between this work and the works of Philip K Dick stood out. For one thing, the role of simulations and hypothetical adaptations to science apparatus in Miller Jr.’s work brought the comparison of the Priests in the abbots and that of the blade runners in “Do androids Dream of Electric sheep?”, people using their limited resources in order to correct the mistakes of the leadership of humanity. The abbots using knowledge instead of firearms, to destroy false ideas while at the same time being exposed and changed by new ideas found. Another part is the hallucination of Philip K Dick’s characters in their respective plots being pivotal to their experience, well for the abbots in “A Canticle for Leibowitz”, so called religious experiences, starting with in part 1, Francis seeing the wanderer led to profound development. In conclusion, “A Canticle For Leibowitz”, is a solid post apocalyptic story that uses genre fiction motifs and infuses them with literary themes for an entertaining yarn. This story holds up for a work from 1959, and I would give it a 4.5/5. Would recommend.