The Godmakers (novel)
{{Short description|1972 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert}}
{{About|the science fiction novel|the anti-Mormon film/book|The God Makers}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox book |
| name = The God Makers
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = The Godmakers (1972).jpg
| caption =
| author = Frank Herbert
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = Vincent DiFate
| country = United States
| language = English
| series =
| genre = Science fiction
| publisher = Putnam
| release_date = 1972
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print (hardback & paperback)
| pages =
| isbn = 0-399-11006-2
| dewey= 813/.5/4
| congress= PZ4.H5356 Go PS3558.E63
| oclc= 534343
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
}}
The God Makers (1972) is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert. Some later editions used a variant title, The Godmakers.{{cite web | url=https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1627377 | title=Title: The Godmakers }}
Publication history
The novel The Godmakers expands upon a storyline appearing in four short stories over a decade earlier:
- "You Take the High Road". Appeared in Astounding Science Fiction, May 1958;
- "Missing link". Appeared in Astounding Science Fiction February 1959;
- "Operation Haystack". Appeared in Astounding Science Fiction, May 1959; and
- "The Priests of Psi". Appeared in Fantastic Science Fiction Stories, February 1960.{{cite web | url=https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?853 | title=Title: The God Makers }}
Plot summary
The story focuses on Lewis Orne, an agent for a government agency which develops 'lost planets.' After correctly identifying a warlike civilization on the planet Hamal, he is drafted into Investigative Adjustment (I-A), which manages dangerous planets. Under the auspices of I-A, he travels to various planets in order to maintain peace throughout the galaxy. At the same time, the priests of the planet Amel, who practice 'religious engineering', set about creating a god, something they have done numerous times before:
We do not know from what creature or thing the god will be born', the Abbod said. 'It could be one of you.{{Cite book |last=Herbert |first=Frank |title=The God makers |year=1984 |isbn=9780890814024}}After resolving a number of dangerous situations, Lewis is injured and has a near-death experience. Following this, his psychic powers develop, and after passing a series of tests he becomes a god.
Reception
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Colin Greenland reviewed The Godmakers for Imagine magazine, and stated that "For all his ever-expanding cosmic perspective, Herbert still writes characters who look and sound as if they'd been cut off the backs of cornflake packets."{{cite journal | last = Greenland|first = Colin |author-link=Colin Greenland| title =Fantasy Media | type = review | journal = Imagine | issue = 22| pages =45 | publisher = TSR Hobbies (UK), Ltd. |date=January 1985| issn = }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Frank Herbert}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Godmaker, The}}
Category:1972 science fiction novels
Category:American science fiction novels
Category:G. P. Putnam's Sons books
Category:Novels by Frank Herbert
Category:Religion in science fiction
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