Black Friar of the Flame
Encyclopedia
"Black Friar of the Flame" is a science fiction
short story
by Isaac Asimov
. It was first published in the Spring 1942 issue of Planet Stories
and reprinted in the collection The Early Asimov
(1972). "Black Friar of the Flame" was the thirteenth story written by Asimov, and was among his least favorite, though this was due more to the multiple rewrites and rejections the story suffered than to its admittedly modest intrinsic merits.
on 21 March. Three days later, Asimov got the story back with a rejection slip that said, "You have a basic idea that might be made into an interesting yarn, but as it is, it is not strong enough."
Asimov was not discouraged; he had succeeded in revising his earlier story "Trends
" to Campbell's satisfaction, and decided he could do the same with "Pilgrimage". He brought a slightly longer revised version to Campbell on 25 April, and although Campbell wouldn't take it, he did ask for a second revision. Asimov submitted the second revision on May 9, only to have the story returned again. Campbell thought the story could still be salvaged, but he suggested that Asimov set it aside for several months and then return to it. Asimov started his third revision of "Pilgrimage" on 1 August and finished it in a week; by now the story had increased to 18,000 words. Asimov submitted the third revision to Campbell on 8 August. Campbell was waiting for a short novel by Robert A. Heinlein
called If This Goes On— which also involved religion and revolution; if Heinlein's story was better, he would reject "Pilgrimage". As it turned out, Heinlein's story was better, and Asimov got his story back on 6 September.
When Asimov's friend and then-agent Frederik Pohl
became editor of Astonishing Stories
and Super Science Stories
later that year, Asimov submitted "Pilgrimage" to him. Pohl also rejected it, saying the ending was weak. Asimov continued trying to sell "Pilgrimage", rewriting it twice more and changing the title to "Galactic Crusade". Finally, on 15 August 1941, Asimov learned that Planet Stories
editor Malcolm Reiss was interested in the story. Following yet another rewrite, removing the religious dimension, Reiss accepted the story on 7 October 1941, running it in the Spring 1942 issue under the title "Black Friar of the Flame".
, rule a third of the galaxy, including Earth
. The rest of the galaxy is occupied by a number of independent human planets which are content to maintain the status quo. Earth is, however, the center of a cult
called Loarism, whose adherents make an annual pilgrimage there. The Loarists are content to allow the Lhasinu to rule Earth as long as their own cult is not interfered with. When the people of Earth rose up against the Lhasinu five hundred years earlier, the Loarists did not aid them, and the rebellion was crushed.
The story opens with Russell Tymball, a nationalist Earthman, gaining possession of a Lhasinuic dispatch ordering the evacuation of Earth's human population and the planet's destruction. This will deal a death-blow to Loarism, and set the stage for the Second Galactic Drive, a planned Lhasinuic offensive against the disunited human worlds of the galaxy. Tymball uses the dispatch to convince Loara Paul Kane, head of the Loarists, to join in a second Terran rebellion against the Lhasinu. When a young Loarist pilgrim named Filip Sanat discovers two Lhasinu skulking around the Memorial in New York, Earth's most sacred structure, discussing the upcoming destruction of Earth, he rushes out, rouses a crowd, and starts a riot. When the Lhasinu attempt to force their way into the Memorial to arrest Sanat, they are overcome by Tymball's rebels and a human mob. Within a day, the Lhasinu are driven from New York City, and Sanat is sent out of the Solar System to enlist the help of the other human worlds.
Six months later, the Lhasinu are closing in on Earth, while the fleets of several human worlds close in on the Lhasinu. The human alliance is close to breaking up when Sanat betrays Lunar Base to the Lhasinu, forcing the allied human fleets to fight in self-defense. The Lhasinu fleet attacking Earth is defeated. At the same time, a human fleet attacking the Lhasinuic Home Fleet in the Vega system is also victorious, and the Lhasinu are forced to surrender.
and Santanni make their first appearance in "Black Friar of the Flame". The general situation of an embattled Earth facing a vast empire is similar to that of Pebble in the Sky
, which like "Black Friar of the Flame" was based on the conflict between Judea
and the Roman Empire
. Another historical reference is the modelling of the climactic battle on the Battle of Salamis
.
The multiple rewrites the story went through turned Asimov off rewrites. Most of Asimov's subsequent stories were published as he wrote them, or after a single revision.
After its initial publication in Planet Stories, "Black Friar of the Flame" was reprinted in a 1952 magazine published by Planet Stories called Tops in Science Fiction.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
. It was first published in the Spring 1942 issue of Planet Stories
Planet Stories
Planet Stories was an American pulp science fiction magazine, published by Fiction House between 1939 and 1955. It featured interplanetary adventures, both in space and on other planets, and was initially focused on a young readership. Malcolm Reiss was editor or editor-in-chief for all of its 71...
and reprinted in the collection The Early Asimov
The Early Asimov
The Early Asimov or, Eleven Years of Trying is a 1972 collection of short stories by Isaac Asimov. Each story is accompanied by commentary by the author, who gives details about his life and his literary achievements in the period in which he wrote the story.-Contents:* "The Callistan Menace" *...
(1972). "Black Friar of the Flame" was the thirteenth story written by Asimov, and was among his least favorite, though this was due more to the multiple rewrites and rejections the story suffered than to its admittedly modest intrinsic merits.
Writing and re-writing
Asimov began work on the story, which he originally titled "Pilgrimage", on 4 March 1939. It was to be "future history", set in the far future but written as though it were a historical novel, and would take place on a galactic scale. Asimov finished the 12,600-word story and submitted it to John W. CampbellJohn W. Campbell
John Wood Campbell, Jr. was an influential figure in American science fiction. As editor of Astounding Science Fiction , from late 1937 until his death, he is generally credited with shaping the so-called Golden Age of Science Fiction.Isaac Asimov called Campbell "the most powerful force in...
on 21 March. Three days later, Asimov got the story back with a rejection slip that said, "You have a basic idea that might be made into an interesting yarn, but as it is, it is not strong enough."
Asimov was not discouraged; he had succeeded in revising his earlier story "Trends
Trends (Asimov)
Trends is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the July 1939 issue of Astounding Science Fiction and was reprinted in The Early Asimov...
" to Campbell's satisfaction, and decided he could do the same with "Pilgrimage". He brought a slightly longer revised version to Campbell on 25 April, and although Campbell wouldn't take it, he did ask for a second revision. Asimov submitted the second revision on May 9, only to have the story returned again. Campbell thought the story could still be salvaged, but he suggested that Asimov set it aside for several months and then return to it. Asimov started his third revision of "Pilgrimage" on 1 August and finished it in a week; by now the story had increased to 18,000 words. Asimov submitted the third revision to Campbell on 8 August. Campbell was waiting for a short novel by Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
called If This Goes On— which also involved religion and revolution; if Heinlein's story was better, he would reject "Pilgrimage". As it turned out, Heinlein's story was better, and Asimov got his story back on 6 September.
When Asimov's friend and then-agent Frederik Pohl
Frederik Pohl
Frederik George Pohl, Jr. is an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years — from his first published work, "Elegy to a Dead Planet: Luna" , to his most recent novel, All the Lives He Led .He won the National Book Award in 1980 for his novel Jem...
became editor of Astonishing Stories
Astonishing Stories
Astonishing Stories was an American pulp science fiction magazine, published by Popular Publications between 1940 and 1943. It was founded under Popular's "Fictioneers" imprint, which paid lower rates than Popular's other magazines. The magazine's first editor was Frederik Pohl, who also edited a...
and Super Science Stories
Super Science Stories
Super Science Stories was an American pulp science fiction magazine published by Popular Publications from 1940 and 1943, and again from 1949 to 1951. Popular launched it under their "Fictioneers" imprint, which they used for magazines paying writers less than one cent per word...
later that year, Asimov submitted "Pilgrimage" to him. Pohl also rejected it, saying the ending was weak. Asimov continued trying to sell "Pilgrimage", rewriting it twice more and changing the title to "Galactic Crusade". Finally, on 15 August 1941, Asimov learned that Planet Stories
Planet Stories
Planet Stories was an American pulp science fiction magazine, published by Fiction House between 1939 and 1955. It featured interplanetary adventures, both in space and on other planets, and was initially focused on a young readership. Malcolm Reiss was editor or editor-in-chief for all of its 71...
editor Malcolm Reiss was interested in the story. Following yet another rewrite, removing the religious dimension, Reiss accepted the story on 7 October 1941, running it in the Spring 1942 issue under the title "Black Friar of the Flame".
Plot summary
The story is set thousands of years in the future. The Lhasinu, a reptilian race native to VegaVega
Vega is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, the fifth brightest star in the night sky and the second brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus...
, rule a third of the galaxy, including Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. The rest of the galaxy is occupied by a number of independent human planets which are content to maintain the status quo. Earth is, however, the center of a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
called Loarism, whose adherents make an annual pilgrimage there. The Loarists are content to allow the Lhasinu to rule Earth as long as their own cult is not interfered with. When the people of Earth rose up against the Lhasinu five hundred years earlier, the Loarists did not aid them, and the rebellion was crushed.
The story opens with Russell Tymball, a nationalist Earthman, gaining possession of a Lhasinuic dispatch ordering the evacuation of Earth's human population and the planet's destruction. This will deal a death-blow to Loarism, and set the stage for the Second Galactic Drive, a planned Lhasinuic offensive against the disunited human worlds of the galaxy. Tymball uses the dispatch to convince Loara Paul Kane, head of the Loarists, to join in a second Terran rebellion against the Lhasinu. When a young Loarist pilgrim named Filip Sanat discovers two Lhasinu skulking around the Memorial in New York, Earth's most sacred structure, discussing the upcoming destruction of Earth, he rushes out, rouses a crowd, and starts a riot. When the Lhasinu attempt to force their way into the Memorial to arrest Sanat, they are overcome by Tymball's rebels and a human mob. Within a day, the Lhasinu are driven from New York City, and Sanat is sent out of the Solar System to enlist the help of the other human worlds.
Six months later, the Lhasinu are closing in on Earth, while the fleets of several human worlds close in on the Lhasinu. The human alliance is close to breaking up when Sanat betrays Lunar Base to the Lhasinu, forcing the allied human fleets to fight in self-defense. The Lhasinu fleet attacking Earth is defeated. At the same time, a human fleet attacking the Lhasinuic Home Fleet in the Vega system is also victorious, and the Lhasinu are forced to surrender.
Reputation
"Black Friar of the Flame" has a reputation as Asimov's worst story, based partly on Reiss' title. However, it serves as a precursor to Asimov's more successful venture into future history, the Foundation Series. The planets TrantorTrantor
Trantor is a fictional planet in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series and Empire Series of science fiction novels.Trantor was first described in a short story by Asimov appearing in Early Asimov Volume 1. Later Trantor gained prominence when the 1940s Foundation Series first appeared in print . Asimov...
and Santanni make their first appearance in "Black Friar of the Flame". The general situation of an embattled Earth facing a vast empire is similar to that of Pebble in the Sky
Pebble in the Sky
Pebble in the Sky is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, published in 1950. This work is his first novel — parts of the Foundation series had appeared from 1942 onwards, in magazines, but Foundation was not published in book form until 1951...
, which like "Black Friar of the Flame" was based on the conflict between Judea
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
and the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. Another historical reference is the modelling of the climactic battle on the Battle of Salamis
Battle of Salamis
The Battle of Salamis was fought between an Alliance of Greek city-states and the Persian Empire in September 480 BCE, in the straits between the mainland and Salamis, an island in the Saronic Gulf near Athens...
.
The multiple rewrites the story went through turned Asimov off rewrites. Most of Asimov's subsequent stories were published as he wrote them, or after a single revision.
After its initial publication in Planet Stories, "Black Friar of the Flame" was reprinted in a 1952 magazine published by Planet Stories called Tops in Science Fiction.