Rastignac the Devil

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Farmer, Philip José, 1918-2009

Series:

Produced from Fantastic Universe May 1954.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Rastignac the Devil" by Philip José Farmer is a science fiction novel written in the mid-20th century. The story unfolds in a future where remnants of humanity, having survived an apocalyptic war, navigate complex societal dynamics on a new planet called L'Bawpfey. The main character, Jean-Jacques Rastignac, finds himself imprisoned within a tyrannical society built on oppression and manipulation through an artificial 'Skin' that controls emotions and thoughts, while he dreams of freedom and rebellion against the status quo. The opening of the novel introduces us to Rastignac, the leader of a Legal Underground in the oppressive Kingdom of L'Bawpfey, as he languishes in a dungeon, pondering his desire for true freedom and his philosophical stance advocating violence against the injustices surrounding him. Rastignac's interaction with nearby inmates reveals the tensions between different species-Humans, Ssassarors, and Amphibs-as well as the brewing societal conflict. He grapples with his distaste for the 'Skins' that imprison him and his yearning for the mythical Six Flying Stars that symbolize hope and escape. As Rastignac's thoughts on revolution intensify, the stage is set for an exploration of identity, conflict, and the quest for liberation amidst a richly imagined universe. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Notes:

Reading ease score: 82.7 (6th grade). Easy to read.

Release date is 2010-02-12