The Lamps of the Angels

"The Lamps of the Angels" by Richard Sabia is a science fiction story from the early 1960's that looks at ambition, family ties, and the conflict between staying grounded and reaching for the stars. The book follows Roberto Sanchez, an astronaut getting ready to travel to Alpha Centauri. He struggles with his mother's worries, who views space as holy and not for humans. The main focus is Roberto's relationship with his family, especially his mother, Mrs. Sanchez, who is worried about her son and believes humans shouldn't be in space. As Roberto gets ready for his important journey, the disagreement between his dreams and his mother's beliefs leads to a scary meeting with beings from another dimension, causing him to rethink everything about himself and humankind, creating a sad story about sacrifice, family loyalty, and the never-ending search for knowledge, making readers question the price of exploration.