Saknarth

"Saknarth" by Millard Verne Gordon is a science fiction novella published in the early 1940s. The narrative centers on themes of enlightenment versus oppression, as it explores the life of Saknarth, a Master Astrologer who grapples with the tension between his understanding of the cosmos and the constraints imposed by the ruling priesthood. The story unfolds on Mars, capturing the struggle between knowledge and ignorance within a society that fears the power of learning. The plot follows Saknarth, who recalls a critical prophecy given to him by Kwarit during his youth. As he prepares horoscopes for the Emperor, he becomes increasingly aware of the oppressive nature of the priesthood, which stifles knowledge and enforces superstition. Intrigued by Kwarit's claims of lights on the Morning Star, he sneaks into the Imperial Museum to gaze through a forbidden telescope, discovering evidence of civilization on a nearby planet. Realizing the implications of his findings, he writes a manifesto urging rebellion against the priestly elite. However, he is quickly apprehended and sentenced to execution, yet he finds solace in having shared his revolutionary message just before his fate is sealed. The story illustrates the importance of knowledge and the courage required to challenge authoritarian rule. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Donald Allen Wollheim was an American science fiction editor, publisher, writer, and fan. As an author, he published under his own name as well as under pseudonyms, including David Grinnell, Martin Pearson, and Darrell G. Raynor. A founding member of the Futurians, he was a leading influence on science fiction development and fandom in the 20th-century United States. Ursula K. Le Guin called Wollheim "the tough, reliable editor of Ace Books, in the Late Pulpalignean Era, 1966 and '67", which is when he published her first two novels in Ace Double editions.