With a title like Project Pope, I was expecting Simak to craft an intriguing science fiction tale. Certainly, in the end there are some very interesting aspects that the author broaches. However, I was quite disappointed that there wasn't a substantial, in-depth discussion on any religious principles. I thought that the book would cover how machines approach religion, and more adequately peruse questions like, "Do robots have a soul?" and "Are robots capable of love, and if not, can they truly practice faith without love?" However, in the end, a good portion of Project Pope just boiled down to religion vs. science. Sadly, this is the route that most science fiction authors seem to take in the end. The humanistic potential of machines seems to go largely unexplored, outside of a few authors (like Asimov).However, there were some very entertaining parts of the book. I felt that different alien intelligences were written quite well; and a collection of motley people that can see into other places and times was certainly an attention grabber. The aspects of world-crossing reminded me of Asimov's classic The Gods Themselves. All in all, Project Pope isn't up there with Simak's best work. But it's not a bad read at all, really. And not many people can say that they've read a book exactly like this one.Courtesy of http://blasterboltsgalaxylore.blogspo...
My science-addled brain cannot handle too much serious reading these days, but good scifi like this is okay. This is another case of "don't judge a book by its cover (or title)", which is especially true of speculative science fiction. This book offers some interesting speculation on the nature of religion and its relation to actual information. It is set about 1,000 or so years after sentient robots have decided to create a universal religion by gathering information and putting it into a supercomputer, which is their "pope". I like that books such as this use plot devices like sentient robots and space travel as background and then go on to develop interesting ideas, not hindered by the constraints we live under. This makes room for a lot of speculation.My complaints are that some of the social interactions are predictable and the ending is weaker than I would have liked. This is often the case with this genre, I'm afraid. Thus I only give it 3 stars.But all-in-all, if you are looking for some mindful entertainment that is light but not stupid, this one is good.
Do You like book Project Pope (1982)?
Questo romanzo è ambientato in un pianeta ai confini della galassia, colonizzato da robot senzienti che vi hanno fondato Vatican-17, una loro personale rivisitazione di cristianesimo atta alla ricerca della verità ultima, piuttosto che a una fede cieca e immobile. Su questo pianeta, arrivano i nostri protagonisti, per ragioni diverse, ma si ritrovano irrimediabilmente affascinati dalla ricerca della verità perseguita dai robot... Robot: CheckEsseri alieni NON antropomorfi: check Esseri alieni antropomorfi: checkUmani: checkParadiso: Beh... diciamo che c'è anche quello, in un certo senso :D
—Manua
Simak's books have such a gentle folksy voice, as if Prairie Home Companion decided to write science fiction. In Project Pope a group of robots have started a research project Vatican-17 to synthesize a single true religion, but over the centuries the research has grown in importance while the religious side has become, not exactly less important but less urgent. Then one of the human psychic researchers claims she has found heaven, threatening a schism between the more and less fervent factions of the robots. It is a simple science fiction, showing the universe as strange and wonderful and that good-hearted people can come out on top without the need to murder thousands of aliens. Not a bad message.
—Mark
This novel is set in the far future where sentient robots live an equals alongside their human creators. On an planet named End of Nothing near the edge of the galaxy, a joint human-robot society called Vatican-17 has striven for centuries to create an artificial intelligence with the knowledge, wisdom, and infallibility approaching that of a Deity. The story follows a human medical doctor arriving at End of Nothing to serve as Vatican-17's new physician. He encounters not only the computerized Pope, but also a woman journalist intent of sharing the news of Vatican-17's achievement with the rest of the civilized galaxy. While set in the science fiction genre, this book also reaches into the realms of religious philosophy and science fantasy. For me, the most interesting aspect of this novel is its description of a bizarre race of sentient beings who communicate via mathematical equations.
—David C. Mueller
