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| "Behold your new God and you shall call him Jesus" |
In the pursuit of my literary aspirations, despite encountering various challenges, my determination remains steadfast to immerse myself in the entire anthology of Ray Bradbury's short stories before I bid farewell to this mortal coil. Among the many treasures I've uncovered on this literary journey, "Fire Balloons" slightly misses the mark. While undoubtedly a commendable short story, it doesn't etch itself into my memory with the same indelible mark as "The Veldt," a captivating piece I had the pleasure of reviewing earlier today.
The narrative unfolds with a poignant commentary on the hubris of assuming one's understanding of the divine universe. Bradbury delves into the realms of religious discourse and philosophy, although the subject matter a little heavy-handed at times. Missionaries have travelled to Mars in a ship called The Crucifix, with the purpose of preaching the gospel to entities far beyond human comprehension. These Martians appear as ethereal globules of radiant blue light.
For the most part, I found the story quite dull, lacking a certain Bradbury-esque quality. However, it takes an intriguing turn when the two priest protagonists encounter 'The Old Ones,' that resemble fire balloons (hence, the title). This development propels the main plot into motion: the priests' ambitious quest to build a mega church, urging the Martians to seek redemption for their sins. From a colonial perspective, history repeats itself. The interplay of belief, understanding, and the instinctual drive to impose salvation upon these celestial beings underscores the theme of religious imperialism.
This was a worthwhile read but is bound to fade from my memory very quickly.
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