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That Leviathan, Whom Thou Hast Made
"That Leviathan, Whom Thou Hast Made" won the 2010 Nebula Award for Best Novelette, awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and is a nominee for the Hugo Award for Best Novelette, awarded at the World Science Fiction Convention. The story was originally published in the September 2010 issue of Analog Science Fiction & Fact.
Harry Malan is the president of a Mormon congregation on a station in the center of the Sun, where humans interact with "swales"--gigantic star-dwelling plasma beings. When a Mormon swale has a problem, Harry is determined to resolve it, even if it means confronting Leviathan, the largest swale.
Harry Malan is the president of a Mormon congregation on a station in the center of the Sun, where humans interact with "swales"--gigantic star-dwelling plasma beings. When a Mormon swale has a problem, Harry is determined to resolve it, even if it means confronting Leviathan, the largest swale.
31 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 25, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
February 7, 2012
This is a story about mormon space whales who live in the middle of the sun. It's clearly either a big winner or a big loser. And by “space whales,” I mean “swales,” which is the actual, incredibly creative term for these alien beings.
A human congregational leader moves to this base in the center of the sun (not my ideal prowling grounds, but whatever), where he has to get to know this new congregation that's about 33% alien space whale. He has to reconcile his understanding of Mormon doctrine with the reality of an alien species that has three different genders instead of two, and basically has its own millenia-old God that created them all – who's actually physically there, bossing all the swales around. This enormous alien space whale is creatively named Leviathan.
The branch president, the main character, goes to confront Leviathan and tell him to keep the swales from raping his congregation (which is apparently “totally cool, brah” in swale culture). Scriptural comparisons abound, skeptical characters skepticize (skepticulate?), space whales wave tendrils of light – all essential elements of a successful novelette, I suppose.
It's a fairly non-invasive primer of some basic Mormon beliefs, but this story is less about Mormonism and a lot more about having faith in an all-powerful God in the face of an all-powerful alien space whale.
I find that science fiction is actually more likely to deal with the concepts of faith and God than most other genres, despite the fact that it's got the word “science” right there in its title. It's probably because faith and science are kind of locked in a relationship (whatever you believe that relationship to be), whereas you're not very likely to have your heroine considering the implications of faith while heaving her bosom into her time-traveling caveman lover's embrace.
I'm all about stories that deal with issues of faith, doubt, religion, science, and space whale reproduction. This is probably why I enjoyed the TV series Lost so much. These stories start off with science, and end up pointing to or looking at God, with the optional detour down Space Whale Avenue. “Leviathan” takes that detour, and we are all the better for it.
(Oh, yeah. ZERO ROBOTS.)
A human congregational leader moves to this base in the center of the sun (not my ideal prowling grounds, but whatever), where he has to get to know this new congregation that's about 33% alien space whale. He has to reconcile his understanding of Mormon doctrine with the reality of an alien species that has three different genders instead of two, and basically has its own millenia-old God that created them all – who's actually physically there, bossing all the swales around. This enormous alien space whale is creatively named Leviathan.
The branch president, the main character, goes to confront Leviathan and tell him to keep the swales from raping his congregation (which is apparently “totally cool, brah” in swale culture). Scriptural comparisons abound, skeptical characters skepticize (skepticulate?), space whales wave tendrils of light – all essential elements of a successful novelette, I suppose.
It's a fairly non-invasive primer of some basic Mormon beliefs, but this story is less about Mormonism and a lot more about having faith in an all-powerful God in the face of an all-powerful alien space whale.
I find that science fiction is actually more likely to deal with the concepts of faith and God than most other genres, despite the fact that it's got the word “science” right there in its title. It's probably because faith and science are kind of locked in a relationship (whatever you believe that relationship to be), whereas you're not very likely to have your heroine considering the implications of faith while heaving her bosom into her time-traveling caveman lover's embrace.
I'm all about stories that deal with issues of faith, doubt, religion, science, and space whale reproduction. This is probably why I enjoyed the TV series Lost so much. These stories start off with science, and end up pointing to or looking at God, with the optional detour down Space Whale Avenue. “Leviathan” takes that detour, and we are all the better for it.
(Oh, yeah. ZERO ROBOTS.)
June 28, 2011
Often, you will find in Science Fiction stories that attempt to change the readers' mind about some profound thing, such as religion, but often those stories will be written by people not of that community.
This story is not like that.
Written by a Mormon about a Mormon, it makes no apologies about being a story about a Mormon, and therein lies its strength. It is not a story in which a Mormon loses faith or sees the light. It's a story in which the characters stay true to themselves. It's a story about the amusing consequences of mission work (in space, with really, really cool aliens). If you want, you can draw some amusing parellels with missionary work by early Europeans, but that's not mandatory.
It's a great story about a world and a religion about which I, not being religious at all, know very little. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This story is not like that.
Written by a Mormon about a Mormon, it makes no apologies about being a story about a Mormon, and therein lies its strength. It is not a story in which a Mormon loses faith or sees the light. It's a story in which the characters stay true to themselves. It's a story about the amusing consequences of mission work (in space, with really, really cool aliens). If you want, you can draw some amusing parellels with missionary work by early Europeans, but that's not mandatory.
It's a great story about a world and a religion about which I, not being religious at all, know very little. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
November 12, 2015
Science Fiction short stories tend to be too short I find. This one struggled not to be a Mormon morality tale and seemed to fail.
March 15, 2016
I had heard that this was a really awful story. So I read it myself to see. It's not bad. It's what we in the religious studies field call "apologetics". Not in the sense of apologizing but in the sense of defending a position.
This is a story about a Mormon missionary to an alien race successfully defending his congregation members from a crime that is not considered a crime in their culture.
My problem with the story is that it is spiritually uplifting (if you happen to be Mormon) but very intellectually thin. I like my stories to have a bit more meat and heft. The characters have no depth and even though their lives are at stake I never felt particularly moved by their plight.
It was all very superficial.
This is a story about a Mormon missionary to an alien race successfully defending his congregation members from a crime that is not considered a crime in their culture.
My problem with the story is that it is spiritually uplifting (if you happen to be Mormon) but very intellectually thin. I like my stories to have a bit more meat and heft. The characters have no depth and even though their lives are at stake I never felt particularly moved by their plight.
It was all very superficial.
June 14, 2011
I really enjoyed this novelette. I thought the topic of religion (in this case, the LDS faith) was handled well and worked in the context of the story. It wasn't preachy, but more part of the setting (as the main character was a leader of a local congregation).
I also really liked the swales (the aliens in the story). They were quite alien, and well developed.
I should mention this story won a 2011 Nebula Award and is up for a Hugo as well. It's well worth the $1.00 on the Kindle
I also really liked the swales (the aliens in the story). They were quite alien, and well developed.
I should mention this story won a 2011 Nebula Award and is up for a Hugo as well. It's well worth the $1.00 on the Kindle
June 9, 2017
When I originally read this, I considered it to be a 3-star story. It was too earnest for me - really, I suppose, too Mormon. (I am Mormon.) Its earnest Mormon-ness made me squirm. But then, a few days later, I participated in a discussion of this story with a Jewish group, and they pointed out things that I had missed by being to close to the culture in the story - specifically, the incredible power of self-sacrifice. Definitely changed how I saw the story. It is indeed a solid 4-star story.
July 21, 2020
"What would be the point of life if God solved all my problems," Harry Malan. A fitting end for a marvelous short story. Leviathan is a story about humans and solcetaceans and neuters. It's a story about God--about religion--about creatures billions of years old. It's a story about vales. It's about conflicting values of different species and how they collide. Maybe it's a story about the clashing of moral values between various beliefs of our own cultures and religions and institutions. Most of all It's about changing the world through compassion instead of violence.
March 17, 2021
I usually don't read short stories so I didn't know what to expect. I love the questions it brings up about faith and interfering with others. as well as who to worship. These questions made me hooked.
July 29, 2022
The number of times I’ve read or seen any fiction where the LDS character is not a caricature is literally zero until this short story. Yes, there is some humor and simplification, but it is endearing and not mocking. Creative storytelling.
June 16, 2019
Mormon missionary interferes with culture of ancient aliens.
June 15, 2013
Originally Published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact in September of 2010.
Winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novelette.
Nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novelette.
I found this unique science fiction short story by Eric James Stone with my kindle, one of those happy accidents you sometimes get when you surf around on Amazon.
The story is about a funds manager for CitiAmerica who is stationed at the sun. Actually, just inside of the sun (but not too far in, that would be dangerous!). Stars are used to create interstellar portals - those portals require so much energy that only stars can provide them. So, our fund manager, Harry Stein, is located at the sun because he gets the news from other systems about eight-and-a-half minutes before funds managers on Earth (news can only travel as fast as the speed of light).
Harry is a Mormon and is the "branch president" of the Sol Central Mormon congregation. He has six human members and forty-six swale members. Swales are very large plasma life forms that live in stars and have been travelling from star to star for a hundred thousand years. Swales live hundreds of years and the younger swales have an interest in humans and, apparently, Mormonism
A swale member approaches Stein and asks for help with a situation. This swale has been forced to have sex with another swale. Humans would call it rape. Swales have no such concept. As Stein starts talking to human experts he finds that he must talk to Leviathan, the oldest and biggest swale of all...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/...
Winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novelette.
Nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novelette.
I found this unique science fiction short story by Eric James Stone with my kindle, one of those happy accidents you sometimes get when you surf around on Amazon.
The story is about a funds manager for CitiAmerica who is stationed at the sun. Actually, just inside of the sun (but not too far in, that would be dangerous!). Stars are used to create interstellar portals - those portals require so much energy that only stars can provide them. So, our fund manager, Harry Stein, is located at the sun because he gets the news from other systems about eight-and-a-half minutes before funds managers on Earth (news can only travel as fast as the speed of light).
Harry is a Mormon and is the "branch president" of the Sol Central Mormon congregation. He has six human members and forty-six swale members. Swales are very large plasma life forms that live in stars and have been travelling from star to star for a hundred thousand years. Swales live hundreds of years and the younger swales have an interest in humans and, apparently, Mormonism
A swale member approaches Stein and asks for help with a situation. This swale has been forced to have sex with another swale. Humans would call it rape. Swales have no such concept. As Stein starts talking to human experts he finds that he must talk to Leviathan, the oldest and biggest swale of all...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/...
March 10, 2012
This novella took me completely by surprise. Immediately, I was caught up in the author's description of common Mormon experiences--although related to a futuristic society--such as, his speaking in church since he was eight years old, this branch of six "human members, including me and two missionaries," his calling as branch president in a society near the sun, followed by the introduction of swale members, "beings made of plasma," three gender personages who couldn't meet in the chapel because of their size and their "magnetic force-lines." When Harry Milan, the young branch president, is confronted by a moral problem of swale Neuter Kimball, he has to face the female "god" of the swales, and the analogy between past/current Mormonism and a futuristic Mormonism falls into place. I liked the use of both Biblical and Book of Mormon scriptures that unite the ideas in giving up one's life for the Gospel cause (swale Neuter Kimball), in the effects of love in order to save the life of a swale (President Milan), and finally, in the admittance of the swale God that "almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." I have not been able to get this thought-provoking story out of my mind.
August 23, 2013
I picked up this story primarily because I wanted to see how a Mormon author handled LDS characterizations and portrayals in a way that successfully resonates beyond the scope of an LDS audience.
I really enjoyed this story and found it satisfying that, in the end, each of the characters with different points of view retained their points of view and agreed to disagree. It wasn't preachy at all, just very, very genuine characters that believe what they believe and act as perfect foils for each other in the process. I also thought the sci-fi elements were extremely creative and enjoyed the dynamic of bringing another sentient species with a very different "culture" and physiology into the equation for LDS theology to handle. While the LDS elements provided the main backdrop for this story, the main conflicts were universal rather than LDS-specific. And the swales were really fun aliens. It was an enjoyable read.
I also enjoyed this story because it was a short read and easy to get through in one sitting (I have a short reading attention span sometimes). ;-)
Highly recommended.
I really enjoyed this story and found it satisfying that, in the end, each of the characters with different points of view retained their points of view and agreed to disagree. It wasn't preachy at all, just very, very genuine characters that believe what they believe and act as perfect foils for each other in the process. I also thought the sci-fi elements were extremely creative and enjoyed the dynamic of bringing another sentient species with a very different "culture" and physiology into the equation for LDS theology to handle. While the LDS elements provided the main backdrop for this story, the main conflicts were universal rather than LDS-specific. And the swales were really fun aliens. It was an enjoyable read.
I also enjoyed this story because it was a short read and easy to get through in one sitting (I have a short reading attention span sometimes). ;-)
Highly recommended.
August 9, 2012
I've never been a fan of short stories, but this one was decidedly fascinating because it felt more like one of the historical "first contact" documents I study for my Early Modern Europe/Colonial America/Exploration & First Contact classes--each culture KNOWS they're superior to the other (and in many ways are right), but eventually has to make significant changes in its worldviews to accommodate the others' existence. But instead of the French and Indians trying to figure each other out, there's a sentient, non-human, ancient race that human religions and doctrines have to accommodate (kind of like back when Europe realized there was an ENTIRE CONTINENT not mentioned in the Bible--where did Native Americans come from, if not Adam?) Very fun story.
September 17, 2013
Good short story. Had alot of undertones and philosophical implications regarding the LDS and the Mormon church in general, although you would have to know quite a bit about them to see deep down what points the author was trying to make and what he was trying to get both Mormons and non-Mormons alike to think about. I am definitely not Mormon. However, I understand alot of the stigmas that have plagued them over the years and continue to do so.
I could go on an entire dissertation on this 22 page short story, but I will just leave it at that.
This book won a Hugo a couple years ago, and for the most part, the Hugo's are pretty dependable.
I could go on an entire dissertation on this 22 page short story, but I will just leave it at that.
This book won a Hugo a couple years ago, and for the most part, the Hugo's are pretty dependable.
September 27, 2011
While the relationship between the Mormon Branch President and the Scientist was a bit contrived and took away from the story, the ideas of what would happen when a sci-fi universe meets modern religions (and how modern religions have to deal) is fascinating. I wish there was more in this book, honestly, but what was there was very thought provoking. I'd love to see a full novel or novella dealing with the issues presented in this story (human religion amongst aliens, preaching God to beings older than an entire race itself, etc.).
November 16, 2011
This story was fantastic. I was hooked right from the start and didn't put it down until I was done, which didn't take long anyway. It was very well written and handled the religion topic very well, even showing us that men of the church are just regular folks. I loved this story very much and I highly suggest anyone interested in this genre take an hour or two and read this. You won't regret it.
November 17, 2011
Wow. What a book! Although That Leviathan, Whom Thou Hast Made is a novella, it does a great job of setting up a whole new world. It is one of the most imaginative books I've read in a long time. It doesn't take long to read. If you have a few minutes, it's worth spending the time to acquaint yourself with Eric Stone's creative genius.
May 21, 2011
A short story about the president of a branch of the LDS church on a space station inside the core of the sun and his interaction with the strange culture of recent alien converts. Do I really need to justify my four-star rating any further?
May 31, 2011
A believable, somewhat insecure LDS character, with LDS beliefs and culture being central to the problem and the solution of a science fiction story without glorifying the religion, yet still being positive. Awesome.
November 28, 2011
A really neat short story about religion in the future, in a way. About one's position in the universe. About how beliefs may be in severe conflict if we ever meet an alien race. About a whole bunch of things. A small story with a lot to think about, extremely well done.
January 5, 2013
A Mormon missionary at a solar research station has his faith tested by an ancient race of alien beings. An interesting discussion of the role of religion in the development of human and alien thinking.
December 4, 2014
For a short novelette, I feel this definitely was worth it. You get a good glimpse into characters and some fun ideas and suspense. My favorite thing had to be how complete the setting felt, even with so little time to develop it.
May 25, 2011
Picked this up and read it on the same day. I haven't done that for any type of story in more than 15 years. I loved this story.
June 14, 2011
Entertaning, clever, thought-provoking read. Especially for people familiar with the LDS Church.
June 15, 2011
Simply magnificent and clever.
February 6, 2012
I downloaded this free to my I-phone. I thought it was a cleverly written short story. I enjoyed this quick read.
September 9, 2016
I found this utterly forgettable. Hm.
April 30, 2014
This short story was the best melding of science fiction and an LDS setting that I've seen in a long time. Quite enjoyable.
November 11, 2021
Religious wishful thinking at its best.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews