The Cross of Fire

by Barry N. Malzberg

In the far future, it has become possible in advanced psychotherapy for a man to be given dreams as vivid as reality in which he may play any part he chooses. If that man were inclined to see his life as a struggle between good and evil, and if he were blessed with a profound sense of the black humour inherent in his situation, he might choose to play the part of Jesus, called the Christ. If he were inclined to write a book, it might be this one.

Genres: Science Fiction

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 1982

About the author

Barry Nathaniel Malzberg was an American writer and editor, most often of science fiction and fantasy.

He had also published as:
Mike Barry (thriller/suspense)
K.M. O'Donnell (science fiction/fantasy)
Mel Johnson (adult)
Howard Lee (martial arts/TV tie-ins)
Lee W. Mason (adult)
Claudine Dumas (adult)
Francine di Natale (adult)
Gerrold Watkins (adult)
Eliot B. Reston

Reviews

[iambehindu · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We are implicated in everything. We are everything. Everything that moves and breathes, streaks and sighs is part of us. And will never end.”

As most will agree about Malzberg, while he was categorized as a science fiction writer and contributed significantly to the field, he was, without a doubt, at times doing something entirely different. This novel is a prime example.

The year is 2219. Harold is a citizen of a technocratic dystopian complex. An elusive government has initiated a program in which a citizen may be submerged into a dream facilitated by sophisticated machinery (think The Dream Master by Zelazny). The machine is designed to filter out all aspirations toward the conditions of prophets, fanatics, dreamers, and malcontents—personalities that could lead to opposition against the state. Naturally, the dream machine seems to attract precisely these individuals by offering the promise of such experiences.

The machine guides the patient through visions of martyrdom and salvation that ultimately lead to a wall, demonstrating that redemption in any form from the state is impossible by design. But there is a risk: could the state unintentionally create a martyr—something or someone other than itself to be believed in?

Malzberg is without a doubt an exceptional craftsman of dialogue. I always appreciate that he spends little time on description, tending instead toward slightly ambiguous depictions of environments in his novels. The interior complexes here reminded me of those in The World Inside by Silverberg, which created a strong atmosphere for the story.

As the novel progresses, the dynamics of each vision generated by the machine begin to intensify. We dizzyingly fold through mostly Biblical-historical sequences as Harold interfaces as God and the Serpent in Eden, Moses and Aaron before the parting sea, monks in ashrams accosted by pogroms, and Job riddled with boils before his desolate land and God-denying wife. These are not stale replicants of events handed down by scripture; Malzberg gives each a new context, filled with ferociously clever insights into the nature of religious experience. As a reader, I began to feel that each momentary frame was attempting to reveal some ultimate, true, and terrible insight.

There are highly memorable interactions between God and Satan, with Malzberg presenting them as codependent—as if to say Satan is the personification of all the things God could not bear. To destroy one would be to destroy the other.

Granted, Malzberg is not for everyone. It seems I’m now one of only a few hundred readers who have likely encountered this book. In my estimation, it’s brilliant, and I can only say that I devoured it in one sitting.

“Clutched by love, I wait for lovelies bleeding. The odors of slaughter are now flowers reaching, blooming in the night.”

[Scott Nieradka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This should have been the worst book ever, but somehow it was good. There are multiple layers of fantasy and reality, the protaganist in the role of christ and other religious figures, the protaginist under going treatment and living in 2219, and the implied protaganist in the implied present, the lines between which are muddy and unclear and become increasingly dissonant as the book progresses, driving the 'narrative'. I

[Stephen Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malzberg is a fucking genius who will never get his due.

[Alex Richmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't have the religious education to fully understand every nuance of this, but I thought it was one of more unique psychological thrillers I've encountered. 23rd-century science takes on 19th-century psychological practices for a man whose psyche is reminiscent of the counterculture nihilism that wouldn't have been out of place when this novel was published. The results for our protagonist are.... not good.

Malzberg might be attempting to make some incendiary statements about the inner nature of prophets, messiahs, and God, but I think the narrative works better as a man losing his mind, disillusioned in his attempts to imitate these figures. It's beautifully written and nuanced enough that I'll be thinking about it for a while.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mature artistic endeavor into theology and philosophy via speculative fiction. Unfortunately, outside of a few lucid numinous moments it felt disconnected from the human experience and was just beautiful prose for its own sake. On it's surface this book has everything I look for, but in execution it felt like PKD if he was a greater wordsmith and lacked soul.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only author who can out Dick PKD. I agree with the other review: Malzberg is a genius who never got his due. I've read a pile of his work and never been unhappy.

[Pete · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once upon a time, I owned almost every SF book by Malzberg. I think the first book that I read by him was Beyond Apollo, and I did not like it. Later, I read The Remaking of Sigmund Freud (TROSF) and thought it was fantastic. Then I read Galaxies, and I never picked up another book by Malzberg. Additionally, I sold most of the books by him that I had, keeping only TROSF and The Cross of Fire. I just finished the latter, and I did not like it. You can read plot summaries elsewhere. Simply put, I did not understand the "why" behind the book. It is clever at times, but unpleasant. I suppose there are interesting themes such as the purpose of religion, human psychology and control by institutions. I think there are more elegant ways to explore these themes. I still intend to re-read TROSF, but I will sell The Cross of Fire.