Leiber, Fritz

Gather, Darkness! [Dystopian]

Norwalk, Conn: Easton Press, 1996. Color frontispiece by Jill Bauman.

No Flaws or Blemishes but minimal shelf handling; Still Gift Quality. Masterpieces of Fantasy book plate Laid-in, unused.

First published in 1943, Gather, Darkness! is a striking blend of science fiction and dark fantasy, offering a dystopian vision where religion is weaponized to control society. With its sharp critique of authoritarianism and its exploration of deception—both religious and technological—Gather, Darkness! remains a powerful and prescient work.

The novel demonstrates Leiber’s skill at atmosphere, blending elements of Gothic horror, technological manipulation, and political upheaval. Much like Orwell’s 1984 or Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, but with a more mystical aesthetic. The eerie descriptions of the floating "witches" and the shadowy resistance add a supernatural flair that, while ultimately rationalized as technology, contributes to the book’s fantastical tone.

Leiber’s storytelling is fast-paced and layered with intrigue, making excellent use of shifting perspectives, particularly through the disillusioned priest Armon Jarles and the revolutionary figure Brother Goniface. What makes the novel especially compelling is how it subverts expectations: rather than simple atheistic rebellion, the rebels use theatrical magic and superstition against the ruling clergy, creating a battle not just of ideology, but of illusion and perception. [Adapted from reviews]

Item #19946

Price: $100.00