The Gods Themselves

The Gods Themselves is a 1972 science fiction novel written by Isaac Asimov. It won the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1972, and the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1973.

The book is divided into three main parts, originally published in Galaxy Magazine and Worlds of If as three consecutive stories. The book opens at chapter 6, segments of which appear between chapters as the narrative proceeds through chapters 1 to 5. In effect, chapters 1 to 5 are flashbacks in the narrative of chapter 6, giving the history leading up to the present time of chapter 6. Chapter 6 then concludes, and the story proceeds with chapter 7.

Plot summary

The main plot-line is a project by aliens who inhabit a parallel universe (the para-Universe) with different physical laws from this one. By exchanging matter with Earth, they seek to exploit these differences in physical laws. The exchange of matter provides an alternative source of energy in their dying Universe. However, the exchange of physical laws will have the ultimate result of turning the Earth's Sun into a supernova, and possibly even turning a large part of the Milky Way into a quasar which, in turn, provides more energy for the para-Universe.

Gods (disambiguation)

Gods or deities are beings with superhuman powers or qualities who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred.

Gods may also refer to:

See also

The gods (theatrical)

The gods (UK English), or sometimes paradise, is a theatrical term, referring to the highest areas of a theatre such as the upper balconies. These are generally the cheapest seats. One reason for naming the cheapest seats "the gods" is because the theatres have beautifully painted ceilings, often mythological themes, so the cheap seats are up near the gods. Another is that those seated in "the gods" look down upon both the players and the occupants of more expensive seats, like the Olympian Gods looking down from Mount Olympus upon the lives of mortal men and women.

There are references to the "gods" in many plays and films. Among them is the famous French film, Les Enfants du Paradis (or Children of Paradise in its US release), which is described as "set in the teeming theatre district of 1840s Paris (the "boulevard du crime"), the paradise of the film's title is a reference to "the gods", the highest, cheapest seats in the theatre, occupied by the poorest of the poor. As the well-known 1930s-and-later screenwriter Jacques Prévert said when asked about the meaning of the title, "it refers to the actors (...) and the audiences too, the good-natured, working-class audience".

The Gods (band)

The Gods were an English group founded in 1965. The original bandmembers included Greg Lake, later of King Crimson fame, Mick Taylor (later with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and the Rolling Stones), Brian Glascock, and his brother John (later with Jethro Tull), future Uriah Heep members, keyboardist Ken Hensley and Lee Kerslake on drums, and Joe Konas.

Career

Taylor, Glascock and Glascock were schoolmates from Hatfield and had been playing together as The Juniors (or The Strangers), a band they formed in 1962. Also part of this band were Malcolm Collins and Alan Shacklock. They eventually signed with EMI / Columbia Records. Their first 7" single (Columbia DB7339) appeared in 1964 ("There's a Pretty Girl"/"Pocket Size"). In 1965, the line-up changed. Mick Taylor continued to play guitar and teamed up with Hensley (organ/vocals). They also added Konas (guitar/vocals) and changed their name to "The Gods".

In 1966, The Gods opened for Cream at the Starlite Ballroom in Wembley, London. A single (Come On Down To My Boat Baby/Garage Man) was recorded in early 1967 on Polydor Records. At this point the line-up included Mick Taylor, Ken Hensley, John Glascock, Joe Konas and Lee Kerslake.