(4 of 4)
Author Daniels' title is no irrevelant literary allusion: his book tells about war in Heaven. Like Authors John Erskine, Murray Sheehan, Philip Littell, he writes in satirico-parabolic vein; unlike them he begins his story not with the creation of man but with the creation of Heaven.
Jehovah and Lucifer woke to consciousness at the same time and discovered themselves in a green-turfed paradise. As they wandered together through this finite Eden (for Heaven was bounded by an Edge, beyond it the abyss) they encountered other angels, male and female. Most of them were beautiful; they enjoyed themselves accordingly. Then Jehovah had a dream in which the Contriver of all creation spoke to him. From much brooding this dream became a vision: so religion started, and strife in Heaven. Jehovah's first two converts were not believers but served him faithfully anyhow; Lucretia loved him, Gabriel used him. They encouraged Jehovah's religious mania, finally suggested to him that he make himself God. Then came war with Lucifer and his cheerful unbelievers. Afler Lucifer's defeat Heaven was so well organized that Jehovah had nothing to do, so he amused himself by creating Earth. Meaning to compliment Gabriel (who was potbellied, puny) he made his favorite men in Gabriel's image.
"Afterward Lucretia and Gabriel laughed about it.
'He meant well,' she said. 'He is very proud of it.'
'I know,' Gabriel agreed. 'He's always reminding me of it. I wish he wouldn't.'
'He's absorbed in it,' Lucretia declared. 'He's always having floods and earth quakes and the like or listening to prayers or giving laws. It serves to keep him occupied.' "
The Author. Jonathan Daniels, 27, small, dark, quiet, "has a prejudice against all people bearing banners," sympathizes with his hero Lucifer, ideal pagan. Born in Raleigh, N. C, he is the son of Publisher Josephus Daniels, onetime (1913-21 ) Secretary of the Navy. He studied law at Columbia-University, University of North Carolina, was admitted to the bar (1923), was reporter on the Raleigh News & Observer, Washington correspondent for the News & Observer, the Winston- Salem Journal. In 1929 he went to Manhattan, became a writer for FORTUNE. Last month the Guggenheim Foundation announced that Author Daniels had been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship ($2,500 for one year abroad) to do "creative writing." Clash of Angels is his first book.
*Approximately 700,000 copies have been sold up to March 1, 1930.