Firegod

"Firegod" by William Scarff is a science fiction novel written in the mid-20th century. The story revolves around themes of power, deception, and the allure of godhood, exploring how ambition can lead to a person's downfall and the disconnect between perception and reality. The narrative follows D'hai Merssu, who rises from being a revolutionary to the Emperor of All the Suns. As he grapples with rebellion within his empire from Earthmen, Merssu concocts a plan to escape and establish himself as a god on a primitive planet. He travels through hyperspace to bring civilization to a new world while simultaneously setting himself up to be worshipped. However, upon his return, he discovers that his plan has backfired as the inhabitants do not recognize him as the divine being he sought to become. Ultimately, despite his grand ambitions, he is rejected and killed, leaving behind a legacy of worship that persists in his absence, illustrating the ironic nature of seeking divinity through deception. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Algirdas Jonas "Algis" Budrys was a Lithuanian-American science fiction author, editor and critic. He was also known under the pen names Frank Mason, Alger Rome in collaboration with Jerome Bixby, John A. Sentry, William Scarff and Paul Janvier. In 1960 he wrote Rogue Moon, a novel. In the 1990s he was the publisher and editor of the science-fiction magazine Tomorrow Speculative Fiction.