Genre
Science Fiction
Setting and Context
Earth in the 26th, 32nd, and 38th centuries.
Narrator and Point of View
The story is told from by a third person semi-omniscient narrator.
Tone and Mood
The mood of the novel is largely pensive and fearful due to the premise that much of humanity's knowledge and technology has been wiped out by war.
Protagonist and Antagonist
There is a new protagonist and antagonist in each section. In Fiat Homo, the protagonist is Brother Francis Gerard of the Order; the antagonists are the subhumans that kill Brother Francis. In Fiat Lux, the protagonist is Thon Taddeo but Hannegan is also an antihero; the antagonist is the church's representative in Texarkana, Monsignor Apollo. In Fiat Voluntas Tua, the protagonist is Abbot Zerchi of the Order; the antagonists are the warring superpowers of the Atlantic Confederacy and the Asian Coalition.
Major Conflict
There are three major conflicts in the novel with one happening in each of the sections. The first conflict occurs when Brother Francis is robbed and later killed by a group of subhuman mutants. The second conflict occurs when Apollo, the church's representative in Texarkana, finds out of Hannegan's plans to begin a warring campaign and is executed for informing the Pope of these plans. The third conflict occurs when the Atlantic Confederacy and the Asian Coalition end up starting a nuclear war.
Climax
The first two sections set up for the climax that occurs later in the third and final section. This climax occurs when the Atlantic Confederacy and the Asian Coalition begin using nuclear bombs and Zerchi is trapped in the crossfire. The ends up leading to his death.
Foreshadowing
The Flame Deluge foreshadows that later nuclear war that will occur in the third section due to humanity's tendency to let history repeat itself.
Understatement
The significance of the Order is often understated in the novel. The Order acts in service to all of humanity but is often relegated to the sidelines by many of the antagonists.
Allusions
The execution of Apollo and excommunication of Hannegan by the Church alludes to the constant conflict and separation between the Church and the State.
Imagery
N/A
Paradox
The group of mutant subhumans that kills Brother Francis is ironically named "The Pope's Children" due to the fact that they end up being the ones who end up killing one of the members of the Order.
Parallelism
The conflicts in the three sections are all parallels for each other.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
The Church is often referred to simply as New Rome.
Personification
N/A
