Re: Colonised Planet 5, Shikasta ( often shortened to Shikasta ) is a 1979 science fiction novel by British Nobel Prize in Literature-winner Doris Lessing, and is the first book in her five-book Canopus in Argos series.

The book is presented in the form of a series of reports by Canopean emissaries to Shikasta who document the planet's prehistory, its degeneration leading to the " Century of Destruction " ( the 20th century ), and the Apocalypse ( World War III ).

The story of Shikasta is retold in the third book of the Canopus series, The Sirian Experiments ( 1980 ), this time from the point of view of Sirius.

Later in the book, Shikasta is identified as Earth, or an allegorical Earth.

Shikasta was intended to be a " single self-contained book ", but as Lessing's fictional universe developed, she found she had ideas for more than just one book, and ended up writing a series of five.

The reaction of reviewers and readers to the first two books in the series, Shikasta and The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five ( 1980 ), prompted Lessing to write in the Preface to the third book, The Sirian Experiments ( 1980 ):

In the book Lessing does not state explicitly that the planet Shikasta is Earth, but many critics believe that its similarities to Earth's history make it clear that Shikasta is Earth as seen by the Canopeans.

A reviewer of the book in the Los Angeles Times said that Shikasta is a " reworking of the Bible ", and the Infinity Plus website draws parallels between the Canopeans and their emissaries, and God and his angels from the Old Testament.

Thelma J. Shinn in her book, Worlds Within Women: Myth and Mythmaking in Fantastic Literature by Women described the struggle between Canopus and Shammat, played out on Shikasta, as the " eternal struggle between good and evil ", and the " Degenerative Disease " that strikes Shikasta as a metaphor for the original sin.

New York Times reviewer George Stade said that Shikasta " forces us to think about [...] what we are, how we got that way and where we are going ", but complained that the book is filled with " false hopes ", and that the fate of humankind relies on " theosophical emanations, cosmic influences, occult powers, spiritual visitations and stellar vibrations ".

Thelma J. Shinn wrote in her book, Worlds Within Women: Myth and Mythmaking in Fantastic Literature by Women that Lessing's history of humanity in Shikasta is " pessimistic " but " convincing ".

Shikasta, and the Canopus in Argos series as a whole, fall into the category of soft science fiction (" space fiction " in Lessing's own words ) due to their focus on characterization and social and cultural issues, and the de-emphasis of science and technology.

It contains a series of reports by Canopean emissaries to the planet, extracts from the Canopean reference, History of Shikasta, and copies of letters and journals written by selected Shikastans.

In an attempt to salvage Canopus's plans for Shikasta and correct the Natives ' decline, Canopean emissaries are sent to the planet.

Shikasta represented a major shift of focus for Lessing, influenced by spiritual and mystical themes in Sufism.

It is the story of the planet Shikasta from the perspective of Canopus and is presented as a case study for " first-year students of Canopean Colonial Rule ".

The history of Shikasta is monitored by the virtually immortal Canopeans, from Rohanda's prehistory, through to Shikasta's " Century of Destruction " ( Earth's 20th century ), and into Earth's future when the Chinese occupy Europe and World War III breaks out.

Her SOWF ( Substance-Of-We-Feeling ), the " spiritual nourishment " that flows from Canopus to Shikasta, is also a word she invented with a pronunciation similar to " Sufi ".

As Rohanda degenerates into greed and conflict, the Canopeans reluctantly change its name to Shikasta ( the stricken ).

The phrase reappears in the title of the fourth film, The Return of the Pink Panther, in which the theft of the diamond is again the center of the plot.

Tenar reappears and plays a large role in the fourth book of the series, Tehanu.

King Brian is deeply saddened at Darby's wish, but grants it, but once Darby is on his way to the next world, King Brian reappears in the Death Coach and tricks Darby into making a final fourth wish (" wishing " that his friend could join him in the afterlife ).

Jill reappears in the fourth series as a pregnancy specialist ; " Moved on from therapy after your friend Jane ...".

In season three he is the cruel ruler of the Planet Fire and in the fourth season he reappears as Isambard Prince, head of the United States ' Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and secret master of the president.

In the fourth series episode " Private Plane ", Flashheart reappears as a World War I flying ace.

Game ends when that fourth King reappears.

Michelle reappears in the fourth season ( Day 4 ) in the twelfth episode as she arrives at CTU Los Angeles to replace Erin Driscoll as Director ( or Special Agent-in-Charge ).

The character reappears in the title as part of the fourth version of the Masters of Evil.

* Twilly Spree reappears in Hiaasen's newest children's book, Scat

When he reappears later in the book, it is during the story arc Destiny-Endless Nights.

Sometimes the same Tennant drawing reappears in another Dummies book with a new caption.

Lowenstein's sexual orientation reappears throughout the book and serves as one of many connections between the three main figures: both Harris and Sweeney rejected overt passes from Lowenstein ; Harris's reaction was thoughtful, empathetic, and verbal ; but Sweeney's reaction was decidedly irrational and physical and ended in murder.

He reappears as the hero of the next book, Pray Silence ( known in the US by the title Toast to Tomorrow ), which begins in the 1920s.

The suggestion reappears regularly since, e. g. in an 1883 edition of Notes and Queries and in various publications in the twentieth century, one of the most recent being Graham Hancock's book Underworld: The Mysterious Origins of Civilization.

Her political science book disappears and reappears without notice.

She then reappears at the end of the book as Caroline Louisa, Kay's new governess.

The concept that control of air traffic would lead to world government reappears in the works of H. G. Wells, most notably his 1933 book The Shape of Things to Come and its 1936 film adaptation Things to Come.

She reappears in Karen Traviss ' Revelation, which is the 8th book in the series Legacy of the Force, commanding the Maw Irregular Fleet ; this is where her first name is given.

He reappears back in 1890, and excitedly tells Anderson he will revise his book.

In the short story, the shift manager is named Berger, but when the same character reappears in the book he is only referred to as " Former Shift Manager ( Retired )".

After further encouragement from Halley, Newton went on to develop and write his book Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica ( commonly known as the Principia ) from a nucleus that can be seen in ' De Motu ' – of which nearly all of the content also reappears in the Principia.

Mrs Dane Calthrop from The Moving Finger also reappears in approximately the same role as she played in that book: the rational but devoted Christian who wants the Evil stopped.

Sometimes Baum's earlier material is reworked in his later books ; Long Ears and Tailspin's " Candy Land " reappears in his 2000 Toto book, for example.