Political Islam, World Politics and Europe

adopted in works of fiction such as in the film The Matrix or in the novels of Philip K. Dick. The next two essays look at the influence of the apocalypse on popular culture. Therese Marie Meyer analyses Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, which she describes as ‘combin[ing] the formal features of a fantasy thriller with an homage to the apocalypse in its structure and content’ (p.243). For his part, Johann Pautz writes about the American far-right and claims that ‘[f]or much of American history, post-millennial thought informed the periodic religious and civil campaigns which were intended to cleanse American culture and elevate the nation as a beacon of morality’ (p.267), e.g. the movements in favour of abolitionism or temperance. In two separate chapters, Nancy A. Schaefer and Evelyn Stiller look more closely at a series mentioned by Pautz, the Left Behind books, which despite their latent racism, anti-Semitism and anti-Catholicism, have moved from the fringes into the mainstream and become a publishing and a video game phenomenon. In the final essay, Benjamin E. Zeller explores the apocalyptic thought in UFObased religions like Heaven’s Gate, 39 of whose members committed suicide in 1997 hoping to board the Hale-Bopp comet. For many of such groups, the apocalyptic texts in the Bible describe technological events related to the coming of aliens. End of Days makes for an interesting read. Its main limitation – particularly given its all-embracing title – is its excessive focus on the Anglo-Saxon world to the detriment of other geographical areas. In addition, some of its contents – notably those about the Left Behind series – overlap. In any case, End of Days explores a topical issue from different points of view and will help the reader understand better the enduring importance of those ancient religious books for many of their fellow citizens.