PDF OUT OF THE SILENT PLANET Books

Product details Paperback Publisher PAN BOOKS (1980) Language German ASIN B001EDT8H8

OUT OF THE SILENT PLANET Books Reviews

• This is one of the finest books that I have read in my entire life. I read this book when I was in my late teens and at that time the entire "Cosmic Trilogy" of C.S. Lewis had a great impact on me and my spiritual life. Just recently, about forty years later, I felt a strong urge to re-read the book. This second reading was even more moving than the first time I read the book. I intend to continue reading the other two books "Perelandra" and "That Hidden Strength". C.S. Lewis had the ability to write about the fabulous and unbelievable, in other words in this trilogy about voyages to other planets and encounters with the planet's inhabitants, just like J.R.R. Tolkien had the ability to write about fairies, hobbits, elves, orcs, and such! Both men were blessed with the incredible gift of being able to write about fantastical and imaginary characters and to bring them to live in their books, and in doing so, conveying from the heart of the author to the heart of the reader the most lovely spiritual revelation. Often more can be taught through fiction than the most scholarly and academic non-fiction books. I believe this is because God is love and light, and so we need men and women who can open our hearts to the love and our minds to the light, to teach us about true reality. “Like when you sit in front of a fire in winter — you are just there in front of the fire. You don't have to be smart or anything. The fire warms you.”
  ― Desmond Tutu
• This is my favorite of the space trilogy, because Lewis uses his considerable talents to reimagine a familiar story. It's experimental and combines the mythic, the theological, the speculative, and science fiction, with some fairy tale as well, and everyday humor and political commentary. We've got a thriller, too, and artistic contemplation of the Beautiful and Pure. So much going on! I'd call this the artist's book of the three, with the first the everyday citizen's work and the third the scientist/philosopher/prophet's work. Lewis sets the ground work in Out of the Silent Planet (Space Trilogy), flies into realms of imagination with PERELANDRA, and brings it all heavily (and heavenly) home in That Hideous Strength (Space Trilogy, Book 3). You might find one title appeals to you particularly, but allow the others to stretch your imagination and speculation. The variety here is what a book series OUGHT to have, not just reiterations of the same story over and again. The three novels combine to give a story as complex as the universe we inhabit.
• I rate this book 5-stars in context as the second book of the trilogy. I wrote a 5-star Goodreads review of C. S. Lewis' entire space trilogy when I completed the 3rd book "That Hideous Strength." Here is that Goodreads review WHICH FOLLOWS
  I just finished reading all three of CS Lewis' Space Trilogy back-to-back (published in 1938, 1943, and 1945) over the past few weeks. First caution, don't start with the 3rd book in the trilogy. The trilogy is a masterpiece, but jumping into the 3rd book will seriously shortchange what you will understand if you read all three in order. Second caution, don't start with the 2nd book in the trilogy. The series geometrically builds the cast, plot, and stakes book-by-book. A shortcut only shortchanges you. That said, this magnificent trilogy builds a fictional setting of interlocking stories that culminate, in the third, by illustrating that hideous strength which Lewis later describes in the tiny prose book The Abolition of Man (1947). My interest in reading the trilogy after reading The Abolition of Man was piqued by the first of the seven (highest-quality HD) video lecture series on C. S. Lewis, all of which are presented free and streaming just google "Hillsdale College C. S. Lewis lecture one" and enjoy this incredibly generous series. For the purpose of this book review, and for your greatest enjoyment, don't go past video lecture one and its Q&A session, but go from there to read The Abolition of Man (one-hour read), then the space trilogy in order. After you're done, return to the free lecture series 2 through 7. In this order you'll maximize enjoyment of this banquet, without any spoilers.
• Most people have read and enjoyed the Narnia stories from C. S. Lewis, but the Space Trilogy is the one that I keep coming back to. The stories are more adult, and still filled with his impassioned Christianity. In part one, Out of the Silent Planet, we meet Dr. Ransom, the protagonist for the series, who is kidnapped and brought to the planet Mars. There we find that each of the planets hosts an Eldil or Angel responsible for that planet. Our planet, the silent one, no longer converses with the others because our angel is the bent one.
  
  Part two, Perelandra, re tells the Adam and Eve story, but it is part three that keeps me coming back. Part three, That Hideous Strength, is simply the best book that I have read that nobody seems to have heard of.
  
  I can heartily recommend this book or this series to anyone who likes science fiction. I'm not particularly Christian, but I can appreciate that the author is.
• Unable to put it down, which is a wonderful thing. I'm traveling Malacandra with Ransom, what an adventure and described in such vivid detail. I absolutely love the Narnia series (read it a few times), and was very much surprised when I learned about this series a week ago. No spoilers here, but if you like C.S. Lewis' other works, you'll definitely enjoy this.I'll update once I finish the series. I only wish the book I purchased was three separate books, rather it is one BIG book containing all three of the stories.Kinda challenging lugging it around on the train. The only time I can put the book down is when my train reaches my stop, far too quickly!