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Title: Out of the Silent Planet
Author: C. S. Lewis
Series: Space Trilogy
Genre: Sci-Fi
Content Warning: Some mild language
(2 / 5)
Blurb
In the first novel of C.S. Lewis’s classic science fiction trilogy, Dr Ransom, a Cambridge academic, is abducted and taken on a spaceship to the red planet of Malacandra, which he knows as Mars. His captors are plotting to plunder the planet’s treasures and plan to offer Ransom as a sacrifice to the creatures who live there. Ransom discovers he has come from the ‘silent planet’ – Earth – whose tragic story is known throughout the universe… – GoodreadsMy Thoughts
C. S. Lewis is easily one of my top 5 favorite authors, so I was excited to read something new by him. Unfortunately, this was not really my cup of tea. The plot was bogged down by lengthy descriptions of alien topography, physiology, and language lessons, and the few moments of actual movement were rather anticlimactic. It had a small bit of implied spirituality—one of the things I love most about Lewis’ work—but it was nowhere near as poignant as I usually find his work to be. I won’t be reading the rest of this trilogy. Score: (2 / 5)
4 Responses
My parents had these books when I was growing up, so I read them, but didn’t like them very well, either. Narnia is the best and some of his other adult books are good, too, such as The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce. But I agree with you Jess– I would skip the rest of the space trilogy, too. It’s an interesting example of early science fiction, but that’s all.
Agreed! Although, I did just finish The Time Machine today, and as far as classical sci-fi goes, I much preferred this one. The narrator is much more likable than Mr. Well’s Time Traveler. It almost made me bump the score on this one up half a star—almost. Haha!
I reserved Station Eleven and The Last Bookaneer at my library, so I will tell you what I think of them when I read them. 🙂 I’m hoping you will read The Passion of Dolssa and All the Truth That is In Me by Julie Berry so I can discuss them with you. Also, have you read Seraphina by Rachel Hartman or The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly? How is your own book coming? So many good books out there! Love you, Jess!
I just looked up the blurbs for all of the books you recommended, and they sound really good! I have added them to my To Read list, and I’ll have to see if my library has them. I have read Seraphina and really enjoyed it. I’d like to read the other two books as well.
My own book is coming along, but slowly, as usual. Someday, it will be finished. Someday…