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Submitted by Ryan Robledo 
(Jul 02, 2008)

The Space Trilogy is a fine demonstration of the genius of C.S. Lewis. Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength are tightly bound to each other--yet in a unique fashion.
Out of the Silent Planet is the first book of the series, and serves as an intriguing and delightful opening to the interplanetary societies of the Space Trilogy. Ransom, the protagonist of the story, is a Christian philologist who gets mixed up with two men in contact with extraterrestrials, and is himself taken against his will to another planet. The beauty of this book--and the entire trilogy--is that although it is the descriptions are far from wordy, they create such imagery that the reader actually feels like he is part of the story. Absolutely concrete nouns and vivid verbs throughout the entirety of the story. The dialogue also is realistic and entertaining.
Peralandra is even better. Now I do not want to ruin the story for anyone who has not yet read this book, and so I will not describe the story too much, but it is an absolute masterpiece. It involves another planet different from the one dealt with in Out of the Silent Planet. You feel the warmth of the planet’s air, the coolness of its water. You taste the fruit. You see the blazing sky. And amid all of this, there is an amazing tale, one that is another take on the tempter and the Garden of Eden. It delves into the nature of sin itself, and how to conquer it. Like most of Lewis’s works, it cuts straight to your soul.
Finally, we come to the final installment of the series--That Hideous Strength. Its name embodies its nature. This book deals with the evils of totalitarian political systems, and the motives behind such government. It deals with sorcery in modern times, and contact with the servants of the Enemy. It is terrifying in its implications, intimidating in its stature, intriguing in its mystery, and captivating in its entirety. In my opinion, this is the best book of the trilogy, and perhaps C.S. Lewis’s finest achievement in the world of fiction.
So there you have it. This is a science-fiction series unparalleled in the world today. It is an enduring classic, hard as diamond, cold as ice, hot has the subterranean fire, sharp as the surgeon‘s scalpel. While time lasts, it always will be so.


----Ryan Robledo,

CS Lewis has always been one of my favorite authors, ever since my mother read me to sleep with the Chronicles of Narnia as a child.  When I grew up, I rediscovered Lewis, and after perusing the Narnia books again, I turned to some of his more difficult and rewarding literature.  The space trilogy, as far as a work of Science Fiction goes, has some very interesting concepts, but it is the spiritual depth to which Lewis plunges that is the true mastery of the work.  The spiritual meaning is woven seamlessly into the action without stopping the narrative to simply preach; Lewis takes a holistic approach that embraces Christianity not as a mere religion but rather as a state of being, a framework of thought through which reality can be seen and understood.  The character of Ransom is well developed until the third book, in which he drops out of the picture for the first half but reenters to finish the work in a fairly satisfying manner.  The villains are portrayed with subtle and humorous wit, and unlike many villains lack any nobility at all, as Lewis is attempting to convey their complete spiritual depravity.  A good read, more difficult than Tolkien or Williams, but worth the time just to see the amazing logic he works into it all.