Book Series Review: The Space Trilogy

 Summary: Out of the Silent Planet begins the adventures of the remarkable Dr. Ransom. Here, that estimable man is abducted by a megalomaniacal physicist and his accomplice and taken via spaceship to the red planet of Malacandra. The two men are in need of a human sacrifice, and Dr. Ransom would seem to fit the bill. Once on the planet, however, Ransom eludes his captors, risking his life and his chances of returning to Earth, becoming a stranger in a land that is enchanting in its difference from Earth and instructive in its similarity. First published in 1943, Out of the Silent Planet remains a mysterious and suspenseful tour de force.
  Perelandra continues the adventures of the extraordinary Dr. Ransom. Pitted against the most destructive of human weaknesses, temptation, the great man must battle evil on a new planet -- Perelandra -- when it is invaded by a dark force. Will Perelandra succumb to this malevolent being, who strives to create a new world order and who must destroy an old and beautiful civilization to do so? Or will it throw off the yoke of corruption and achieve a spiritual perfection as yet unknown to man? The outcome of Dr. Ransom's mighty struggle alone will determine the fate of this peace-loving planet.
   That Hideous Strength concludes the adventures of the matchless Dr. Ransom. The dark forces that were repulsed in Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra are massed for an assault on the planet Earth itself. Word is on the wind that the mighty wizard Merlin has come back to the land of the living after many centuries, holding the key to ultimate power for that force which can find him and bend him to its will. A sinister technocratic organization is gaining power throughout Europe with a plan to "recondition" society, and it is up to Ransom and his friends to squelch this threat by applying age-old wisdom to a new universe dominated by science. The two groups struggle to a climactic resolution that brings the Space Trilogy to a magnificent, crashing close.

Thoughts: Like most children I've read and reread The Chronicles of Narnia since...well, since I first started reading books!  From there I've gone on to read plenty of C. S. Lewis's books on theology but it wasn't until recently that I found out that one of my favorite authors wrote another fictional series, this time a sci-fi one! The series started out slow, I'll admit. Having been meant for a more mature audience than Narnia he tackles bigger questions and delves deeper into world building. I was rather bored with the first book, to be honest, but little did I realize it was just setting the stage! The second book started off very much like the first but the climax...oh the climax! It will probably always terrify me when I remember that battle (though I'm not going to give you anything more than a warning. No spoilers!)! And then...the final stage. The curtain opens, again, on a slow dull scene that...rapidly deviates from its predecessors and quickly becomes one of the most thrilling and horrific books I've ever read! While not giving anything away I will say that I might not have finished it if I hadn't desperately needed to know the end and (hopefully) gain peace of mind there! Over all, this is a fantastic series (don't let the slow parts decieve you!) and great for mature readers!

Content: While all Christian, Lewis takes his comparisons to the next level in this series and some of the scenes often get horrifying or gruesome or both. A bit of English language here, meaning D*** and the occasional other but nothing overly offensive. The biggest problem is that the last book touches (or rather, tackles) the topic of martial relations and, while remaining entirely clean and merely defining the theology of it, might not be suitable for younger readers. Still, a great and recommended read for a mature audience!