Book Review, Perelandra by C.S.Lewis

Synopsis

It's been several years since Professor Ransom visited Mars and he's still in contact with the spiritual forces he encountered there. By some supernatural means, not made entirely clear to us, he learns that his next mission will be to Perelandra (Venus) and he is promptly transported there in an alien vehicle. On arrival, he finds Perelandra consists entirely of sea and moving islands. The islands are made mostly of vegetation and trees that is except for one small island the "Fixed Land". Ransom is alone for two Perelandra days (46 earth hours) until he eventually encounters a beautiful women, Tinidril, who is naked. Incidentally, Ransom is also naked (a strange requirement of traveling in the alien vehicle) but despite these circumstances he feels no lust or sexual desires for Tinidril, nor she for him. Ransom realises that Tinidril is a new a kind of Eve and Perelandra a new kind of Eden. The purpose of his mission is to stop Weston (evil scientist from the first book), who arrives on the planet a little later, from tempting Tinidril to sleep on the "Fixed Land" something she has been forbidden to do by Maledil (God basically). Ransom soon finds himself competing for the soul of Tinidril with Weston, possessed by the Devil himself.

Comment

Perelandra, the second book of Lewis' Space Trilogy, is a little better than the first. Lewis' descriptions of the alien planet are still difficult to visualise but much easier to grasp than those he gave of Mars in his first book. Ransom's arrival on Perelandra is exciting, described in terms of a roller coaster ride on strange alien waves the size of Sky scrapers. Tinidril, the Eve of Venus, is endearing enough but her apparent ignorance of just about everything is a little frustrating. She doesn't make for great dialogue with Ransom. The story picks up when Weston arrives though. Lewis' descriptions of Weston's demon possession and ultimate Devil possession are truly chilling. The book dips a little towards the end again, when the Adam of Perelandra finally shows up. Lewis attempts to describe some kind of cosmic romantic reunion, he writes it like he's having a vision and it's a bit hard to follow what's going on.

Worth it?

If you're a C.S.Lewis fan and you've read the first installment then definitely worth it.

Useful for preaching?

I think there's about a 10% chance of me ever referring to this book in a preach.

What Others Say?

Amazon: 4.5/5 (89 customer reviews)

Christianity Today: "In a harrowing scene from his science fiction novel Perelandra, the protagonist, Prof. Elwin Ransom, battles a mad scientist horribly disfigured by his lust for power. Lewis writes: "What was before him appeared no longer a creature of corrupted will. It was corruption itself to which will was attached only as an instrument." It was the tragedy of human nature to have the free will to choose, and to choose evil."

If you enjoyed this review, why not use the amazon link at the side of this page? The Christian Review will receive a percentage of the proceeds. Thank you!

Book Review, Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis

Synopsis

While walking in the English countryside, Professor Ransom loses his way and stumbles across two scientists attempting to force a small boy into a space craft. Ransom tries to intervene and finds himself being apprehended in the boy's place. While in the spaceship, Ransom overhears that he is to be offered to something or someone as a kind of sacrifice. When the two scientists (Weston and Devine) and Ransom land on their destination (the planet Mars) Ransom makes his escape. Ransom is left to run through the strange wildernesses of Mars while the two scientists hunt him, prepared to kill anyone or anything that gets in their way.

Comment

I was delighted to learn that Lewis had written a science fiction trilogy and wasted no time in tracking them down, since I'm such a fan of a lot of his other books: The Narnia series, The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity and The Great Divorce. Out of the Silent Planet is the first in his Cosmic Trilogy being followed by Perelandra and That Hideous Strength (reveiws on both to follow soon). I will start by saying that this was an enjoyable book to read. Particularly Lewis' descriptions of space travel being written 20 years before man had even walked on the moon! His descriptions of Mars are ill informed by today's standards but this just makes it more fun to read. In those days, OST was published in 1938, it must have been wonderful to speculate about the nature of the planets in our solar system.

However, I did find that Lewis' descriptions of Mars a little tricky to follow. This was surprising because Narnia comes so easily to the imagination. I also found it difficult to visualise and empathise with the Hross (one of the alien races of Mars). But perhaps there is an inherent difficulty in describing something which is so completely unearthly or something not remotely humanoid, no doubt this is the case. There is a spiritual being of earth described as a 'bent' Oyarsa (every planet has an Oyarsa) who is very similar to Satan but I think the ideas presented in OSP should be seen as a pale reflection of christian philosophy and not taken too seriously. Given all this, you do feel like you are on an exciting journey with Professor Ransom.

Worth It?

If you're a big C. S. Lewis fan then you'll enjoy this.

What others say:

Amazon: 4.5/5 (22 customer reviews)

Christianity Today: "Traveling to Mars via spaceship, Markos says, Lewis's hero Ransom finds what the medievals would have expected—a warm place full of life."

Philip Yancy: "I first encountered C. S. Lewis through his space trilogy. Though perhaps not his best work, it had an undermining effect on me. He made the supernatural so believable that I could not help wondering, What if it's really true? What if there is a God and an afterlife and what if supernatural forces really are operating behind the scenes on this planet and in my life?"

If you enjoyed this review, why not use the amazon link at the side of this page? The Christian Review will receive a percentage of the proceeds. Thank you!