CS Lewis?

[Stayseeliz]

Has anyone read any of CS Lewis' fiction besides Narnia? I'm interested in his sci-fi trilogy and his other fiction works but I can't find much in the way of reviews for them. Thanks!

[Janelovesmax]

Originally Posted by Stayseeliz

Has anyone read any of CS Lewis' fiction besides Narnia? I'm interested in his sci-fi trilogy and his other fiction works but I can't find much in the way of reviews for them. Thanks!

Not really sci-fi, but I read his "Screwtape Letters" and "The Great Divorce" and I loved both.
I also read his "Silent Planet" series - Perelandra and other 2, but gosh I don't remember the names, it was awhile ago.

[Robbins0614]

My husband just recently finished one of his science fiction books. I can see if I can get him to let you know after he gets out of class this evening. I know he really enjoyed it, but I don't know anything else.

[KittyKat]

Out of the Silent Planet
Perelandra
That Hideous Strength

I read these as a youngster, maybe ten or eleven, and again as a teen. I didn't understand them really as a child, but they were interesting stories.

Out of the Silent Planet is about a man who is kidnapped and taken to Mars with two evil men, bent on exploiting the planet for their own gain. Ransom befriends the local creatures, and gains their trust. He warns them of the devious intentions of the other 2 men.

Perelandra
This one deals much more with religion and morality. Ransom goes on another space journey, this time to the planet Venus which has just become inhabited, and whose surface is primarily water, with many floating islands. The newly created sentient beings are starting to grow in their awareness of themselves and big issues like right and wrong, good and evil. Ransom's old nemesis, the evil scientist behind the first trip off-world is also back, as the tempter in this garden of eden. Ransom exerts all his strength of mind and will to battle the tempter, and seek to prevent Perelandra's inhabitants from making the same mistake that plunged Earth into darkness, and turned it into "the silent planet."

That Hideous Strength
This one is not "space related" at all, but takes place in England, at a college. Once again evil is afoot, and Ransom, still afflicted by injuries received on his trip to Venus, must work together with his friends to stop it. Merlin resurrected! An evil plot to take over and destroy the world as we know it! Philosophy and history make this book more "intellectual" than the first 2 of the trilogy.

I thoroughly enjoyed these, and have my own copies of them now. If you like other works by C.S. Lewis, you'll probably enjoy these as well.

Some other fiction works:
Screwtape Letters: what would an older demon tempter say in advising a younger more inexperienced fiend on his first assignment? CS Lewis said this was one of the hardest and most exhausting books to write, due to the strain of mentally looking at pure evil and putting it down on paper.

Till We Have Faces:
An imaginative re-telling of the mythological story of Cupid and Psyche.

Pilgrim's Regress:
A fictional, allegorical account that in some ways mirrors the author's own spiritual journey.

If you like "Narnia" you might also enjoy reading books by the man CS Lewis credited as being a major source of inspiration. George MacDonald was from Scotland, and his novels and children's stories enjoyed a period of widespread popularity in the 1800's. His children's stories are particularly winsome and imaginative. I absolutely LOVE "At the Back of the North Wind" and the two "Princess and Curdie" books. Some of MacDonald's novels are also among my favorites.

HTH!
Kathryn

[Stayseeliz]

Thanks for the info! I picked up "Out of the Silent Planet" last night at the library! I'm looking forward to getting started on it!

[Trinitty]

Out of a Silent Planet

I really enjoyed the book. Creative creatures and a very interesting conclusion which explains the title of the book.

[Janelovesmax]

Originally Posted by KittyKat

Till We Have Faces:
An imaginative re-telling of the mythological story of Cupid and Psyche.




HTH!
Kathryn

Yes Yes Yes! I totally forgot about that one!