The Space Trilogy

Huzzah! A wonderful gift. Now, to reread them!

I remember once getting a beautiful hardcover set for some celebration like Christmas or a birthday. I then lent them to my daughter who was away at college, for they were studying them in some class. Best we can tell, she lent them to someone else, and then they were lost. We never recovered them. My only consolation is that someone out there has a nice set, which I hope they are reading!
 
I know how you feel ES, I have the Space Trilogy on audio CD and listen to them all the time. THS is the best of the three and it is not only an exciting story but has a lot to say about the Christian life.
 
Nice gift for true! I just have my old paperback set, well worn. Were yours hard cover, ES? That would be something to put on my list for next year ...
 
I know that this sounds like an annoying plug or review (forgive me) but I just thought it was worth saying.

I just saw the new sci-fi film "Avatar" and I see a lot of parallels between this movie and Lewis' "Out of the Silent Planet". Specifically, the hero joins the mission at the last moment, gets chased away by a beast, gets stranded with the natives and learns about their culture. The cultures in both Avatar and OotSP are even similar (though in Avatar, it was more based in Native American beliefs). But the philosophies were similar.
There were even Westons and Devines in "Avatar". Two people, one focused on destroying the planet for money, and the other puts the human race above all the natives, using it as an excuse to rid the planet of them. While "Avatar" was focused more on the message of crass imperialism, I definitely saw a lot of the Malacandra in the film.

I'm sorry if this seemed like a bad rave, but I just wanted to offer this tidbit. Um...I guess if you liked "Out of the Silent Planet", you'll like "Avatar", but feel free to disagree.
 
Actually, I think you're right about similarities existing. It is not impossible that the writer of "Avatar" had read Mr. Lewis' Space Trilogy. Still, as I am fond of saying, it's the difference that makes the difference. Mr. Lewis did a better job than the politically-correct "Avatar" scriptwriter of identifying WHAT segment of society was likely to produce Westons.
 
As soon as I heard about 'Avatar's' premise, Malacandra sprung to mind. I still don't know whether I want to see it or not, because of the difference Copperfox mentioned. There will probably be no Maleldil or Oyarsa in Avatar, so really, what's the point? It just becomes an environmental/anti-British colonists movie after that. Which reminds me, more people need to research the real-life Pocahontas.

EDIT: Yes, I love Abolition of Man, Copperfox. I made my dad read the first part and he thought it was a little tedious. I was like, "What?!" I couldn't believe it. Oh well. He's not spending seven hours a day in the public school system. I was right with Lewis. I'm living in the nightmarish world he described.
 
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The people who made the Avatar movie would probably stare blankly if they were informed that the non-Aztec indigenous peoples of Mexico WILLINGLY JOINED the invasion by Hernando Cortes, because nothing the evil Europeans might do COULD be any worse than what the Aztecs were already doing to them.
 
Auhin said:
EDIT: Yes, I love Abolition of Man, Copperfox. I made my dad read the first part and he thought it was a little tedious. I was like, "What?!" I couldn't believe it. Oh well. He's not spending seven hours a day in the public school system. I was right with Lewis. I'm living in the nightmarish world he described.
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I first read that book when I was fifteen. It being my first exposure to Lewis's nonfiction, I thought it was a bit tedious myself--although I liked stretching my brain with it--but it doesn't seem so difficult, looking back over the book now. Glad you've been able to absorb so much from it.
 
Most of Frank Peretti's novels attempt some of the same warning against evil as Mr. Lewis provided in the Space Trilogy and his nonfiction.
 
The space trilogy is still on my list of things to read when i no longer have to read for school (which could be a problem if/when i do become a teacher and continue in this world of academic reading lol :p )
 
You should move it to the front of your list. Believe me, if you read the Space Trilogy with an open mind and heart, it'll be one of the truest and deepest educational experiences of your life. Don't let lesser things (such as anything by Salinger) displace it.
 
Reading the Space Trilogy, especially if accompanied by "The Abolition of Man," will equip you to recognize and combat harmful false ideas.
 
For me, the most memorable - and useful - quote from the whole masterpiece was what Ransom said to Merlin in Hideous Strength: "They have an engine called The Press by which the people are deceived."

Boy, are we seeing that come to pass these days!
 
When I was younger, ( sixth grade) and first read it, I'm ashamed to admit it, I didn't enjoy That Hideous Strength that much. Mainly as I was unfamilair with all references to the Arthur legends and Neumenor. I also had yet to read any dystopian literature. In truth, That Hideous Strength really stands head and sholders with the "Big Three" Brave New World, 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, its a real shame more haven't discovered That Hideous Strength as it more then deserves a place beside those three. We live very much in the world that Lewis, Orwell, Huxley, and BRadbury predicted. If we aren't there now, well we are sure heading to it.
 
Yah, as a 6th grader, I can see why you wouldn't appreciate THS much. But I agree with you, it's an awesome story -- I like the whole trilogy. Like CON for grown-ups. :)
 
The idea of Merlin being descended from Tolkien's Numenor (a place which Tolkien himself identified with mythical Atlantis) was picked up by Stephen Lawhead for his Arthurian series.
 
Is anyone knowledgeable of the first edition of Out of the Silent Planet. In my copy of the book the last chapter and the Postscript seem out of place and seem to have been written by Mr. Lewis so much latter that I thought they were added in a latter edition maybe when he decided to write sequels to the book.
 
I don't know on any authority, but I think the "postscript" chapter, Chapter 22, was written as part of the original work and intended by Lewis to be considered part of it. I think it allowed him to fit himself in, and say a few things that would have been clumsy trying to fit into the narrative. It's actually rather clever writing - stepping "out" of the story and reporting from the point of view of the narrator enables him to do things that he couldn't otherwise. He does something of the same sort with Perelandra, though he starts out with the "extra-narrative" section, so it doesn't seem so odd.
 
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