Out of the Silent Planet (Space Trilogy) [Paperback]

C.S. Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 4, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0743234901 | ISBN-13: 978-0743234900

The first book in C. S. Lewis's acclaimed Space Trilogy, which continues with Perelandra and That Hideous Strength, 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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The New York Times This book has real splendor, compelling moments, and a flowing narrative.

The New Yorker If wit and wisdom, style and scholarship are requisites to passage through the pearly gates, Mr. Lewis will be among the angels.

Los Angeles Times Lewis, perhaps more than any other twentieth-century writer, forced those who listened to him and read his works to come to terms with their own philosophical presuppositions.

From the Publisher

7 1-hour cassettes --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (March 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743234901
• ISBN-13: 978-0743234900
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.4 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (320 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,595 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#95 Overall (See top 100 authors)

#1 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

#13 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

#20 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Classics

#54 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction

#89 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

#1 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

#13 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

#20 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Classics

#54 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction

#89 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

156 of 170 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good read! July 21, 2003

By Erik1988 TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

STORY: Dr. Ransom is kidnapped by two other scientists and wisked away to the world of Malacandra. His wouldbe kidnappers think they are brining him to be a sacrafice to the beings of that planet. What happens is an adventure of discovery and facing the truth about human nature, which forever changes Ransom.

MY FEEDBACK:

1) SETTING - C.S. Lewis just shines in his descriptions of new, exotic places and the beings that live there. His vivid details allow the reader to create a wonderful mental image of a world totally different from our own. Very, very nicely done.

2) CHARACTERS - The cast of characters consists of Dr. Ransom, Dr. Weston, Dr. Devine and the various beings found on Malacandra (sorns, hross, pfifltrigg and Oyarsa). Every character has a purpose and is allogoric of something greater, which is sometimes clearly demonstrated and at other times left to the reader to interpret. At no point was I bored or upset at stereotypes when reading about these characters. Even if you don't see the allogories they represent they are still intriguing and unpredictable.

3) STORY - I read somewhere that this story is a retelling of the Christ story from the Bible. I didn't see that. Yes, there were some similarities such as the Bent One could be Satan and his fall from heaven. Otherwise, just reading the first book I didn't feel like I was bring preached out or given a Bible Study of any type. It was an intriguing sci-fi story of discovery.
Also, like many secular sci-fi books written prior to 1950, this book makes clear commentary on human society. In other words if someone puts this book down because of the social commentary then that reader is unfamiliar with such literary trends as mentioned.... I did prefer this author's handling of social commentary more than other authors of the time that I've read.
Lastly, the book is written very well. Many times I felt like I was reading poetry instead of a sci-fi novel. C.S. Lewis' professional handling of the written prose is very, very enjoyable and appreciated.

OVERALL - I can't think of anything wrong with this story. It had action, a mystery, suspense, discovery, aliens, space-flight, characters true to their nature, social commentary, allogory AND all this squeezed into less than 160 pages. In many ways this books ends with most of the story resolved so there doesn't seem to be an immediate need to read the rest of the trilogy. BUT...if you like this first book like I did then you'll find very little reason not to rush out and continue reading right away. A very enjoyable sci-fi read. Read more ›

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Why put this book down? September 20, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

The C.S Lewis Space Trilogy (of which Out of the Silent Planet is first) was recommended by a friend, and I found myslef immediately inthralled by the book itself, as well as Lewis's style of writing. The book is told in such a way that tries to convince the reader that this actually happened, or at least could, and it was able to convince me. As the character Ransom walked across England I felt I was there beside him. When he visited Mars, even with the bizzare scenery it seemed so real in my mind. Lewis also has a gift for making strong points in his novel (about Christianity in particular) without making the reader feel guilty, because he uses such human characters that are filled with normal and relatable flaws. Even with the protagonist's name he sends a message, becuase as you read this book, you will see how his name comes to play. Despite the strong Christian undertones, I feel that a wide variety of readers will enjoy this book. The story is catchy, the imagery is incredible, and the characters are fully round and fully enjoyable. I recommmend it to all! But I warn, even though this book is good on its own, after reading the first you will innevitably want to read the rest of the trilogy!

46 of 52 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Top SF with Christian Spin October 27, 2005

By Reader from the North

Format:Paperback

Lewis said that he wrote this book to "exorcise" science fiction. He devoured H. G. Wells when he was younger, and Lewis obviously shows a Wells style in the first few chapters. Dry though the beginning is, don't stop! Keep reading, because once Lewis finds his own voice, this novel takes off.

Lewis presents Christian themes in ways that most theologians can't dream of. How does a pure and innocent being understand evil? It can't, but it can understand the nature of being "bent." And, of course, the whole concept of the "Silent Planet" is pure brilliance.

Once you reach the middle of the novel, you won't be able to stop because Lewis creates one of his best good vs. evil battles. If you're looking for a simple Narnia tale, you won't find it here. Instead you'll find an insightful and entertaining adventure that looks into the true nature of humanity. Highly recommended.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Growing older with Lewis January 1, 2000

By Kathryn Garcia

Format:Paperback

I grew up reading about Narnia, and as I grew older I wanted more. How pleased I was when I discovered the Sapce Trilogy! CS Lewis does not disappoint the reader, as he continues to use his excellent writing style to tell the story of the battle between Good and Evil from a science fiction perspective. Out of the Silent Planet tells the story of how evil falls upon a planet which has existed in harmony for many years. Ironically, it is the earthlings who bring the evil and pain to the planet, and another earthling who must guide himself and fight the evil to try to undo the Great Harm. The book takes off a bit slow in the first chapter, but captures the reader into the space fantasy after the first few chapters. This book is the first book of the trilogy which becomes very intense and thought provoking in the last book: That Hideous Strength. You will find many interesting parallels between this story and the story of our own history in fighting evil and realizing our faith and mission.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent sci-fi by Lewis December 28, 2005

By Jesse Rouse

Format:Paperback

While I do not think that this series is anywhere near as good as the Narnian Chronicles (with the exception of Perelandra, which is perhaps my second favorite Lewis book behind only Till We Have Faces), it is still incredibly good.

I noticed that a previous reviewer said that "His major defect is that he can never quite succeed in suppressing his didactic Christianity." Why on earth would you think that he had even been trying to suppress his Christianity? I think what you mean is that he does not repress his Christianity as you wish he would have. A piece of advice: if you read something by C. S. Lewis, expect it to be Christian. It is absurd to excpect him to write non-Christian novel; that would be like expecting a blue pen to suddenly let loose a flood of red ink. Lewis meant for his books to be Christian. Parts of this book are obviously alligorical (i.e. "the Bent One", etc.), and I do not think that Lewis had any intention of hiding this. For my part, I am very happy that he did this, as it not only provides good, fun reading, but also provides valuable truths to be gleaned from it.

I was going to give this book 4 stars, but then I couldn't think of anything bad about it (other than perhaps a bit of misinformation about outer-space, but we can hardly fault Lewis for that, since he wrote this long before any man-made thing had ever been to space), so I changed my rating to 5 stars.

I highly reccomend this book, if for no other reason that to get to the second in the series, Perelandra, which is amazing.