Space Trilogy [Box set] [Paperback]

C. S. Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1976

This is the complete box set of the celebrated science fiction trilogy by C. S. Lewis (more well known for his Chronicles of Narnia series). The set includes: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Macmillan (1976)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000KRR32G
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,370,391 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963), known as Jack to his friends, was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably the most influential Christian writer 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 English at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. His major contributions in literary criticism, children's literature, fantasy literature, and popular theology brought him international renown and acclaim. Lewis and his good friend J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of the The Lord of the Rings, were part of the Inklings, an informal writers' club that met at a local pub to discuss story ideas. Lewis's fascination with fairy tales, myths, and ancient legends, coupled with inspiration drawn from his childhood, led him to write The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, one of the best-loved books of all time. Six further books followed to become the immensely popular The Chronicles of Narnia. The final title in the series, The Last Battle, won the Carnegie Medal, one of the highest marks of excellence in children's literature. His other distinguished and popular accomplishments include Out of the Silent Planet, The Four Loves, The Screwtape Letters, and Mere Christianity.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Thought Provoking Christian Science Fiction, August 15, 2000

By 

Glenn Maddox (Midlothian, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Space Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet; Perelandra; That Hideous Strength (Paperback)

When C.S. Lewis wrote fiction, he created a world and then asked, "How would God choose to be revealed in this world?" The way Lewis reveals God in these stories is amazing. The first book in the trilogy will probably have the most familiar feel to an avid science fiction reader. The second will probably be the most appealing to the fantasy lover and those who are reading these books because they loved the Chronicles of Narnia. The third will probably appeal most to those who like Lewis' non-fiction works and works such as "The Pilgrim's Regress." The trilogy as a whole offers something for everyone who is a fan of Lewis' works, or any lover of science fiction/fantasy that enjoys thinking about theology and ethics while reading fiction. I've read that when Lewis died he had been working on a fourth edition of the Space Trilogy, but the trilogy is certainly complete and a great experience as is.

79 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The battle of good and evil--CS Lewis style, November 1, 2002

By 

bixodoido (Utah, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Space Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet; Perelandra; That Hideous Strength (Paperback)

The Space Trilogy is CS Lewis's allegorical statement of theology and philosophy. Lewis was one of the most prominent Christian apologists of his time, but he always felt there was an audience he couldn't reach. This was his solution, and we are left with a masterpiece both in the world of fiction and the world of theology.

The hero of the books is Dr. Ransom, a philologist who is a good man, though not exceptionally heroic at first. The first book finds him captured and whisked off to Mars, where he encounters a society much more morally advanced than our own, and learns that the corruption of our planet is due to an evil influence (which we would call Satan). These higher creatures cannot grasp the concepts of war, murder, or any vice.

The second book finds Ransom transported to Perelandra, also known as Venus. This is Lewis's allegory of the garden of Eden, and here he encounters an unfallen woman who is being tempted into doing the forbidden. Here Ransom learns of the nature of sin, and of the temptation that (Lewis says) befell the parents of our own race.

The final book is quite different from the other two, and Ransom, this time on Earth, is battling an evil organization which is bent on penetrating the mysteries of the universe and purifying the human race. Ransom and his followers are aided by a power that has long slept, and together they battle the power of science gone haywire. We see, through their eyes, the evils of society and of so-called 'higher thought.'

There are many lessons to be learned from this wonderful trilogy, but there is also a remarkable story to be told. If you're a fan of fantasy and science fiction, a reader of Christian and theological works, or both, you will greatly enjoy the Space Trilogy.

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Battling between good and evil, January 7, 2002

By 

cdale8 "cdale8" (Fremont, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Space Trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet; Perelandra; That Hideous Strength (Paperback)

The theme throughout these three books is man's battle (or, rather, intelligent life's battle) between good and evil, with some very obvious, but not stifling, religious overtones also found in CS Lewis' nonfiction work. For adults who absolutely adored the Chronicles of Narnia set, this trilogy takes you through the battle between good and evil in a more sophisticated manner. Granted, these are not nearly as easy to read, but adapting to the more complex (sometimes slow-moving in Hideous Strength) writing style was quick.

If you are primarily interested in religious fiction, and have the patience to read books with more complexity than, say, the Left Behind series, you will like these allegorical journeys through the fall of man. If you are primarily interested in SciFi, CS Lewis takes you to other worlds (Silent Planet, Perelandra) and introduces beings from another Earth-time (Hideous Strength) with an original twist of the good vs. evil storyline.

All three books can be read on their own, however I found that "That Hideous Strength" would have been difficult to follow without the background provided in either "Out of the Silent Planet" or "Perelandra". Regardless of the individual readability of the 3 stories, I started with the 1st book (Out of the Silent Planet) not sure I would enjoy it, and ended up finishing all 3 within a week or two.