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Publish Year: 1938
Page Count: 158
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: The Time and Space Trilogy
Book one
Summary
While searching for a place to rest for the night, Dr. Elwin Ransom is abducted by a megalomaniacal physicist and his accomplice and taken to the red planet of Malacandra (Mars) as a human sacrifice for the alien creatures that live there. 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.
Review
This is my second time reading Out of the Silent Planet. Read this many years ago and could say I did not understand most of the philosophy. People say Lewis is on the nose but, just because he is, does not mean you understand the theme and ideas that are being convey.
Want to mention Lewis’ writing. The pose is wonderful. Its description, detail, and characterization is given to each character without being too much. When compare to Tolkien or Charles William, Lewis is much more easier to get into.
The descriptions with just enough detail paints a picture of a pastel landscape with mountains and valleys fill with lakes of warm fresh water.
From the beginning upon Ransom meeting Weston and Devine. Even those Ransom knows Devine from collage. He is known for is loud robustness personality.
There are three types of aliens (hnau) Hrossace, Seroni, and Pfifftriggi. All accept Ogarsa as the ruler of Malacandra. Who the guardian of the planet and has no physicals form.
Everyone lives peacefully. There no greed or war but there had been hnau that have gone bent (bad). There is also natural dangers to the world. Logically how come something be called peaceful or beautiful without there being an opposite component.
“And I say also this. I do not think the forest would be so bright, nor the water so warm, nor love so sweet, if there were no danger in the lakes.”
When first reading Out of the Silent Planet I thought Ogarsa represent God but, upon mentioning each planet has has an Ogarsa and the Ogarsa of Earth has gone bent. It is Maleldil is the creator of the universe.
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2 Corinthians 4:4
So… Ogarsa is like a guardian angle and the eildi are lesser rank angles. In various books in the bible different types of angles are talk about. Genesis 3:24, Ezekiel 10:1-22, Psalm 18:10 are just a few of the books.
There a difference between how Ransom and Weston treat the hnau of Malacandra. Ransom see these creatures of being able to rationalize and have a conscience of know what good and bad.
Weston on the other hand resembles a lot of the ideas of the early 1900s. He see the hnau as dumb natives that can be manipulated for his own gain.
In sum, Ransom has a spiritual perspective of the hnau. See them on the same level as humans and treats them with dignity and respect.
Weston has a materialist perspective. Views man as the top spices. When ironicy we are no the fastest, nor the strongest, or the most durable.
For fairness Weston is portray to be smart and the one who knows how to stair the spaceship to and from Earth. Devine is kind of in the middle. He is intelligent but, during meeting Ogarsa he sit there. Unsure about anything.
While I did mention Lewis is easy to into reading. He does pack a lot of philosophy in his writing, making it a steep hill to climb. I was in high school when I first read Out of the Silent Planet. So that saying how much I didn’t know. Not being able to understand this book is probably one of the reason why I did not continue with the series. I am sure some people end up in the same boat as I did.
Out of the Silent Planet is more of a first step in to philosophical discussions. Early in this review I mention how beautiful and ugly can not exist without the other. This can go further in to the nature of good and bad.
Giving this book a second read, I understand and appreciate it more. Despite what others have say about C.S. Lewis, I would like to read more of his books for myself and judge.
Have you read this book?
Have you read the Time and Space Trilogy?
Let me know down in the comments.
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