Perelandra

Ransom Trilogy, Book 2

By: C. S. Lewis

Narrated by: Geoffrey Howard

Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

C. S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy, of which Perelandra is the second volume, stands alongside such works as Albert Camus’s The Plague and George Orwell’s 1984 as a timely parable that has become timeless, beloved by succeeding generations as much for the sheer wonder of its storytelling as for the significance of the moral concerns.

Readers who fall in love with Lewis’s fantasy series The Chronicles of Namia as children unfailingly cherish his Space Trilogy as adults; it, too, brings to life strange and magical realms in which epic battles are fought between the forces of light and those of darkness. But in the many layers of its allegory, and the sophistication and piercing brilliance of its insights into the human condition, it occupies a place among the English language’s most extraordinary works for any age, and for all time.

Perelandra is a planet of pleasure, an unearthly, misty world of strange desires, sweet smells, and delicious tastes, where beasts are friendly and naked beauty is unashamed, a new Garden of Eden, where the story of the oldest temptation is enacted in an intriguingly new way. Here, in the second part of C. S. Lewis’s acclaimed Ransom Trilogy, Dr. Ransom’s adventures continue against the backdrop of a religious allegory that, while it may seem quaint in its treatment of women today, nonetheless shows the capability of science to be an evil force tempting a ruler away from the path that has produced a paradisiacal kingdom. Will Perelandra succumb to this malevolent being, who strives to create a new world order, or will it throw off the yoke of corruption and achieve a spiritual perfection as yet unknown to man?

©1944 Clive Staples Lewis (P)2000 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Geoffrey Howard's skilled narration keeps the listener riveted. His scholarly handling of the text minimizes characterization, while easily distinguishing the players. Howard's respect for the subject matter equals Lewis's own and entices the listener to address serious questions of temptation and morality." (AudioFile)

Absolutely Loved It

To see and tbh, feel Satan taking form throughout this book was at times scary & mesmerizing. It’s never a poof and all manner of evil are upon us. It’s a little here & a little there over time then when that becomes normal it’s a little more here & there, etc. This book puts that into effect theatrically, perfectly. Great Book and am loving the series, reading for the first time.

Still the best, or nearly the very best of Lewis

Still the best, or nearly the very best of Lewis. This is worth a ready, read, and reread again and an eighth time. Love this book!

Superb

This was the first C.S. Lewis book I read 29 years ago, and listening to it today was just as enjoyable and meaningful. Maybe because it was my first, Perelandra is still one of my favorites. Rich.

Lewis was a master of intricacies.

I re-read the space trilogy every year for pleasure and find that I discover and understand more each time. The story and fantasy settings provide a glimpse into one possible hidden explanation of our observable world in Maleldil's will. If you enjoy any of Lewis's other writings this is definitely worth trying.

Dive Deep into Perelandra

Before reading/listening to Perelandra, I thought that this sequel would struggle to hold its own against its predecessor: after all, how can you elaborate on a story that not only conveys that the Mars we saw through the telescope is converse to what it is on its surface, but that life, intelligence, and the divine exist there also? Lewis, evidently, did so. Once again following the interplanetary adventures of the philologist Ransom, Perelandra (the title and "Old Solar" name for Venus) stands on its own with new terrain, creatures, struggles, characters old and new, and stakes which concern matters of the eternal. While I would occasionally use the audiobook to lull me to sleep, I was gripped by the drama and depth of this tale. I will caution prospective buyers that the narrative can be extremely wordy and at times ponderous, but persistence will almost definitely reward you.
This part I hate to mention because I don't like to criticize, but I was somewhat disappointed with the narrator. I commend his style and pronunciation of ever so many difficult words and complex sentences, but he left something to be desired when it came to capturing the emotion and inflection of several scenes. There are four scenes that come to mind when I say this, but there are more aside (SPOILERS AHEAD):
one where Ransom desperately attempts to prevent the Lady of Perelandra from meeting Weston when he first alighted the planet; another where Weston, who has been possessed by the Bent One, breaks his mind loose of the puppeteer and tries to warn Ransom, only to quickly be set to violent seizures; a third where the Un-Man (the Bent One in the vehicle of Weston's body) first begins to torture Ransom as a child annoys a classmate, and Ransom snaps in frustration and anger; and finally, towards the end of the book, when it is revealed to Ransom that the King and Queen of Perelandra are what Adam and Eve could have been, he falls upon his face and involuntarily begs for mercy in his unworthiness and wishes them never to leave him. All these moments of dialogue, had they not been so well described in the narrative, would have fallen grievously short of their true import and made the experience of listening to the rest of the book less than enjoyable. Do not let this criticism keep you from listening to this book: the story simply had the misfortune of not having a narrator who would do the dialogue the justice it deserved.

This is no schoolboy vision of our faith.

Would you consider the audio edition of Perelandra to be better than the print version?

Yes.

Who was your favorite character and why?

God is my favorite character. Even though Lewis doesn't render Him overtly, the story contains a vision of how God intended things to be. It would be impossible not to love Him if we understood Him the way Lewis did.

What does Geoffrey Howard bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Howard has the whole range of intangibles that separate mediocre readers from very good ones. He can carry the tone and mood of each situation without making himself the object in place of the text.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

This is a masterful novel. Those of us who were raised in the Christian faith often find that we begin with a "Jesus Loves Me" kind of understanding of Christianity. When we outgrow that understanding, we need a deeper, more personal knowledge of God. Thank God for C.S. Lewis. I hesitated to read this series at first because, having read the Narnia books, I was afraid these wouldn't be satisfying to adults. They are. They exceeded my expectations in every way. They surpass my own grasp of Christianity and leave me "older" in the faith with many new, profound things to take back to the Bible. Read Lewis. Deepen your faith.

Of Tolkien's opinion

I found the performance excellent and the story interesting and engaging. I am afraid, though, that I am of Tolkien's mind in this. I find these great allegorical epics of Lewis tedious at times. I perfer stories to be stories and theological works to be theological works.

Enchanting and edifying!!

CS Lewis lends perspective into a universe that we seldom imagine or even tolerate in our consideration. It really is an accomplishment to blend myth, space, and truth.

Beautiful and Imaginative

A glimpse into Eden, a glimpse into yourself, and a glimpse at eternity.

I found the discussions with "the unman" both disturbing and insightful. The is a truly brilliant work by C.S. Lewis and it felt so much more grand than the first book of the series.

C.S. Lewis Is Amazing

This is a well-written and thought-provoking book. Any fan of C.S. Lewis needs to read this, and I can't believe I waited so long to do so. Lewis is an amazing storyteller. While the "science" behind the book is quite dated by modern standards, the story is still top quality. More importantly, though, the moral lessons are just as important as ever.