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Out of the Silent Planet
- Ransom Trilogy, Book 1
- Narrated by: Geoffrey Howard
- Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
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Publisher's summary
Out of the Silent Planet is the first novel of the Cosmic Trilogy, considered to be C.S. Lewis' chief contribution to the science fiction genre. The trilogy concerns Dr. Ransom, a linguist, who, like Christ, was offered a ransom for mankind. The first two novels are planetary romances with elements of medieval mythology. Each planet is seen as having a tutelary spirit; those of the other planets are both good and accessible, while that of Earth is fallen, twisted, and not known directly by most humans. The story is powerfully imagined, and the effects of lesser gravity on Martian planet and animal life is vividly rendered.
Critic reviews
"A delightful fantasy." (New York Herald Tribune)
"C.S. Lewis...is a master of fantasy." (Saturday Review)
Featured Article: 95+ C.S. Lewis Quotes About Love, Life, Faith, Bravery, and Friendship
Born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1898, C.S. Lewis is perhaps one of the most esteemed and beloved authors of all time. His acclaimed classics range from The Chronicles of Narnia fantasy series to the theologically-specific Mere Christianity. As one of the world’s most respected authors, Lewis’s words of wisdom continue to inspire countless readers and listeners. Here are our favorite quotes from C.S. Lewis about friendship, love, life, and faith.
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Shardik
- By: Richard Adams
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 23 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Shardik is a fantasy of tragic character, centered on the long-awaited reincarnation of the gigantic bear Shardik and his appearance among the half-barbaric Ortelgan people. Mighty, ferocious, and unpredictable, Shardik changes the life of every person in the story. His advent commences a momentous chain of events.
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Overlooked, underappreciated and forgotten epic
- By "sharp31" on 08-06-18
By: Richard Adams
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Molloy
- By: Samuel Beckett
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett, Dermot Crowley
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Written initially in French, later translated by the author into English, Molloy is the first book in Dublin-born Samuel Beckett's trilogy. It was published shortly after WWII and marked a new, mature writing style, which was to dominate the remainder of his working life. Molloy is less a novel than a set of two monologues narrated by Molloy and his pursuer, Moran.
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Nauseating, boring, hilarious, and magnificent
- By Gene on 02-21-05
By: Samuel Beckett
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The Jewel of Seven Stars
- By: Bram Stoker
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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The warning was inscribed on the entrance of the hidden tomb, forgotten for millennia in the sands of mystic Egypt. Then the archaeologists and grave robbers came in search of the fabled Jewel of Seven Stars, which they found clutched in the hand of the mummy. Few heeded the ancient warning, until all who came in contact with the Jewel began to die in a mysterious and violent way, with the marks of a strangler around their neck.
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Mother of all Mummy-Stories
- By Dorothea on 03-15-08
By: Bram Stoker
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The End of the Story
- Collected Fantasies of Clark Ashton Smith, Book 1
- By: Clark Ashton Smith
- Narrated by: Fleet Cooper, Allan Robertson, Joe Knezevich, and others
- Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Published in chronological order, with extensive story and bibliographic notes, this series not only provides access to stories that have been out of print for years, but gives them a historical and social context. Series editors Scott Conners and Ronald S. Hilger excavated the still-existing manuscripts, letters and various published versions of the stories, creating a definitive "preferred text" for Smith's entire body of work.
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variety is the spice of life
- By Alaskapenny on 12-29-15
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Victory
- By: Joseph Conrad
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 13 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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From one of the greatest modern writers in world literature comes a magnificent story of love, adventure, and rescue played out against the shimmering South Seas. Alone on a tropical island, a Swedish baron and a beautiful violinist discover the long-lost joys of love. But when two treasure hunters arrive on the beach, the lovers know that evil has invaded their romantic paradise—an evil they are powerless to stop.
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Beautiful, sad and powerful
- By Darwin8u on 01-20-13
By: Joseph Conrad
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The Invisible Man and The Time Machine
- By: H. G. Wells
- Narrated by: B. J. Harrison
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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In The Invisible Man, a scientist theorizes that if a person's refractive index is changed to exactly that of air his body does not absorb or reflect light, then he will not be visible. He successfully carries out this procedure on himself, but cannot become visible again, becoming mentally unstable as a result. In The Time Machine, we follow the Time Traveller to the year 802,701 A.D.. He finds a golden race of small, soft, innocent people. But what is it that lurks in the dark shadows?
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When The Invisible Man ends and The Time Machine begins
- By kíli on 04-08-18
By: H. G. Wells
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Treasure Island
- By: Robert Louis Stevenson
- Narrated by: Hans Conried
- Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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The complete unabridged version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of "pirates and buried gold".
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Treasure Island read by Disney's Captain Hook!
- By Zachary Kaplan on 01-31-20
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The Great God Pan
- Esoteric Classics: Occult Fiction
- By: Arthur Machen
- Narrated by: Shea Taylor
- Length: 2 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Machen's novella The Great God Pan is often cited as one of Lovecraft's most notable influences. In it, Dr. Raymond's ultimate goal is to devise a way to open the mind of man so that he may experience all the world has to offer. He calls this "seeing the great god Pan". After much study of the human mind, he devises an experiment that involves minor brain surgery. He performs this experiment on a young woman named Mary, but when she awakens she is terrified and mentally crippled.
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classic horror
- By Shantee on 05-04-16
By: Arthur Machen
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The Journey
- By: Isobelle Carmody
- Narrated by: Isobelle Carmody
- Length: 48 mins
- Unabridged
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A bonus never-before-released short story by best-selling author Isobelle Carmody. Before the apocolyptic Great White - and the regressive theology that ruled the decimated population in its wake - the city of Uropa is a gleaming metropolis devoted wholly to materialistic consumption.
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The Journey
- By Kiba Snowpaw on 09-27-23
By: Isobelle Carmody
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Great voice for a great book.
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Buyer beware... incomplete works
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This Series of Lewis Essays is the Most Complete
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In one of his most enlightening works, C. S. Lewis shares his ruminations on both the form and the meaning of selected psalms. In the introduction he explains, "I write for the unlearned about things in which I am unlearned myself." Consequently, he takes on a tone of thoughtful collegiality as he writes on one of the Bible's most elusive books.
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A CS book unlike no other
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C. S. Lewis Essential Audio Library
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Nine essential works by C. S. Lewis in one deluxe audio edition: Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, Miracles, The Problem of Pain, A Grief Observed, The Abolition of Man, The Weight of Glory, and George MacDonald.
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Amazing collection!
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A must-have!
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Great voice for a great book.
- By Spong Bob on 09-10-20
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The Dark Tower, and Other Stories
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The revered author’s definitive collection of short fiction, which explores enduring spiritual and science fiction themes such as space, time, reality, fantasy, God, and the fate of humankind. As powerful, inventive, and profound as his theological and philosophical works, The Dark Tower reveals another side of Lewis’s creative mind and his longtime fascination with reality and spirituality. It is ideal listening for fans of J. R. R. Tolkien, Lewis’s longtime friend and colleague.
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Buyer beware... incomplete works
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A CS book unlike no other
- By Daniel on 01-14-06
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Nine essential works by C. S. Lewis in one deluxe audio edition: Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, Miracles, The Problem of Pain, A Grief Observed, The Abolition of Man, The Weight of Glory, and George MacDonald.
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Amazing collection!
- By AHR on 02-22-22
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Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer
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In the form of warm, relaxed letters to a close friend, C. S. Lewis meditates on many puzzling questions concerning the intimate dialogue between man and God. He considers practical and metaphysical aspects of prayer, such as when we pray and where. He questions why we seek to inform God in our prayers if he is omniscient, whether there is an ideal form of prayer, and which of our many selves we show to God while praying.
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Nice to hear with British accent
- By Judy on 03-11-12
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The Weight of Glory
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Selected from sermons delivered by C. S. Lewis during World War II, these nine addresses show the beloved author and theologian bringing hope and courage in a time of great doubt. "The Weight of Glory", considered by many to be Lewis’s finest sermon of all, is an incomparable explication of virtue, goodness, desire, and glory.
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Indispensible Lewis
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Something Beautiful for God
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This is the work that introduced Mother Teresa of Calcutta to the Western world. Malcolm Muggeridge paints a profound and moving portrait of a lady whose love for Christ and the needy has deeply impacted many a life - including the author’s. “For me,” says Muggeridge, "Mother Teresa of Calcutta embodies Christian love in action. Her face shines with the love of Christ on which her whole life is centered, and her words carry that message to a world which never needed it so much."
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Story of an amazing woman, must read.
- By Annie on 08-14-16
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The Discarded Image
- An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature
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The Discarded Image paints a lucid picture of the medieval worldview, providing the historical and cultural background to the literature of the middle ages and renaissance. It describes the 'image' discarded by later years as "the medieval synthesis itself, the whole organization of their theology, science, and history into a single, complex, harmonious mental model of the universe". This, Lewis' last book, has been hailed as "the final memorial to the work of a great scholar and teacher and a wise and noble mind".
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I hope more of Lewis's scholastic stuff is coming
- By James on 04-01-21
By: C. S. Lewis
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The Pilgrim's Regress
- By: C. S. Lewis
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- Unabridged
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The first book written by C.S. Lewis after his conversion, The Pilgrim's Regress is, in a sense, a record of Lewis's own search for meaning and spiritual satisfaction that eventually led him to Christianity.
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Profound and Life Changing
- By Shawn on 09-06-06
By: C. S. Lewis
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Surprised by Joy
- The Shape of My Early Life
- By: C. S. Lewis
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- Unabridged
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In this book, C.S. Lewis tells of his search for joy, a spiritual journey that led him from the Christianity of his early youth into atheism and then back to Christianity.
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Not what I expected
- By connie on 12-21-09
By: C. S. Lewis
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What Christians Believe
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In these classic essays, which began as talks on the BBC during World War II, Lewis creatively and simply explains the basic tenets of Christianity. Taken from the core section of Mere Christianity, this book provides an accessible way for people to discover these timeless truths. For those looking to remind themselves of what they hold true, or those looking for a snapshot of Christianity, this book is a wonderful introduction to the faith.
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Incredible.
- By RayChu on 09-20-14
By: C. S. Lewis
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An Experiment in Criticism
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- Unabridged
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Why do we read literature and how do we judge it? C. S. Lewis' classic An Experiment in Criticism springs from the conviction that literature exists for the joy of the reader and that books should be judged by the kind of reading they invite. He argues that "good reading", like moral action or religious experience, involves surrender to the work in hand and a process of entering fully into the opinions of others: "in reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself."
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A Lively and Brilliant Book, Expertly Performed
- By James on 05-22-21
By: C. S. Lewis
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The Christian in the World
- By: C. S. Lewis
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This volume of short essays and other pieces by C. S.Lewis is part of a larger collection, C. S. Lewis: Essay Collectionand Other Short Pieces. In addition to his many books, letters, and poems,C. S. Lewis wrote a great number of essays and shorter pieces on various subjects. He wrote extensively on Christian theology and the defense of faith but also on ethical issues and the nature of literature and storytelling. Within these pages is a treasure trove of Lewis' reflections on diverse topics.
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Wonderful book
- By S E S on 11-24-16
By: C. S. Lewis
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Some Everyday Thoughts
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This volume of short essays and other pieces by C. S. Lewis is part of a larger collection, C. S.Lewis: Essay Collection and Other Short Pieces. In addition to his many books, letters, and poems, C. S. Lewis wrote a great number of essays and shorter pieces on various subjects. He wrote extensively on Christian theology and the defense of faith but also on ethical issues and the nature of literature and storytelling. This audiobook is a treasure trove of Lewis' reflections on diverse topics.
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brilliant as always
- By Amazon Customer on 12-22-20
By: C. S. Lewis
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Till We Have Faces
- A Myth Retold
- By: C. S. Lewis
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Set in the pre-Christian world of Glome on the outskirts of Greek civilization, it is a tale of two princesses: the beautiful Psyche, who is loved by the god of love himself, and Orual, Psyche's unattractive and embittered older sister, who loves Psyche with a destructive possessiveness. Her frustration and jealousy over Psyche's fate sets Orual on the troubled path of self-discovery. Lewis's last work of fiction, this is often considered his best by critics.
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One of a kind.
- By Stephanie on 07-07-10
By: C. S. Lewis
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The Most Reluctant Convert
- C. S. Lewis's Journey to Faith
- By: David C. Downing
- Narrated by: Patrick Cullen
- Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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His books have sold millions and include classics like Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Yet C. S. Lewis was not always a literary giant of Christian faith. How did he evolve from staunch atheism to become one of the most beloved and renowned Christian authors of our time?
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A Myth Come True
- By Paul Patterson on 11-20-12
By: David C. Downing
What listeners say about Out of the Silent Planet
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Tim FRee SpeecH Thompson-
- 12-08-20
Ransom is Canonc
I heard the first chapter of this book read out loud by a cool dude who read to us. Narnia and the first scary ass chapter of this book. It starts of scary wait till you read the third book. Willy Wonka Psychedelic.
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- Anonymous User
- 09-30-20
I had no idea this book existed!
I love the Narnia series but had no idea he tried sci fi also! The concepts are ahead of his time and can see the h. g. wells influence. the mc is a scientist so his evaluation of a new world is often dry and analytical but he's not an astronomer or an engineer so his view of the 'how' is usually a vague guess. dryness aside tho the concepts and larger world view that comes into play are amazing and everything I love about science fiction.
the narrator was very even toned and at times droned on but he matched the tone of the book I think and his pronunciations were good especially for the extra challenge of a Martian language thrown in.
altogether I will be looking for more of these sadly unknown classics
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- Judy A Duncan
- 08-07-20
exceptional
Loved this story, reallly made you realize how precious all life is. whether on earth or any ither planet.
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- Jacobbless
- 03-19-21
Philosophy with Big, Loveable, Otter-People
I loved the philosophical, anthropological, and other themes explored through this format of story with unearthly peoples and characters.
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- ntcrain
- 12-09-20
Fabulous Start to the Trilogy
Suspenseful story. Wonderful images! Very thought provoking about religion and our place in the universe. Recommending it to my family members.
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- Tom
- 10-25-20
One of my favorite book series
I have read these books before and was a little worried the narrator may corrupt, if that's the right word, the experience as I listen to it rather than read it. I can get easily distracted if there is anything off about a voice. That was not the case though. He did an excellent job bringing the characters to life. The story is a fun adventure that not only brings entertainment, but also makes the listener think about the universe and even life in a new way; a way I find that only C.S. Lewis can do. He gives just the right amount of detail but without over describing situations as to let your mind fill in the gaps. I highly recommend this series.
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- William
- 06-25-21
From the Planet of the Savages
I haven’t read this book since I took a graduate course on Lewis nearly 40 years ago and found that it was as fresh and thought provoking as it was then. This book is the first in Lewis’ science fiction trilogy and strangely enough was written on a dare.
This was the mid-1930s and Lewis had published some scholarly works but otherwise had only published a book on his journey to Christianity and two books of poems that had not sold well. He had no public name recognition as today. He and J. R. R. Tolkein were talking about how no one was publishing books in a genre that they were interested in reading, science fiction. H. G. Wells had published a well-received work, but there was little else out there that was interesting. Lewis suggested that they try to write something themselves. They agreed that Lewis would write one on space travel and Tolkein would write on time travel. Tolkein got stuck in his attempt and dropped it with what he had worked on being published only after his death. Lewis wrote this book.
Ironically, Tolkein stated that neither of them were confident of much success as “amateurs in a world of great writers,” but he was very impressed with Lewis’ book (though, interestingly, he was not very impressed with the Narnia Chronicles) and his biggest criticism was that it was too short. Tolkein wrote letters until finally one agreed to give it a try.
Lewis was also a fairly new Christian at the time and Christian thought penetrated this book. It has been called an allegory, but Lewis didn’t see it that way. It was just a science fiction book that also expressed his worldview.
The main character, Dr. Ransom, was a Cambridge professor of philology--the study of language. During a summer break he is taking a walk through the countryside and is kidnapped by a scientist, Weston, and a businessman, Devine, and taken by spaceship to Mars. Devine and Weston have been there before and call the planet Malacandra, which is what the beings that live on the planet call it. It turns out that there is a significant supply of gold on the planet and Devine wants to mine it and bring it back to earth while Weston is on a “noble” quest to expand the human race beyond the confines of earth and on throughout the galaxy. When one of the beings on Malacandra who seems to be the ultimate ruler demands that one of them must come to visit him, they return to earth to kidnap someone, conveniently finding Ransom. They assume that he is to be a sacrifice and assume that the Malacandrans are primitive and ignorant beings.
Lewis uses the story to explore many different themes. He calls space “the heavens” and we find that there is life on other planets as well (though not all of them, certainly not the giants) and that life there is not really “primitive” but instead is not driven by greed, lust, fear, etc. In other words, they had no sin nature and lived in harmony with each other and with the planet. Earth is “the Silent Planet” because it has been cut off from the rest of life because of the rebellion of the angel (though Lewis doesn’t use that term) who had been given charge over earth. The book deals with the social darwinism that had become so popular at that time (and that resulted in an interest in eugenics, the theory that some races were inherently more advanced, and eventually in Nazism) and with the beginnings of the crumbling of the great western empires, particularly the British Empire with its own assumptions that the white man could was destined to rule and that its rule was benevolent. In that sense, it was ahead of its time.
But, it is also right on target for today’s world. Certainly science has advanced in ways that could not have been foreseen in the 30s (though Lewis shows an understanding of the issues of space travel that are surprising for a professor of Medieval Literature), but the problem of human nature has not changed at all. Ransom’s translation of Weston’s defense of his mission is telling as it exposes the conspiracy, not a conspiracy of politics or some party alone but of the whole system led by the evil desires of a higher being (we’d call him Satan) and of the hubris of man and his desire to conquer, to rule, to expand. I was surprised at just how relevant the book is for today.
I was thinking that it would be fun to read this book again. What I found is not just that it was fun, but that it was also troubling and relevant. Enjoy it as science fiction, but read it for a lot more than that.
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- cookie sinclair
- 07-27-21
Out of the silent planet
It was such an incredible story and the last two chapters were such a surprise and really added to the book, 10 out of 10 would recommend
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- Darrel
- 06-02-21
My favorite book of all time
If you listen to this and like it you all of the next two in the series.
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-02-22
I loved It
The story might not have been the strongest, but what was most interesting was the ideas that were conveyed through the story.
I loved it.
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