Author C.S. Lewis
Reviewed by Russell Ng

C.S. Lewis is most well known as the creator of the world of Narnia in books such as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lion, the Witch and The Cupboard. His books in essence deals with magic and travels to another world but the short of it, his writing is about the triumph of good over evil. In Out of the Silent Planet, it is no different. Out of the Silent Planet is one-third of a space-time trilogy that involves inter-planetary travel.

The STORY STARTS OF SIMPLE enough with the unlikely hero, Dr. Ransom seeking a place to rest for the night. Mere chance brings him to a meeting with an old school mate�Mr. Devine & his friend Mr. Weston. A meeting at the wrong place and the wrong time as Dr. Ransom is then taken aboard a spaceship heading for the planet Malacandra. The reason for the kidnapping is only made clear late in the story. Once on the planet, our hero eludes his captors fearing the unknown.

The main part of the tale revolves around the journey of Dr. Ransom in the strange and beautiful world of Malacandra. His meeting with the 3 intelligent races of the world; the hross, the sorn and the pfifliringgi. How at the end of his journey Dr. Ransom learns to love this strange world. The hross are sea mammals of the otter like kind, the sorn being the land dwelling thinkers of the world and the pfifliringgi the reptilian like smiths.

     In typical C.S. Lewis style, a little of the mystic is provided by the unseen, spirit like creatures that dwells in the heavens � the eldil. Then there is the guardian of Malacandra, the great eldil Oyarses. Dr. Ransom then learns of the heavens and why the Earth is the Silent Planet, and his place in the scheme of things. He learns of the battle between good and evil. Of Maleldil the creator and his struggle with the bent guardian of Earth. Here the story dwells a little on religion as well.

     The story then ends with Dr. Ransom returning to Earth with his two captors. But the struggle is only beginning, as Dr. Ransom will learn he is to play a greater role in the struggle of the worlds. His adventure is continued in the Perelendra and ends in That Hideous Strength. But then that is another story.

This space trilogy is a typical C.S. Lewis vehicle and will certainly appeal to the readers who enjoyed his tales on the world of Narnia. Unfortunately for the others it does not offer much. As space travel goes it does not rely on the science to carry the story along and like his other tales there is a strong scent of religion in it. And an extra point is that the hero�s inter planetary travel resides in the solar system. I�ll let you decide which planet Malacandra represents. The books can be found at the PSZ.