The final book in C. S. Lewis's acclaimed Space Trilogy, which includes Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra, That Hideous Strength concludes the adventures of the matchless Dr. Ransom. The dark forces that were repulsed in Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra are massed for an assault on the planet Earth itself. Word is on the wind that the mighty wizard Merlin has come back to the land of the living after many centuries, holding the key to ultimate power for that force which can find him and bend him to its will. A sinister technocratic organization is gaining power throughout Europe with a plan to "recondition" society, and it is up to Ransom and his friends to squelch this threat by applying age-old wisdom to a new universe dominated by science. The two groups struggle to a climactic resolution that brings the Space Trilogy to a magnificent, crashing close.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Simply Incredible:
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I have read a number of the negative reviews, and I can see how someone who doesn't share the religious views of Lewis might be put off. If a reader is not at all open to the possibility of the supernatural then this book might be tough going. But for anyone who has wondered, "How might a political conspiracy actually take place?", this is a must read. Whatever religious or political views one holds, to think that the main stream media is not even the least bit... more info
Amazing mind, not so amazing story:
The conclusion to the trilogy, "Out of the Silent Planet" and "Perelandra". It can be read on its own, but there are moments when it was helpful to have read the previous two. "Perelandra" is by far the best of the three. I was disappointed there was no closure to the story. Lewis makes mincemeat of our feeble minds. His insights are amazing and his concept of the world beyond is exquisite. The English dialect can be slightly aggravating. The novel is centered around a university now owned and run by a... more info
Strong writing:
Perhaps not the BEST of C. S. Lewis' works, but a good one nonetheless. I was introduced to the 'space trilogy' as a teenager by my father, a minister. He thought I would enjoy the SciFi aspect and maybe glean some ethical education in the meantime. He was correct. This was not the most fun of the trilogy to read, but a good ending to the trilogy. If you are looking for classic SciFi with good moral values, the 'space trilogy' is definitely worth a look.
A book that requires INTENSITY of THOUGHT (and time):
This was by far my favorite of the trilogy (Perlandria was my least). First off, it is almost a misnomer to call them a trilogy. The style, feel, and even genre of this book is different than the other two. Lewis says that in the introduction, reading the other two is not even required to read this one (although it certainly does help, and I recommend very highly doing so). A lot of people are quick to criticize this book for the occasional slow part, the lack of focus on the main character of the... more info
