Out of the Silent Planet - C.S. Lewis

Out of the Silent Planet is the first book in the well-known Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis. Though Lewis did not hit as good with this series as he did with Narnia, the allegories are still very amazing and he applies his same style and flair from the Narnia books to this one.

In the book, an esteemed philologist, Dr. Ransom is abducted by an old classmate and his accomplice. He is drugged and finds out later he is being taken to another planet. When he lands, he sees the sorns across a lake, and figures out that Weston and his classmate are taking him to offer him as a human sacrifice.

Ransom takes the first chance to escape, and after several days runs into a hross, another type of being on the planet. He lives with the hross people for many months, until a turn of events and some notifications tell him that he should go to the center of the planet, where he would meet the Oyarsa of Malacandra (Mars).

After some discussion and the capture of Weston and his accomplice, the Oyarsa rules that they must return to earth by ninety days. On the ninetieth day the ship will disintegrate.

The book ends when they land back on earth, and tells little of what Ransom did after his adventures. To find that out, you must read Perelandra, the second book in his trilogy. I love the way Lewis brings in some allegories even in science fiction. It is this that sets him apart from H.G. Wells or Jules Verne or any other sci-fi writer. I especially like one part, where a hross comments to Ransom about Earth, saying that everyone tries to be their own little oyarsa and rule over themselves. He gives it as an explanation why the Earth is so corrupt and destroyed. I think that sentence is more profound that what most people think. Just think about it and let some of the meaning sink in to you.

In my opinion, Out of the Silent Planet is an amazing book, and a great start to the trilogy. My opinion of Lewis only goes up after reading it.