Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
I plan to keep rolling with some older novels that I have been missing on my TBR. So here we have me finishing a trilogy I started perhaps a decade ago.
What I liked.
I liked the writing, of course. I liked the concept. There are some heady topics and conversation in this book, just like there are with the first two books. I liked how there were new main characters but Ransom was still crucial to the events. And I found the plotting and pacing to be on point.
I was also impressed with how relevant some of the events still were. Perhaps I am just too optimistic in thinking that humans can progress beyond some of these horrible behaviors in 75 years. We certainly have not, and generally throughout history tend toward them but the book felt almost like it was written for some modern conflicts in today's world.
What I did not like.
I think, for me, the biggest flaw in Lewis' fiction can be when he gets too on the nose with themes. That Hideous Strength falls into that category a few times for me. Also, the villains in this one were too one-dimensionally bad for my tastes. I know there were and are actual people who think like that but it certainly does not make for a nuanced story or a compelling antagonist.
Overall, I liked this book. It didn't entirely feel like an ending to a trilogy though. I think this was perhaps the weakest of the three. I say that but mean that I enjoyed all of them but this one just a bit less than the others.
What I liked.
I liked the writing, of course. I liked the concept. There are some heady topics and conversation in this book, just like there are with the first two books. I liked how there were new main characters but Ransom was still crucial to the events. And I found the plotting and pacing to be on point.
I was also impressed with how relevant some of the events still were. Perhaps I am just too optimistic in thinking that humans can progress beyond some of these horrible behaviors in 75 years. We certainly have not, and generally throughout history tend toward them but the book felt almost like it was written for some modern conflicts in today's world.
What I did not like.
I think, for me, the biggest flaw in Lewis' fiction can be when he gets too on the nose with themes. That Hideous Strength falls into that category a few times for me. Also, the villains in this one were too one-dimensionally bad for my tastes. I know there were and are actual people who think like that but it certainly does not make for a nuanced story or a compelling antagonist.
Overall, I liked this book. It didn't entirely feel like an ending to a trilogy though. I think this was perhaps the weakest of the three. I say that but mean that I enjoyed all of them but this one just a bit less than the others.
definitely the most interesting story anyone has ever written about graduate school and gender politics
As a longtime Lewis fan, I am always fascinated to see what forms his imagination takes in his fiction, and none is more imaginative than That Hideous Strength the final book in his Space Trilogy. That title is somewhat deceptive though. Whereas the previous books dealt with Dr. Ransom’s travels on other planets, this book takes place on earth in the midst of a growing conflict that will determine the fate of all of England and from there, the entire planet. Set in the midst of this conflict as objective parties are the Studdock’s; Jane, a woman who has precognitive visions and no respect for her husband, and Mark, a man who wishes to advance in scholarly circles and has no respect for his wife. Through Jane’s visions, she is lead into the world of St. Anne’s, led by the now ethereal Dr. Ransom and a small band of believers who want to save the soul of England, Logres. Through Mark’s advancement he is inducted into the increasingly suspicious world of the N.I.C.E., populated by strange and malevolent figures who each mean to progress the human race by doing the greatest possible harm to nature. Each side hopes to win over England and employ the help of Merlin, aligning England’s past with whatever is in store for its future.
The book is, by Lewis’ own admission, something of a vehicle for thoughts he put forth in The Abolition of Man on the cost of moral objectivity and social decay for the sake of supposed evolutionary progress. While charged with Christian themes, the book is filled with pagan allusion and heavy doses of Arthurian legend, while being a genre bending tale that toys at times with science-fiction, fantasy, and even horror. As we see the struggle through both sides, the story shifts nearly seamlessly from whimsical wit to gruesome horror and back. It is one of Lewis’ most ambitious works of fiction, populated by colorful, unforgettably interesting characters, and built, even on when on a grand scale, around the relationship between a struggling husband and wife.
While it may fit strangely into the Space Trilogy it is a fascinating, thought-provoking work whose influence has far reaching though unacknowledged effects in the science-fiction genre.
The book is, by Lewis’ own admission, something of a vehicle for thoughts he put forth in The Abolition of Man on the cost of moral objectivity and social decay for the sake of supposed evolutionary progress. While charged with Christian themes, the book is filled with pagan allusion and heavy doses of Arthurian legend, while being a genre bending tale that toys at times with science-fiction, fantasy, and even horror. As we see the struggle through both sides, the story shifts nearly seamlessly from whimsical wit to gruesome horror and back. It is one of Lewis’ most ambitious works of fiction, populated by colorful, unforgettably interesting characters, and built, even on when on a grand scale, around the relationship between a struggling husband and wife.
While it may fit strangely into the Space Trilogy it is a fascinating, thought-provoking work whose influence has far reaching though unacknowledged effects in the science-fiction genre.
I remember being terribly disappointed with this final installment of the trilogy. It was partly the change of tone, but mostly that Lewis' always present christian sermonising began to outweigh the story. I believe that he and Tolkien would argue about the presence of christian themes in their writing - both were devout men, but while Tolkien thought the story should take precedence but still have a moral centre Lewis argued that the work should always serve to be a christian message. Perhaps it is simply this fact that makes Tolkien the better storyteller.
A chaotic ending to a trilogy that only feels to loosely tie to the first two books. No real consequences or growth takes place and the setting and additions of magic take away from the space element that made the first two at least unique.
"Equality guards life; it does not make it. It is medicine, not food."
This series is highly underrated/under-appreciated. It definitely does not get the attention it deserves. One may think that it is a typical apocalyptic trilogy with the normal pacing of what we see popular today, but I was pleasantly surprised with this final installment. It was unexpected and it kept me on my toes. C.S. Lewis did not take the story where I thought it would go, but for that, I am thankful. I do not like the predictable stories.
Rather than picking up where we left off from [b:Perelandra|100924|Perelandra (Space Trilogy, #2)|C.S. Lewis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388623162s/100924.jpg|3148586], we are introduced to a couple, Mark and Jane. The opening line tells us that it is not a happy relationship, and we quickly see the two becoming distanced--partly because of Mark's work and partly because of outside forces working within their hearts and lives.
Mark, who is on the Board of a nearby college, is given the opportunity of a lifetime--to join in on the up-and-coming N.I.C.E. (the National Institute of the Co-ordinated Experiments). His greatest desire is to be within the inner circle of such an elite group, especially one that is gaining so much power within Britain and the scientific world. But as he goes deeper into organization, the more he discovers their true purpose and goal (and who is actually) in charge.
Jane, while her husband is away for work, spends time with her neighbors. She is troubled by some very realistic dreams that seem to be predicting with what she is hearing about in the news and around her in her own personal life. While telling her neighbors about these dreams, they warn her to not go to anyone who works for the N.I.C.E. about them, but to instead see a friend of theirs that could shed some light on what they mean. However, Jane fears to get involved in anything and just wants the dreams to go away. But her newfound power seems to demand a side to be chosen in the upcoming battle.
So much of this book, I felt, strongly parallels with events going on currently (though this book was written several decades ago). Lewis tackles the decisions we make and how, no matter how small they may seem, they may snowball into disastrous events.
I was even pleasantly surprised by his bringing up the diabolical strain on a woman's heart to be "liberated" from men's hold, but also what that means in a marriage. I think his answer on that question would still offend many women today, but I think it was the closest we will get to the best answer.
I gave this book 4.5 stars out of 5. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend the whole series to anyone who enjoys science fiction (because it is a science fiction series--do not forget that). I know some people are not fans of the fantastical elements of these books, so if that's you, know they are there. But really, they are superior science fiction novels that touch on Christian elements (which is rare in that genre--at least, good Christian SciFi books are rare). Lewis can get a little lengthy on some explanations, which always made me tired. But there were also a lot of high-action scenes that were riveting. Perelandra (the second novel in the series) is still my favorite.
This series is highly underrated/under-appreciated. It definitely does not get the attention it deserves. One may think that it is a typical apocalyptic trilogy with the normal pacing of what we see popular today, but I was pleasantly surprised with this final installment. It was unexpected and it kept me on my toes. C.S. Lewis did not take the story where I thought it would go, but for that, I am thankful. I do not like the predictable stories.
Rather than picking up where we left off from [b:Perelandra|100924|Perelandra (Space Trilogy, #2)|C.S. Lewis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388623162s/100924.jpg|3148586], we are introduced to a couple, Mark and Jane. The opening line tells us that it is not a happy relationship, and we quickly see the two becoming distanced--partly because of Mark's work and partly because of outside forces working within their hearts and lives.
Mark, who is on the Board of a nearby college, is given the opportunity of a lifetime--to join in on the up-and-coming N.I.C.E. (the National Institute of the Co-ordinated Experiments). His greatest desire is to be within the inner circle of such an elite group, especially one that is gaining so much power within Britain and the scientific world. But as he goes deeper into organization, the more he discovers their true purpose and goal (and who is actually) in charge.
Jane, while her husband is away for work, spends time with her neighbors. She is troubled by some very realistic dreams that seem to be predicting with what she is hearing about in the news and around her in her own personal life. While telling her neighbors about these dreams, they warn her to not go to anyone who works for the N.I.C.E. about them, but to instead see a friend of theirs that could shed some light on what they mean. However, Jane fears to get involved in anything and just wants the dreams to go away. But her newfound power seems to demand a side to be chosen in the upcoming battle.
So much of this book, I felt, strongly parallels with events going on currently (though this book was written several decades ago). Lewis tackles the decisions we make and how, no matter how small they may seem, they may snowball into disastrous events.
"This was the first thing Mark had been asked to do which he himself, before he did it, clearly knew to be criminal. But the moment of his consent almost escaped his notice, certainly, there was no struggle, no sense of turning a corner. There may have been a time in the world's history when such moments fully revealed their gravity, with witches prophesying on a blasted heath or visible Rubicons to be crossed. But, for him, it all slipped past in a chatter of laughter, of that intimate laughter between fellow professionals, which of all earthly powers is strongest to make men do very bad things before they are yet, individually, very bad men."
I was even pleasantly surprised by his bringing up the diabolical strain on a woman's heart to be "liberated" from men's hold, but also what that means in a marriage. I think his answer on that question would still offend many women today, but I think it was the closest we will get to the best answer.
I gave this book 4.5 stars out of 5. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would recommend the whole series to anyone who enjoys science fiction (because it is a science fiction series--do not forget that). I know some people are not fans of the fantastical elements of these books, so if that's you, know they are there. But really, they are superior science fiction novels that touch on Christian elements (which is rare in that genre--at least, good Christian SciFi books are rare). Lewis can get a little lengthy on some explanations, which always made me tired. But there were also a lot of high-action scenes that were riveting. Perelandra (the second novel in the series) is still my favorite.
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I guess you have to finish a trilogy when starting especially one from Lewis. However, not as good as the first two at all. For me it felt forced and almost a stand alone. Still worth the read if you want to complete the series.
Theology + LSD
What a ride!
I will be rereading the Space Trilogy sometime.
What a ride!
I will be rereading the Space Trilogy sometime.
This last installment in Lewis’s Space Trilogy was undoubtedly a slow burn. It felt almost as though there would never be any sort of real action or plot points that tied into the two preceding books, and would instead discuss college politics and the dangers of large corporations for the entirety of the book. Thankfully this wasn’t the case, and the vast amounts of information we were given on the inner machinations of any large collective of people proved to be absolutely necessary to the finale toward which Lewis was building. The conclusion was very satisfying, and provided wonderfully solid links between all three books in the trilogy.
However, I must confess that I didn’t really enjoy this book. I appreciated it. I felt that my mind was well fed by the content, and that my faith was reinforced by the spiritual elements present. I in no way regret reading it. The entire trilogy was fairly academic in tone, but this last installment was almost overwhelmingly so. I have spoiled myself as a reader since graduating from college, choosing almost exclusively to read books that are fun and edging toward mindless. It’s like I’ve built my intellectual diet around Lucky Charms instead of oatmeal, choosing something that satisfies my mental sweet tooth but leaves my hungry again too soon instead of feeding myself something that will stick with me and actually help me become a stronger, healthier person. While I recognize the error of my ways, it’s now incredibly difficult to curb my craving for sugary, empty calories.
In closing this novel, I have officially read all of Lewis’s books. I’m sure there are a few essays out there that I have missed, but I can safely say that I have loved everything that Lewis penned, including That Hideous Strength. While it might not be a book I go back to time and again like some of his other works, Lewis created something in this trilogy that was powerful and thought-provoking, for which I have tremendous respect. I too, like Ransom, hope desperately to visit the unmoored islands of Perelandra one day, and I rest confidently in the knowledge that such a day will come. If you’re a fan of classic science fiction, or classic novels of the Christian faith, or both, I highly recommend this trilogy. It will provide you with food for thought long after the sugary fluff of other novels has faded from your mind.
However, I must confess that I didn’t really enjoy this book. I appreciated it. I felt that my mind was well fed by the content, and that my faith was reinforced by the spiritual elements present. I in no way regret reading it. The entire trilogy was fairly academic in tone, but this last installment was almost overwhelmingly so. I have spoiled myself as a reader since graduating from college, choosing almost exclusively to read books that are fun and edging toward mindless. It’s like I’ve built my intellectual diet around Lucky Charms instead of oatmeal, choosing something that satisfies my mental sweet tooth but leaves my hungry again too soon instead of feeding myself something that will stick with me and actually help me become a stronger, healthier person. While I recognize the error of my ways, it’s now incredibly difficult to curb my craving for sugary, empty calories.
In closing this novel, I have officially read all of Lewis’s books. I’m sure there are a few essays out there that I have missed, but I can safely say that I have loved everything that Lewis penned, including That Hideous Strength. While it might not be a book I go back to time and again like some of his other works, Lewis created something in this trilogy that was powerful and thought-provoking, for which I have tremendous respect. I too, like Ransom, hope desperately to visit the unmoored islands of Perelandra one day, and I rest confidently in the knowledge that such a day will come. If you’re a fan of classic science fiction, or classic novels of the Christian faith, or both, I highly recommend this trilogy. It will provide you with food for thought long after the sugary fluff of other novels has faded from your mind.