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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
Not my favorite of the space trilogy (Perelandra wins that award) nor my favorite of Lewis’s fiction (toss up between Til We Have Faces & The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe), but yet beautiful in its own right. I was satisfied by this conclusion to the trilogy.
Not my favorite out of the trilogy, but brilliantly written nevertheless.
Well, this was very disappointing. In the final chapter of C.S. Lewis' space trilogy, he completely abandons almost everything that made the first two novels interesting. First, Dr. Ransom, the main character from the last books, is no longer the main character. Rather, two new characters, Mark and Jane, are the ones the reader sees most of the story through. Also, Lewis abandons most of the space theme as the characters stay Earthbound, losing much of the awe and wonder that characterized the settings of the first two novels. He also is way too analytical in this book as he is trying to refute some of the themes that make up the modern sci-fi movement of his time, as characterized by Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke. Really, this book is nearly 400 pages of debate, petty academic squabbles, and refutations, most of which hardly advances the story at all. And lastly, and perhaps the greatest tragedy of all, the entire story is anti-climatic. Not only do none of the characters really do anything to shape the story, but even Lewis admits, through the character of Dr. Ransom, that everyone was just observers and not movers. BORING! Still, some of the arguments that Lewis kicks around are interesting carry overs from the previous two novels, but this book completely failed as a story. Such a shame too. After "Perelandra," this one had so much promise.
Only C.S. Lewis could pull this off. It’s basically The Inner Ring essay fleshed out, plus Arthurian legend come to life, plus the Tower of Babel, and a tame bear.
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
a disappointing ending but cs lewis' writing is deep and poetic as usual. an intriguing adventure that raises many thought provoking questions
I read the first book of Lewis’s Space Triology last summer while preparing for my Tolkien and Lewis class (in which we read the second book). I enjoyed Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra more than I thought I would, but this third one was a rough read. It is way longer than the other two, and the story isn’t as succinct as I thought it could have been. I did manage to read the entire 500+page book in a day, but mostly because I wanted to get it over with and finish the trilogy.
One of the best rarely read books of C.S. Lewis--his integration of social and spiritual issues, classical mythology, Arthurian legend, and dystopic nightmares of the twentieth century is a fabulously insightful book, not least for his premise that one of the most seemingly innocuous desires--that to be part of the "inner circle" or simply to be accepted--can lead us to deeds we'd never thought ourselves capable of.
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes