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bickleyhouse's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Yet another book discovered while shelving at the library. I had no idea that this book even existed until December of last year. This book of fiction short stories, with a preface by Walter Hooper, was discovered after Lewis passed away in 1963, as his estate was being cleaned out. In fact, they barely escaped being tossed into the fire.
But they were rescued, and are presented here, exactly as found. This, of course, presents a small problem, as two of the stories contained in this book are incomplete. Both the title story and the final story in the collection, After Ten Years, end in mid-sentence.
How does one review stories that aren't finished? It does present a challenge. But I think I can give a review based on what I have to work with, here.
This collection shows a definite dark side of Lewis that makes me wish he had written more fiction. And it appears that The Dark Tower was intended to be a sequel to his space trilogy, as the character Ransom appears in the story. In this story, as four friends are discussing the possibility (or lack thereof) of time travel, one reveals that he has invented a thing he calls a "chronosphere," which enables one to see into a different time. The odd thing about it is that it seems to control what one is allowed to see. What the four friends are able to see is most disturbing, and they spend a bit of time discussing exactly what it is or when it is or where it is.
Even more disturbing, they note that there are, it would appear, doppelgangers for a couple of them in the time/place they are observing. At one point, one of the friends becomes so disturbed that he rushes the chronosphere, breaking it, and suddenly finding himself exchanged for his doppelganger in the other place. It is evident in the tale that he eventually makes his way back somehow, but, alas, we will never know how, because the story simply stops in mid-sentence. It is, most definitely a chilling tale, though.
In "The Man Born Blind," we encounter a man, as stated, who was born blind, who received his sight by some means. The problem he is having is that he hears everyone talk about "light," yet he cannot see any "light." It's an interesting dilemma, actually, when one considers that light, itself, cannot be seen, if one thinks about it. Light makes other things visible, and one can see the source of light, but can one actually see light, itself? It's a great story, with a somewhat horrific and tragic ending.
In "The Shoddy Lands," a man has a sort of vision while in the middle of a conversation with some people, in which most things are blurry to him. There are some things that are not blurry at all, and it doesn't seem to make much sense, the ones that are clear to him. However, when he mentally returns to the setting, he is overjoyed and becomes a much more positive person.
In "Ministering Angels," a somewhat humorous story, the circumstance is examined in which some men have volunteered to go on a mission to Mars, which will take, of course, some time out of their lives. The "powers that be" decide that morality can be suspended, and that these men need "female companionship" while they are there, so they send some women to "be with them." Needless to say, it doesn't go well.
In "Forms of Things Unknown," we encounter a rather famous mythical creature on the Moon, as several expeditions have traveled there, but never returned. In fact, in each case, they are interrupted in mid-transmission. Our "hero" is going on yet another expedition and discovers what has happened to the others.
Finally, "After Ten Years" is an interesting retelling of the story of Menelaus and Helen of Troy (of which I confess I am not familiar), which includes an interesting take on the Trojan Horse. This one, as well, stops mid-sentence.
I truly loved every one of these stories. And, again, I say it makes me wish that Lewis had written more such tales. And who knows but that he may have, and they were lost forever, in the cleaning out of his estate?
As for what genre these stories fall into, that is also difficult. A couple of them could definitely qualify for horror, while all of them, I believe, could be sci-fi/fantasy. Nevertheless, it is a great collection of stories.
But they were rescued, and are presented here, exactly as found. This, of course, presents a small problem, as two of the stories contained in this book are incomplete. Both the title story and the final story in the collection, After Ten Years, end in mid-sentence.
How does one review stories that aren't finished? It does present a challenge. But I think I can give a review based on what I have to work with, here.
This collection shows a definite dark side of Lewis that makes me wish he had written more fiction. And it appears that The Dark Tower was intended to be a sequel to his space trilogy, as the character Ransom appears in the story. In this story, as four friends are discussing the possibility (or lack thereof) of time travel, one reveals that he has invented a thing he calls a "chronosphere," which enables one to see into a different time. The odd thing about it is that it seems to control what one is allowed to see. What the four friends are able to see is most disturbing, and they spend a bit of time discussing exactly what it is or when it is or where it is.
Even more disturbing, they note that there are, it would appear, doppelgangers for a couple of them in the time/place they are observing. At one point, one of the friends becomes so disturbed that he rushes the chronosphere, breaking it, and suddenly finding himself exchanged for his doppelganger in the other place. It is evident in the tale that he eventually makes his way back somehow, but, alas, we will never know how, because the story simply stops in mid-sentence. It is, most definitely a chilling tale, though.
In "The Man Born Blind," we encounter a man, as stated, who was born blind, who received his sight by some means. The problem he is having is that he hears everyone talk about "light," yet he cannot see any "light." It's an interesting dilemma, actually, when one considers that light, itself, cannot be seen, if one thinks about it. Light makes other things visible, and one can see the source of light, but can one actually see light, itself? It's a great story, with a somewhat horrific and tragic ending.
In "The Shoddy Lands," a man has a sort of vision while in the middle of a conversation with some people, in which most things are blurry to him. There are some things that are not blurry at all, and it doesn't seem to make much sense, the ones that are clear to him. However, when he mentally returns to the setting, he is overjoyed and becomes a much more positive person.
In "Ministering Angels," a somewhat humorous story, the circumstance is examined in which some men have volunteered to go on a mission to Mars, which will take, of course, some time out of their lives. The "powers that be" decide that morality can be suspended, and that these men need "female companionship" while they are there, so they send some women to "be with them." Needless to say, it doesn't go well.
In "Forms of Things Unknown," we encounter a rather famous mythical creature on the Moon, as several expeditions have traveled there, but never returned. In fact, in each case, they are interrupted in mid-transmission. Our "hero" is going on yet another expedition and discovers what has happened to the others.
Finally, "After Ten Years" is an interesting retelling of the story of Menelaus and Helen of Troy (of which I confess I am not familiar), which includes an interesting take on the Trojan Horse. This one, as well, stops mid-sentence.
I truly loved every one of these stories. And, again, I say it makes me wish that Lewis had written more such tales. And who knows but that he may have, and they were lost forever, in the cleaning out of his estate?
As for what genre these stories fall into, that is also difficult. A couple of them could definitely qualify for horror, while all of them, I believe, could be sci-fi/fantasy. Nevertheless, it is a great collection of stories.
malachi_oneill's review against another edition
My entry for "The Man Born Blind"
Goodreads is difficult to add new titles to that aren't listed.
Entry for The Dark Tower.
Lewis's ability to think and ask creative questions is so powerfully unique.
Ministering Angels
The Shoddy Lands
After Ten Years
Forms of Things Unknow
Goodreads is difficult to add new titles to that aren't listed.
Entry for The Dark Tower.
Lewis's ability to think and ask creative questions is so powerfully unique.
Ministering Angels
The Shoddy Lands
After Ten Years
Forms of Things Unknow
iamastraythought's review
I really only wanted to read The Dark Tower. Which was deeply upsetting, because it doesn't end. Or, it doesn't have a proper ending. It just abruptly cuts off.
jimmypat's review
3.0
Some interesting fragments, but nothing really spectacular. I would recommend reading Lewis’ Space Trilogy before this.
jaccarmac's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Dark Tower, presented as the cap to Lewis's fiction, is explicitly a view of the man working; That's how I can read certain paragraphs, that and as minor work. Fragments in general provide open halves, and this period gives unique pairings of mythology and science fiction. Read after the Space Trilogy - the whole thing - and the productive connections become very obvious indeed. If you're feeling less than generous toward late-Narnia Lewis, nothing here is likely to help.
reynoldsreads's review
3.5
This is a collection of Lewis’s short fiction, some of it unfinished. The Dark Tower is set in the same universe as the Space Trilogy but not related to the main plot of that series, and it’s unfinished. My favourite story was Forms of Things Unknown about a mission to the moon, and I also enjoyed After Ten Years which reinterprets some Greek mythology. Unfortunately that one is also unfinished, but a couple of Lewis’s friends discuss where he was planning to go with the story based on their conversations with him.
quoththegirl's review against another edition
5.0
Sarah loaned me The Dark Tower and Other Stories by CS Lewis, and its brilliance helped considerably to efface the preceding ugliness of Joyce Carol Oates. I wish very, very desperately that Lewis had been able to finish The Dark Tower, because I dare say it would have been every bit as good as the Space Trilogy. He toys with the theory that memory is the direct perception of the past, which is a fascinating idea I hadn't encountered before. His short stories really are exquisite as well. He reminds me quite a lot of Asimov; somehow his tone seems very different in his short stories than in his novels. I'm not sure why that might be...but I love both styles.
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
4.0
Absolutely marvelous short stories by a master. Four and a half stars.
itshannahivy's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0