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dankeohane's review
4.0
I never read Lewis's adult science fiction before and was amazed how good a writer he is. The dark tower is the majority of this collection and be warned it's only a fragment. Read the introductions because the editor explains how he came to possess these early chapters of what would have been an interesting, if even mind bending, sci-fi novel. It's a good read and just be warned it simply stops when the editor ran out of pages to share with us. There are also a couple of very, very good sci fi short stories and the first half of what also might have been another novel had Lewis finished it. It's a quick read, overall, but if you're a fan of C.S.Lewis I'd dare.to call this small book a must have
pastaviking's review against another edition
1.0
Read "The C.S. Lewis Hoax".
This book was very likely not written by Lewis.
This book was very likely not written by Lewis.
cmbohn's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this one up, not realizing what it was. But I enjoyed some of the stories very much. This is a collection of works he did not finish or publish during his lifetime. So some of the stories are not finished, and of the ones that are, some are better than others. Still, it was interesting to read.
kschmaltz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
nwhyte's review against another edition
4.0
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2550823.html
A collection of stories by C.S. Lewis, including the time-travel story of the title. It's not finished, but it would have been an interesting read - the Dark Tower itself turns out to be a replica of Cambridge University Library, built in an Othertime by people who our hero tries to understand. I think Lewis was probably better advised to go to Venus rather than take this route, but there are elements of the story that made it into That Hideous Strength. I see that there is some controversy about the extent to which Lewis's literary executor Walter Hooper may have had a hand in the text; I didn't detect anything that set off my alarm bells.
The other interesting fragment in the book is the very last one, about Helen's return to Menelaus after the siege of Troy - only a few pages, but taking the stroy in a slightly different direction.
I had not realised that Lewis published two stories in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. One of these, "Ministering Angels", is an awful pile of sexism, but the other, "Forms of Things Unknown", struck me as rather good, as did the two other complete shorts, "The Shoddy Lands" and "The Man Born Blind".
A collection of stories by C.S. Lewis, including the time-travel story of the title. It's not finished, but it would have been an interesting read - the Dark Tower itself turns out to be a replica of Cambridge University Library, built in an Othertime by people who our hero tries to understand. I think Lewis was probably better advised to go to Venus rather than take this route, but there are elements of the story that made it into That Hideous Strength. I see that there is some controversy about the extent to which Lewis's literary executor Walter Hooper may have had a hand in the text; I didn't detect anything that set off my alarm bells.
The other interesting fragment in the book is the very last one, about Helen's return to Menelaus after the siege of Troy - only a few pages, but taking the stroy in a slightly different direction.
I had not realised that Lewis published two stories in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. One of these, "Ministering Angels", is an awful pile of sexism, but the other, "Forms of Things Unknown", struck me as rather good, as did the two other complete shorts, "The Shoddy Lands" and "The Man Born Blind".
zachismith's review
4.0
Wish it were a finished story, but greatly enjoyable for what it was. Short stories to follow were less enjoyable, but had interesting ideas presented.
jtaylor95's review
5.0
Was shaping up to be one of his best stories yet. Kills me he never finished it.
yojkd's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely darker than other books I've read by C.S. Lewis. A couple of the stories sent shivers down my spine. However, of the six stories, a couple were very short and ended abruptly and the two most interesting ones were unfinished. I enjoyed reading it because it was Lewis's work and something different than I'd read before but I hate unfinished endings.
jlc's review against another edition
3.0
I hadn't heard of this book before stumbling on it at a bookstore. I picked it up since I thought it was curious that it had the same title as Stephen King's opus, and bought it upon reading the first sentence and realizing it was a time travel story.
"The Dark Tower" tale itself is incomplete, missing 2 pages and abruptly ending during a passage where the time travel portion is being explained. Entertaining enough, though I wish there was more. I also wonder if King pulled any influence from it (my gut says yes - though the title coincidence is due to both being named for the same Browning poem.) It also feels like it has some of Lewis' Narnia thoughts and ideas sprinkled throughout, which is also fascinating from a historical creative process perspective.
The other stories in the book are good but not great, with the similar thematic connections to the Narnia tales racing through my brain as I read.
"The Dark Tower" tale itself is incomplete, missing 2 pages and abruptly ending during a passage where the time travel portion is being explained. Entertaining enough, though I wish there was more. I also wonder if King pulled any influence from it (my gut says yes - though the title coincidence is due to both being named for the same Browning poem.) It also feels like it has some of Lewis' Narnia thoughts and ideas sprinkled throughout, which is also fascinating from a historical creative process perspective.
The other stories in the book are good but not great, with the similar thematic connections to the Narnia tales racing through my brain as I read.