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A review by mrswhiteinthelibrary
That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis
4.0
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.