Out of the Silent Planet - book 1 of The Space Trilogy

Our current selection is the final book of a trilogy. It works fine on its own, but does occasionally refer back to previous events. It seems only fair, then, to take a couple of midweek posts to describe books 1 & 2.

The book starts off with Elwin Ransom, a college professor on break. While on a walking tour, he meets Dr. Weston & Dick Devine (Lord Feverstone by book 3). The two kidnap him to another planet via Weston’s spaceship. He escapes them shortly after their arrival on Malacandra (the local name), and, after wandering alone a while, meets and befriends a native named Hyoi.

Spoilers until the line break

Ransom lives with Hyoi and his people (the Hrossa) for some weeks and learns their ways. He also learns that they know of his world, and say that it is cut off from the rest of the solar system, ruled by an inhuman intelligence that rebelled against its maker.

While Ransom is out hunting with the Hrossa, his friend Hyoi is killed by a rifle shot from Weston & Devine. An eldil (an angel) tells Ransom that he must go see the Oyarsa, the ruler of all Malacandrans.

Ransom journeys across Malacandra, seeing regions of the alien world greatly different from what he has known so far. He meets another species of rational Malacandran, the pale giants called Sorns.

Finally, he reaches the valley of the Oyarsa and meets the being, whom he cannot clearly see. He recounts his time on Malacandra, and humbly apologizes for his failing to come much earlier, which he should have.

Dr. Weston and Devine are brought captive before the Oyarsa. Not believing in the unseen, they think this is all some kind of trick, and alternately attempt to bribe and intimidate the Malacandrans. This mostly confuses and amuses the audience. Finally, the Oyarsa demands an accounting of their actions. Devine is apparently merely greedy for gold. Weston, however, has a vision of humanity colonizing Malacandra, killing the natives if necessary, then leaping from world to world, escaping extinction until the death of the universe.

The Oyarsa pronounces them both corrupt, Devine weakly so, and Weston profoundly so. He decrees they must depart immediately. They make the return journey, barely reaching Earth before their air runs out.

END SPOILERS

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This book is the least explicitly Christian of the three. If you know what you're looking for, it's quite clear, but it would be entirely possible to read this book without being aware of its connection to Christianity in specific. It is unavoidably a philosophical and moral book, but without specifically Christian references, a bit like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

It's a bit interesting as an s.f. fan to look at it as an example of early 20th century s.f. The most interesting part to me is his description of interplanetary space as not empty and bleak, but full of life and vitality. Also, he gets it right that the Earth's gravity would no longer affect the occupants of the ship, but doesn't realize that the ship's acceleration would take its place. Thus, he has them affected only by gravity of the ship itself, which, in reality, would be almost unnoticeable.

Another part I found particularly well-done was Ransom's brief mental breakdown upon finding himself alone on an alien planet. It is fascinating and frightening without being too creepy or explicit.

This isn't my favorite C.S. Lewis book. It's not even my favorite of this trilogy. But it's worth a read.