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CS Lewis The Space Trilogy

Science fiction has long been a popular form of literature, capturing the imagingation of numerous generations. Within the science fiction genre though there are a number of sub-genres, including Christian Science Fiction. I have to say I have never been a big fan of Christian Science Fiction, just as I have never been a big fan of literature that emphasises a particular political belief. At the same time though there have been some notable authors that take up Christian Science Fiction themes. The Christian Science Fiction sub-genre is characterised by the presence of strong Christian themes, this expression of Christianity though can come about in explicit commentary or more subtly with an analogy.

- CS Lewis

There is only one Christian author that I think I can recommend, and that is CS Lewis. He is not the most subtle of Christian writers, if you think of Aslan in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', but he is by far the most entertaining than most in my opinion. Lewis is now most famous for his Narnia works, but prior to this series, Lewis had written a science fiction trilogy.

- The Space Trilogy

The Space Trilogy, also known as the Cosmic or Ransom Trilogy, started in 1938 with the writing of Out of the Silent Planet. The novel introduces the reader to Dr. Elwin Ransom, a professor of language usage. Doped and taken from his hiking holiday, Ransom becomes a passenger on a space flight to the planet of Malacandra (Mars). On landing on the planet, Ransom manages to escape from his captors, Devine (an old school friend of Ransom) and Professor Weston. Ransom has the good fortune to meet the good inhabitants of Malacandra, and eventually gets to talk with their leader, Oyarsa. Oyarsa is the head Eldil' or angel, who has been appointed by Maleldil the Young (God, the Son), Maleldil resides with the Old One (God, the Father).

Ransom finds that there is a chief angel of Earth (also known as Thulcandra), and despite communication occurring between angels on all planets, there is no communication with earth, as the chief angel there had rebelled against goodness. The Oyarsa though force Ransom to leave Malacandra for Earth after the other humans impact upon the planet harming the inhabitants.

The second of the Trilogy, written in 1943, is probably the best individual book and is called Perelandra' or Voyage to Venus'. Perelandra, though is not as stable as Malacandra, and is faced with temptation. Set several years after the initial

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