What Is The Ransom Trilogy About?
The books that make up the Ransom Trilogy are theological and allegorical Sci-Fi space adventures. They are written in the form of allegory, which means that certain parts and mainly the names of the characters are more symbolic and have a deeper meaning. Not only is are the stories are full of symbolism, but they are also quite religious and philosophical. Most of the books are made up of dialogs, thoughts, and debates which hit on all of the critical questions. They span the topics of life, love, happiness, and God. The settings and characters of each story provide a new way of seeing the stories of old.
The Origin Of C.S Lewis's Space Trilogy
C.S Lewis writes about a man who is almost entirely modeled after his good friend J.R.R Tolkien. Elwin Ransom is a philologist, Christian, and a professor just as Tolkien was. Lewis likely injected Tolkien into this particular series because it came as the result of a deal he had made with Tolkien. Lewis was tasked with space travel while Tolkien drew a lot of time travel. While Tolkien never finished his book, Lewis managed to finish the book and turn it in this very trilogy.
What Books Make Up The Ransom Trilogy?
Each of the three books that make up the trilogy takes place on different planets within the solar system. The books are meant to be read in order, as they build off of each other.
Out of The Silent Planet takes place on the planet which they call Malacandra. Ransom is caught out on a walking tour and is brought against his will to the new world as a sacrifice. While on his journey through deep heaven to Malacandra, Ransom is challenged with all sorts of existential questions brought on by the approach of his death, his Christian faith, and the existence of alien life. After only a short while on the planet, he manages an escape from his captors. Once free, Ransom finds himself alone in a strange world with only his wit. Eventually, he runs across the natives, and to his surprise, they posses sentence. Once he connects with the natives, he must make his way to the leader of the planet to evade his captors and find the exact reason for his being brought to Malacandra.
The second book takes place a few years after Ransom’s trip to Malacandra. The book opens up with one of Ransom’s confidants, Lewis, answering a telegram to come and visit at once. Once the companion has made the treacherous journey to Ransom’s house, he is let in on the new mission. Ransome has been selected by the Oyarsa of Malacandra to be sent to Perelandra, venus. He is not given any reasons why it must be him or what he is to do once he is there, only that he is to go alone and naked. Thus Ransome has called upon his friend lewis to pack him into his coffin-like space ship and then be on the ready to unpack him upon his return. Once Ransome makes it to Paralandria, he finds that it is a younger planet and that he has been sent there as its protector to prevent its fall.
The third book in the Ransom trilogy takes place here on earth sometime after the end of the Wolrd War II. This book follows the lives of Mark Studdock who is a budding young academic who has just gained the position of Senior Fellow in sociology at Bracton College in the University of Edgestow and Mark’s wife Jane (a Ph.D. student at the university) who has suffered several nightmares involving the imagery of a severed head. Both Mark and his wife fall into the trap of the National Institute for Co-ordinated Experiments (N.I.C.E). Mark joins the N.I.C.E as one of its members while his wife Jane ends up on the side fighting against the N.I.C.E. Jane ends up on Ransom’s team at St. Anne’s which is not introduced fully until the 7th chapter. The N.I.C.E wants to carry forward the work of the two characters that were the antagonists of the other two novels, Western and Divine. The N.I.C.E is on the side of the bent one, and it’s up to the less than likely heroes that have been brought together by Ransom under the guidance of Maleldil to dismantle the N.I.C.E.
Why You Should Read The Ransom Trilogy
The Ransom Trilogy is one of the most under rated series of all time. It refreshes an old way of looking at the world and challenges your base assumptions. Lewis is a master of the written word in whatever form he produces it. You will not be disappointed by picking up this incredibly profound and insightful science fiction allegory.
Hoping to add these to my 2020 TBR! Thanks for the post!