Beware! The evil, foul-minded people who are publishing these works (The Chronicles of Narnia) have profaned the fantastic writing of C.S. Lewis by rearranging the order of the seven books so as to confuse the reader and steal away some of the magic and wonder by imposing it in a chronological order rather than the artistic one in which it was rendered. Is the horrible time witch at play again or it could be that rascal Screwtape at work? I shake my head sadly at the poor folk who will read these books in the wrong order, actually thinking that perhaps the author meant for them to read Volume Six first. Yes, of course these books come highly recommended but I think it is most important to stress that they should be read in the proper order, which is as follows: 1. The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe 2. Prince Caspian 3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader 4. The Silver Chair 5. The Horse and His Boy 6. The Magician's Nephew 7. The Last Battle Please, do yourself a favor, if you are reading these books for the first time, read them in the right order.

This is the sixth volume in the Narnia Series. It is definately one of my favorite, simply because of the characters. The two main heroes in the book are Jill and Eustace. It is interesting to see a boy and a girl work together on a great adventure.

We also get to learn what a marsh-wiggle is in the character of Puddlegum. C.S. Lewis uses this fictional being to emphasize both strengths and weaknesses in people. Puddlegum is extremely brave, even though he is an extreme pessemist.

More than most of the Narnia books, this one introduces characters unique to this book. Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan are not involved at all in The Silver Chair. Caspian is a carry over from the previous two books, but is much older and not really a central character.

This is fun adventure book that is meant for kids, but enjoyable to adults as well.

Eustace Scrubb returns for his second adventure in Narnia in "The Silver Chair," the first book (in the order they were written) without the Pevensie children along. Instead he brings a schoolmate, Jill Pole. In there assigned quest (by Aslan of-course), they are to search out and rescue the lost Prince Rilian, heir to King Caspian's Narnian throne. Along the way they are given a trusty and humorously pessimistic guide...Puddleglum the Marsh-wiggle. They travel past the furthest northern reaches of Narnia in to the land of giants, and eventually stumble into a vast underground world nearly oblivious to the outside! Once again a marvelous piece of literature by C.S. Lewis, both as a work of fiction and also as containing some Christian metaphors.

In the world of Narnia, an ape and a donkey found a lion's skin and decided they would use it to trick the people into believing god Aslan had come.
A king of Narnia named Tirian set out to see Aslan for himself. Tirian was then captured by Calormene soldiers. Tirian was saved by two young children named Jill and Eustace. These two children were sent from earth by their elders who were at Narnia when it was first created.

When Tirian and the children went to confront the ape and donkey, they started the last battle. It was the devil warriors against Tirian and his followers. Tirian realized he couldn't win the battle, so he walked into the stable which was believed to have the devil and god inside....
I would recommend this book, only if you have read the previous books in this series. It is a fun and enjoyable book for all ages. It shows how people and animals can communicate. This also teaches the reader to stand up for what they believe in. This adventure looks at things from a different perspective, to help you open up new ideas about the earth in relationship to other planets, or other life.

"The Last Battle" is the seventh and final entry in C.S. Lewis' beloved and enduring Narnia Chronicles, and certainly is best read after first completing the other six books in the series. Narnia is faced with an apocalyptic crisis, as a false Aslan sets up rule in Narnia. The false Aslan is in fact a mere [] (Puzzle) dressed in a Lion's skin, and the real mastermind is the crafty ape who acts as his "mouthpiece" (Shift). But the faithful Narnians immediately realize something is not right: why does this Aslan not speak to them directly, why is his rule harsh, and why does he advocate an alliance with the Calormenes, the followers of Tash? As Eustace and Jill enter Narnia to assist the legitimate Narnian king Tirian in the battle against the false Aslan, the deception is slowly exposed. First posing as Aslan, the enemies of Narnia then speak about "Tashlan", and eventually about their true master "Tash". "There was no nonsense about `Tashlan' now" (p.160). The conflict between the friends and enemies of Narnia reaches a decisive battle, after which the faithful Narnians find themselves in the "true" Narnia - a home of eternal blessedness.

As with all the Narnia Chronicles, on the level of children the story functions as a perfectly comprehensible and exciting fantasy adventure, but on an adult level it imparts powerful spiritual truths about Christianity by means of numerous recognizable Biblical allusions. "The Last Battle" obviously represents the final conflicts leading up to the end of the world and the return of Christ, complete with signs predicting his coming. Appropriately it features an antichrist that "apes" the real Christ with its terrible result - "he had never dreamed that one of the results of an ape's setting up a false Aslan would be to stop people believing in the real one." (p.92). Behind the antichrist is the very real power of the devil: "People shouldn't call for demons unless they really mean what they say." (p.104) "The true Tash, whom they called on without knowledge or belief, has now come among us, and will avenge himself." (p.203) Complete with apocalyptic imagery of the sun going blood red (p.196), there is a final battle which ushers in eternal life, painted by Lewis in vivid colours. The suggestion of a kind of limited universalism as Aslan accepts the unbeliever Emeth's service to the false god Tash as service rendered to him (p.205) is particularly puzzling, but is a minor weakness. So too is the perplexion notion that "Susan ... is no longer a friend of Narnia" (p.169). The concept of Narnia as the "Shadowlands" in contrast to the true Narnia is more Platonic than Biblical, but still has some merit. But there are many memorable insights, such as the reference to Christ's birth: "a stable once had something inside it that was bigger than our whole world" (p.177).

But it is especially the delighful picture of the blessed afterlife that brings the Narnian Chronicles to a fitting and final climax. As King Tirian observes Jill in the afterlife: "It was Jill: but not Jill as he had last seen her, with her face all dirt and tears and an old drill dress half slipping off one shoulder. Now she looked cool and fresh, as fresh as if she had just come from bathing." (p167) The blessedness of eternal life is far greater than the best that this world offers: "If you had once eaten that fruit, all the nicest things in this world would taste like medicines after it. But I can't describe it. You can't find out what it is like unless you can get to that country and taste it for yourself." (p.172) As the unicorn Jewel says: "I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now." (p.213) Here the Narnian faithful are reunited with the memorable true Narnians from all the preceding Chronicles. But the center of this beautiful world is Aslan himself: "There stood his heart's desire, huge and real, the golden Lion, Aslan himself..." (p.183) The final paragraph marks a fitting and final end to the Narnian Chronicles: "And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this the end of all stories, and we can most truly say that they all live happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the coer and the title page: now at last they wre beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before." (p228) What more can be said?

As always, in all the upheavals and conflicts of Narnia, Aslan is the one constant, and it is his vital involvement that enables the children to complete their Narnian quest, just as it is Christ who inspires, comforts, guides, and saves in the real world. Narnia may exist only in Lewis imagination and ours, but these underlying truths about Christ ensure that a journey to Narnia is never without profit for the real world. Those who believe these very real spiritual truths about Jesus Christ know that like Narnia, the real world will also draw to an end and usher in the age of eternal life for true believers. "All worlds draw to an end, except Aslan's own country" (p.111) and those who know Him will indeed live forever.

The Last Battle is the last in the series of Narnia Chronicles by C. S. Lewis, and possibly one of the best of this fantastic series. While the Narnia books are normally recommended for children alone, I would challenge the label "Children's", because adults can just as easily enjoy it, though for somewhat different reasons. --In this, the last book of Narnia, evil has taken hold of the magical land. An ape and donkey duo has found a lion skin in the river, and is impersonating the great king of Narnia, Aslan the Lion. Frightened by this "return of the king" the talking animals of follow the psuedo lord's orders out of fear for their lives and afterlives. When the ape, under the name of Aslan, invites the cruel Calormen army into the land, the animals and other inhabitants of the magical world don't know where to turn.-- While children can most certainly enjoy the fantasy and adventure of this book, adults can also appriciate the message hidden in the wonderful tale of a magi

The Horse and His Boy is a very good book.A young boy named Shasta lives with a Calormen fisherman.Shasts thinks the fisherman is his father, but after Shasta overhears his father talking Shasta finds out the truth.Shasta meets a talking horse who tells him about a place called Narnia.Shasta and the horse run away.They meet many adventures on their way to this magical land.
This book was very appealing to me from the beginning.The Horse ana His Boy is one Book of a series.I advise you to read these books first.

C.S. Lewis is a genius, and this is one of the best out of the chronicles. I love this book, because it gives you a better understanding of how horrible Calormen was. In this story a young boy who was adopted by a Calormene fishermen escapes to Narnia with a talking horse Bree. On their dangerous journey, they meet a Tarkheena named Aravis and her horse Hwin. They are on an amazing adventure and have to face the challenges of getting through the busy city of Tashbaan and crossing the desert. Their most difficult challenge is to get to Archenland before the Calormen army to warn the king about their surprise attack. This book introduces new characters and has the lovable old ones. I recommend this book to anyone who can read!

Although chronologically the third book in the Chronicles of Narnia, "The Horse and His Boy" was actually fifth in the original order of publication. But not that this really matters, because perhaps more so than with any of the other Narnia stories, this is an independent story. Peter and Susan are now High King and Queen of Narnia, but their role is more in the background. The hero is a young boy Shasta, who discovers that he is not the real son of the Calormene fisherman Arsheesh, and so decides to flee north to Narnia with a talking Narnian horse called Bree. He meets up with a runaway girl, Aravis, and her talking horse Hwin. On their way north, the foursome meet with perilous adventures, and in the Calormene capital city Tashbaan, they uncover an evil plot over against Narnia. After a perilous journey to Narnia, not only do they warn Narnia of the impending attack, but Shastah discovers his real father. It's a compelling story that many regard as one of the best in the series.

As with all the Narnia Chronicles, on the level of children the story functions as a perfectly comprehensible and exciting fantasy adventure, but on an adult level it imparts powerful spiritual truths about Christianity by means of numerous recognizable Biblical allusions. By means of Shastah's adventures, "The Horse and the Boy" marvellously shows how by the providence of God, Christ is behind all the events of our life, even hurt and pain, working for good (p.175), as Shastah comes to realize when he says "It wasn't luck at all really, it was Him!" (p.180). But the talking horse Bree also has things to learn, and in his case it is pride and self-conceit that must be abandoned.

As always, in all the upheavals and conflicts of Narnia, Aslan is the one constant, and it is his vital involvement that enables the children to complete their Narnian quest, just as it is Christ who inspires, comforts, guides, and saves in the real world. Narnia may exist only in Lewis imagination and ours, but these underlying truths about Christ ensure that a journey to Narnia is never without profit for the real world.

In this, the second book of CS Lewis's Space Trilogy, we find Dr. Ransom off on another interplanetary adventure, this time to Venus. Instead of finding himself on an 'old' planet, like he did on Malacandra, he finds that life on Perelandra (Venus) is relatively new; in fact, the woman he meets there is still in an 'unfallen' state. In other words, she is in a state of innocence much like Eve was in the Garden of Eden.

Ransom knows he has been sent to Perelandra for a purpose, but he does not know what that purpose is. He soon finds out. Weston, his old rival and former captor, shows up on the planet. Ransom soon discovers that Weston is possessed by an evil force, and calls him the 'Unman.' He then spends all his time trying to protect the woman and keep her from 'falling,' so that the fate of the new planet will not be like Earth's.

This book continues in the allegorical style set forth in the first part of the series Out of the Silent Planet, though Perelandra takes it one step further. This book is more of a religious work than the first one, though, and the moral implications set forth in Planet are both enlarged and expanded. More than just a story of the fall, this book details the true ramifications of the battle of good and evil. It dares explore such questions as why God allows temptation in the world and why we should make our will subordinate to his.

To fans of Milton, the story will seem somewhat familiar, and undoubtedly Lewis used much of Paradise Lost as a basis for this work. The fact that he published a preface to Milton's work the same year this book was written seems hardly coincidental. Still, this book teems with freshness and a unique insight that only CS Lewis can provide. This is a classic work by the master of Christian apology.

This book is truly amazing. Not only is it thoughtful and deep in its Christian allegorical sense. It is also something you can sit down with and get totally absorbed in; it must be the incredible description, or maybe the author's amazing talent--but whatever it is will allow you to forget everyone and everything around you for a while and feel like you're experiencing it, not just reading it. Mr. Lewis was definitely a genious. Out of the Silent Planet was wonderful, and That Hideous Strength was pretty good too, but no book in the world is comparable to Perelandra. Nobody can explain it well enough. You'd have to read it and see for yourself.

In Perelandra, Dr. Ransom continues his interplanetary travels, this time to Venus (Perelandra). Unlike his previous adventure, this one has him sent intentionally, on a mission. The sights and sensations that greet Ransom on Perelandra are described with the beautiful imagery characteristic of Lewis's writings. Floating across the Venetian seas on mobile islands, Ransom encounters one of the two human residents of this shrouded planet. Soon after his arrival, however, a sinister force arrives on Perelandra in the form of Weston, the scientist from the previous book. The encounters and conversations following between Weston, Ransom, and the Queen are a fascinating image of what the temptation in the Garden of Eden may have been like. Also, the discourses given in this portion of the book are deeply thought-provoking. For these reasons and for the excellent suspense, I highly recommend Perelandra.

Is pain God's megaphone?

Lewis ably examines the thorny subjects of pain and suffering in this book. The brief work is at once philosophical, logical, and semi-theological, even though Clive points out in his preface that he is no theologian (We can thank God for that!).

Lewis seeks to answer questions such as "If God is good and all-powerful, why does he allow his creatures to suffer pain?"

No stranger to pain himself, Lewis sheds some valuable light on the subject and on human nature. The book is both a comfort and a discomfort. One wonders how differently Lewis might have approached the subject after the death of his wife, for example.

I found the later chapters, particularly those on Hell, Animal Pain, and Heaven particularly enlightening.

"Pain," writes Lewis in the end, "offers an opportunity for heroism." His words ring true. Those who have suffered, to any degree, will find the book intriguing.

A fine work, I would not recommend that the Lewis neophyte begin with this work, but perhaps "Mere Christianity."

Not the best place to start if you want to see the strongest logical underpinnings of Christianity (_Miracles: A Preliminary Study_, post-1960 edition, would be the best; _Mere Christianity_ would be the most popular and easiest to digest). However, _The Problem of Pain_ (TPoP) does fully address the most popular theological question of all: if there's a good God, then why do we suffer? The question is deep, and the answers here are logically strong (although any serious sceptic of Christianity will probably rankle at them... go read one of the other two books, first!) This is not a book to read if you've just suffered a personal disaster and want to be comforted (although Lewis himself published the final edition of the book just after his wife's death from bone cancer.) It is, however, an essential book for Christians who want to be forearmed in advance when tragedy strikes: remember that strength of will is an intellectual asset that must be developed unless you're a prodigy, and that our reason is our prime (perhaps only) defense against the overwhelming sorrow of our personal tragedies. Lewis' book places the answers squarely within Christian perceptions, and any ideas in the book should be acceptable to members of any denomination. I'll gladly field any questions or comments (or corrections) at the above address, but take note: hatemail will be immediately deleted (so be polite!), and sceptical non-Christians will probably be referred back to one of the earlier books (which I'll also gladly help out on.) As Lewis himself once wrote, "If I _am_ wrong, then the sooner I find out, the better off I'll be." Just remember it works both ways.

While I read this book (in fact, an old, battered version of my mother's) in order to answer some questions regarding pain and why it exists in a universe created by a loving God (if one accepts this hypothesis), Lewis not only convincingly answered those but also dug into topics such as free will and election, clarifying many other not necessarily pain-related questions in the process. I am now convinced (my apologies to all the Calvinists out there) that free will is an essential ingredient to human being and that it is necessary in order for Christian self-surrender to have any sense at all.

I usually don't riposte to other reviews, but I don't believe the reviewer was correct in saying Dr. Lewis chickened out, largely because his concept of innocent children seems erroneous to me. I remember my younger brother was fully capable of scheming before he could even talk. The helplessness of children does not make them innocent.

I fully recommend this book to anyone grappling with problems of pain.

This is my second time through Narnia as I read it out loud to, and have it read aloud to me by, my children. It has been thirty years since my first experience, and I have to point out that back in the 60's, the books were ordered as follows: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair; A Horse and His Boy; The Magician's Nephew; The Last Battle. I am unsure why the series has been re-issued in a different order. It is more pleasing to be introduced to Narnia through the eyes of the four children, and then discovery the mystery of its making in book Six (Magician's Nephew), than the other way around. On to the book. Prince Caspian contains the weakest coupling of the real and imaginary worlds that Lewis attempted. The linkage between the Children and Narnia suffers greatly from the time differentials involved . . . however, the characters grow steadily, the plot moves at a pleasing pace, and the world is revealed much as an onion is pealed, layer by layer, by use of a "story within a story." The harsh realities of politics, life and death are not overlooked, as many PC books today tend to do, yet the battle scenes do not succumb to graphic description as is done in far too many stories today, and certainly on TV. Narnia's magic retains the critical element of wonder and scarcity, though I must say that the talking beasts are trying at times. I guess it is harder to suspend disbelief as an adult than as a child-- my loss perhaps.

The lessons in tolerance, teamwork and faith are well told, and the description is beautiful, even if the style is slightly out of date, and the language less accessible than before the great dumbing down of America brought on by the liberal education reforms of the 70's and 80's.

This story, indeed this series, uses allegory to good effect. Best when shared with children.

Prince Caspian is the second book in the very entertaining series, "The Chronicles of Narnia." It is about 4 children (2 brothers and 2 sisters) who revisit Narnia, another world inhabited by talking animals, after being gone for one year. But one year in our time could be a thousand years in Narnian time, or no time at all. In this case,they were gone for thousands of Narnian years. When they return,they find that the land that they ruled as Kings and Queens in the previous book, has been taken over by humans, called Telmarines, that do not like talking animals. This exciting story tells of the children's efforts to regain power of Narnia. After reading "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe," "Prince Caspian" keeps you wondering what happened to Narnia and what is going to happen to Narnia.Once you start reading this series,you can't stop! A wonderful experience to read these books! I highly recommend that you do!

Originally published as the second entry in the Narnia Chronicles, chronologically 'Prince Caspian' is published in modern editions as the fourth in the series. It is not the most exciting in the series, but it's still an enthralling story. Through Doctor Cornelius, who has true Narnian blood, Prince Caspian discovers that he is the rightful heir to the throne and that his uncle King Miraz is a usurper. When Miraz fathers his own son, Caspian's life is endangered and he is forced to flee. Summoned by a magic horn blown in this time of peril, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy re-enter Narnia. Only with their help and the ever-present guidance of mighty Aslan does Caspian have any hope of saving Narnia from persecution and oppression under Miraz, and restoring it to the kingdom of peace it should be. The climax involves a thrilling and decisive duel.

As with all the Narnia Chronicles, on the level of children the story functions as a perfectly comprehensible and exciting fantasy adventure, but on an adult level it imparts powerful spiritual truths about Christianity by means of numerous recognizable Biblical allusions. Lewis intended 'Prince Caspian' especially to portray the restoration of true religion after corruption. But it also portrays spiritual warfare, showing the importance of our sufficiency being in Christ and not in ourselves. As Aslan says: 'If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been a proof that you were not.' (p220) It further demonstrates the folly of atheism and importance of living by faith and not by sight, since God's invisible nature does not mean he does not exist (p.150). The notion of Aslan's perceived increase in size has profound spiritual implications about increasing one's respect and awe of Christ: 'But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.' (p148) Such important moral lessons about the role of faith in Christ are typical of Lewis' style in the Narnia series...

This book is an absolute delight - particularly in an era where (at least here in the states) we have a dearth of intelligent discussion on religion.

I particularly enjoyed Lewis' insightful and clever use of real-world analogies to illustrate christian theological concepts - it not only made his points easier to grasp but made reading the book far more enjoyable then it might otherwise have been. And his calm, clear, level-headed mode of presentation is SUCH a contrast to current screeds on the topic, particularly those coming from the politically motivated far right wing people who have hijacked the term "christian" - as well as from the equally intellectually-challenged atheistic groups.

Right-wingers have done severe damage to Christianity in the United States over the last 20 years or so. As a result of their overtly political behavior they have alienated and driven away many, many people who might otherwise have been attracted to the teachings of Jesus. Many people would probably never dream of picking up a book entitled "Mere Christianity" as a result. However, I encourage anyone with an interest in spirituality, ethics, and/or religion to read this book - it will give you a good picture of what "Real Christianity" is all about.

Mere Christianity is a revised and enlarged edition of the three books produced from C.S. Lewis's radio broadcasts in England during World War II: The Case for Christianity, Christian Behaviour, and Beyond Personality. Here is the outline for Mere Christianity:

Book I. RIGHT AND WRONG AS A CLUE TO THE MEANING OF THE UNIVERSE. 1.) The Law of Human Nature (Where Lewis begins by saying, "Every one has heard people quarrelling," then goes on to talk about the moral law people appeal to when they argue.) 2.) Some Objections 3.)The Reality of the Law 4.) What Lies Behind the Law 5.) We Have Cause to Be Uneasy

Book II. WHAT CHRISTIANS BELIEVE 1.) The Rival Conceptions of God 2.) The Invasion 3.) The Shocking Alternative (where Lewis presents his claims that Jesus of Nazareth was either God incarnate, a liar, or a lunatic, but not merely a good moral teacher.) 4.) The Perfect Penitent 5.) The Practical Conclusion

Book III. CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR 1.) The Three Parts of Morality 2.) The "Cardinal Virtues" (Lewis discusses Prudence, Temperance, Justice, and Fortitude) 3.) Social Morality 4.) Morality and Psychoanalysis 5.) Sexual Morality 6.) Christian Marriage 7.) Forgiveness 8.) The Great Sin (pride) 9.) Charity 10.) Hope 11.) Faith 12.) Faith

Book IV. BEYOND PERSONALITY: OR FIRST STEPS IN THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY 1.) Making and Begetting 2.) The Three-Personal God 3.) Time and Beyond Time 4.) Good Infection 5a.) The Obstinate Toy Soldiers 6.) Two Notes 7.) Let's Pretend 8.) Is Christianity Hard or Easy? 9.) Counting the Cost 10.) Nice People or New Men 11.) The New Men

In his preface, Lewis wrote, "The reader should be warned that I offer no help to anyone who is hesitating between two Christian "denominations." You will not learn from me whether you ought to become an Anglican, a Methodist, a Presbyterian, or a Roman Catholic. . . Ever since I became a Christian I have thought that the best, perhaps! the only, service I could do for my unbelieving neighbours was to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times." This was Lewis's purpose in creating this book, to discuss what Baxter called "mere" Christianity, or the bare essentials that should be common to all Christians. In a book that is less than 200 pages long, it is amazing that Lewis was able to accomplish such a task. Regardless of whether you are already a Christian, or someone who is interested only in what it is that Christians believe, this concise book explains the basics in an engaging fashion.

I would have to say that this is a book I could not agree with more. In our day and time it is amazing how much Christians disagree, but Lewis seems to put all of this behind him. In it he describes Christianity as one whole rather than in denominations as we all do today. In addition, he touches on all bases of the Christian church and is not at all brief. Although the book is very deep and to many people a "brain fryer" I encourage all people to read this book especially children and most of all scoffers. In conclusion, this book could not make a better case of logic and by far presents the best case for Christianity in the most practical way that anyone can...the truth.

C.S. Lewis has to be one of my favorite authors. His style of writing is amazing--he successfully describes and mantains a whole other world with its own unique landscapes and races. But, despite being wonderfully written in nearly all aspects, he creates a type of science fiction unique in itself. Never have I read a sci-fi novel like this, and verily, this one surpasses all. The book is complex in both terms of vocabulary (as Lewis sucessfully manages to create life-like characters in the profession of Philology and a Physics professor) and a difficult set of allegory. Certainly, the book is not for the weak reader looking for a book to half concentrate on. Nonetheless, the book is really inspiring, outlining an age old conflict of good and evil in a new way, and all the while establishing a solid foundation of religion...I won't go too far...I recommend that everyone reads this book!

It helps a bit to remember that this C.S.Lewis Sci-fi adventure was first published in 1943. Even though our knowledge of Mars (Malacandra) is slightly more defined now than in Lewis' day, his wonderfully creative imagination can still delight and captivate a modern day reader.

The novel begins with the carefree walking tour of the British countryside by a vacationing Cambridge college philologist named Ransom. By chance, Ransom runs into two crazed and evil (bent) colleagues who abduct him and drag him off via spaceship to the planet Malacandra. Fearing for his life, he escapes his captors and journeys through the waters, forests, canals, and strange countryside of the new world. Overwhelmed by the horrifying feeling of being alone in a place he knows absolutely nothing about, he encounters extraordinary obstacles, situations, and inhabitants throughout his amazing journey.

The book is a wonderful story of one man's amazing adventures in a new land; and, while learning about the strange and diverse customs of it's inhabitants, he delves into his own mind and examines thoughts of love, hatred, greed, superior beings, God, and the meaning of life itself.

It's a very captivating and refreshing book.

Don't let the allegory or "this is a story with a message" reviewers scare you away. Dr. Ransom, a linguist, (I often wonder if J.R.R. Tolkien was the inspiration for the persona) is kidnapped by a man who he once knew in academic circles, and sent to Mars. But this is not like other Mars-sci-fi books. It was published in the middle of World War II in England.

Ransom escapes being a planned human sacrifice on Mars and falls in with creatures that have cultures like the Cherokees (a Native American tribe for those of you on the net not from the Americas). He meets the planet's spiritual guardian, Oyarsa, and among other things learns that earth is referred to as the "silent planet," hence the title of the book.

Lewis has several things to say about mankind's wish to colonize the galaxy and beyond - - which are all negative, and amazingly contemporary for readers today.

Many fault the technology Lewis envisioned as dated, but I find hints of Lewis' sci-fi ideas in other stories - - such as the most recent First Contact. Dr. Ransom finds the purpose of his life on earth crystallized on Mars. You may find your purpose here crystallized as well - - but at the least, you will read a highly entertaining, and unusual story.

The Abolition of Man is a stunningly brilliant masterpiece, prophetic in its insight. Several of the other reviewers here who gave the book is plainly deserved five stars have done a fine job of reviewing its contents. Let me respond briefly to the fundamentalist (rousaswgnr) in Campsville, CA and the leftist bigot in Vancouver, WA. Both fail to scratch the surface of the book for opposite reasons.

The reviewer in Campsville (rousaswgnr) apparently thinks that any appeal to right and wrong that doesn't simply quote Bible verses is anti-Christian. Obviously, he would be completely incapable of trying to convince nonChristians that there are universal moral laws that are contravened at our peril -- the very thing Lewis was trying to do. At one point this seeming "fundamentalist" wrote that only scripture teaches right and wrong and things about God. That statement is ironically contrary to scripture itself which says "the heavens declare the glory of God" and that God has revealled His ways and parts of His nature in nature itself and in human consciences (Romans 1). The reviewer rousaswgnr contradicts scripture while trying to defend it. That's a pity. For if he really understood scripture or C. S. Lewis he would know that Lewis is saying what scripture says: God has universal moral laws that He has written into nature that all people can see and that have been generally recognized by major civilizations throughout the ages. Lewis also says it with breath-taking beauty.

The leftist from Vancouver, WA is even more vacuous than the fundamentalist. (That's typical.) Like the typical leftist, he imagines that he's brilliant while proving that he doesn't have a clue. He thinks he's clever by quoting Lau Tzu on the meaning of "Tao." But if he'd bothered to have really read Lewis or found out the meaning of the Chinese word "Tao", he would know that Lewis was not referring to Taoism but to the much more pervasive use of the idea of "Tao" in Chinese culture: that offered by Confucianism. The humanist from Vancouver, WA condemns Lewis for not getting it because he assumes that anyone who disagrees with his leftist ideology is empty-headed. His mindless repitition of Marxist ideology -- that moral systems are the mere fronts for political powers -- shows he's the one who hasn't understood Lewis. The Vancouver, WA leftist's statement that Lewis is merely defending "western" morals is absurd to the point of questioning whether he actually read the book -- or whether he's capable of really reading anything that isn't pre-committed to his Marxist politics. Indeed, the Vancouver leftist demonstrates that he's one of those men without chests about whom Lewis is writing while the fundamentalist from Campsville shows why modern conservative Christianity -- so frigthened of innovative communication -- has been so impotent, even though it holds the solution to the cultural problem Lewis diagnoses if only it could get over its reactionary anti-intellectualism and rigidity of mind that the reviewer exemplifies.

In this short book, CS Lewis takes public education for his subject, though the scope of the work goes well into the philosophical and ethical realms. The master Christian apologist is here arguing against what he sees to be the evils of moral relativism. His essay "Men Without Chests," reminiscent of TS Eliot, speaks of just what would happen if we were to lose all sense of good and bad, and chose instead to attempt to see everything in a purely 'objective' way, without regard for what has been established as right and wrong.

The rest of the book develops and plays upon this idea, and Lewis examines the possibilities of a civilization who abandons "The Tao" (the name Lewis gives to a widely accepted system of moral values) and tries instead to mold its citizens into whatever form its leaders should decide. Of course, this is exactly what Lewis warns again in his Science Fiction novel That Hideous Strength, and what is also seen in the book 1984.

To me, the highlight of this book was the appendix. Superbly compiled, it is Lewis's definition of "The Tao," and features a number of moral values (such as one's obligation to society and duty to parents). The best part of this, though, is that Lewis quotes from an enormous range of sources, citing everything from Plato to Beowulf to the Bible to Egyptian writings to show that these are values which have been widely accepted throughout history. This is his basis for calling "The Tao" the ultimate system of moral values, and his justification through widespread acceptance is very good indeed.

I believe this is one of CS Lewis's best works, full of inspirational thoughts on morality and warnings against using Science to make man a part of 'Nature' and losing all respect for man as a Divine Creation. His book God in the Dock goes along well with this one--many of the essays in that book coincide nicely with those in this one. Once again, CS Lewis has proven himself a master of putting things in a way everyone can understand.

A timely and prophetic defense of the authority of moral absolutes. (Prophetic not in the sense of foreseeing the future -- though a little of that too -- but of boldly speaking unpopular truths to a culture that sorely needs to hear them.) Just a few months ago Francis Fukuyama actually used the phrase "abolition of man" in a positive way to describe the effect of upcoming advances in genetic engineering and computer technology on the human race. God save us from ourselves.

The Puget Sound reader who, in an otherwise cogent critique, complained that Lewis' use of the word "Tao" to describe traditional morality is "presumptuous," couldn't be more wrong. The word's original non-metaphorical meaning (road or path) was first expanded by Confucius (not Lao Zi), who used it in precisely that sense. ("Our Master's Tao is simply this: conscientiousness and consideration.") In Lao Zi, though some passages can be interpretted as antinomian (if you favor letter over spirit), I think that as with Jesus, it was not goodness Lao Zi meant to rebuke, but people who think they can legislate it. Indeed, the history of Taoism nicely illustrates Lewis' thesis about the universality of the moral code. By the end of the second century, mainstream Daoism was interpreting Lao Zi's attack on moral rules to mean you need to follow the right rules. By the Fifth Century lists of sins appear that could have been written by a Southern Baptist preacher with Sierra Club leanings: "The sin to throw food or drink into fresh water. . . to eat by yourself when among a group. . . to abort children or harm the unborn . . to be nasty to beggars. . . to worship ghosts and spirits." (!) Yes, there are differences, as Lewis admitted, yet the similiarities are not "superficial," but show morality is universal truth rather than an arbitrary convention.

How great is the danger Lewis writes of? I am not sure. But certainly this remains a timely warning against relativism, a reductionist approach to man and to nature, and all the sordid machinations of realpoliticians and social engineers around the world. My only serious complaint is the book too short. ....

I only recently discovered the Trilogy, never having been much of a Lewis fan, and read them in order. Each book has its charms, but I especially enjoyed the way That Hideous Strength built on the "circles" of the Bad Guys, both at Bracton college and later at Belbury. Mark Studdock, a person possessing neither distinction, character, nor a talent for evil, has lived his life - and ruined it thereby - in a search for admission to 'the inner circle,' and any circle will do. He learns that each concentric circle, in addition to being more exclusive as he supposed, is also more evil and more banal.

The characterization of Stoddock is superb. Likewise the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Dimble and a few other minor characters. The book is almost worth reading just to gain the acquaintance of Mr. Bultitude.

Others are far less engaging. MacPhee - one of the most unidimensional characters I have ever read - is a continual annoyance. The whole build-up with Merlin, only to have him turn out completely powerless until "possessed" by the eldils, makes no sense to me at all. And then he - what? Explodes? Couldn't anyone have done that? And why do God and the angels need an Arthurian wizard, anyway?

But the biggest disappointment was Ransom himself. He went from being a lifelike, engaging fellow, in the first two books, to an idealized shadow. We never really learn how he goes from being a Cambridge don to a wealthy landowner and "the Pendragon." Who are these people who bequeath St. Anne's to him on the condition that he take the name "Fisher-King?" How did he become the Pendragon? No explanation.

This was hard to accept from such a brilliant writer. But that's not to say the book is unworthy of attention. I expect to read it again, probably soon, and will probably get more insights from it the second time through.

I believe much of the problem the Trilogy has with readers of my generation is that it is always classed as Science Fiction, which it certainly is not. People read it expecting familiar formulas, and don't know how to react when it turns out to be religious allegory. They should read more carefully. As with most of what he wrote, Lewis intended to illuminate more than to entertain.

Many fans of Lewis' work rate this lowest in the Space Trilogy; it lacks "Out of the Silent Planet"'s wonder and "Perelandra" lyricism. However, for a look at where a situationally-moral, rationalist, humanist society is bound to wind up, it is priceless.

The main characters are a young couple who got married out of love and are finding it hard going in "the real world". The wife, Jane, has an unusual ability to 'dream true' and when her dreams start applying to her own life, she finds it unsettling. Her husband, Mark, a young don (or professor) is no help; he's too wound up in college politics and the possibility of a job with a new scientific foundation to pay much attention to her.

The story really begins moving when the foundation, called Belbury, begins moving in on everyday life. But, as always with Lewis, there is a moral opposite ready to stand against Belbury; in it, we find an old friend and several new ones.

This book is astonishingly accurate about where society is now -- as with some of Lewis' other observations (Screwtape's toast to the college comes to mind), it's hard to remember that Lewis wrote them nearly 50 years ago -- they're that close to current events and modern society

The final book in Lewis's Space Trilogy finds Dr. Ransom confronting a huge international organization bent on the submission of the human race and given to all kinds of strange scientific experiments and with one supreme goal--to eliminate all free thinking and emotion. This organization, the N.I.C.E., uses the press, government reform programs, and all kinds of propaganda to make them seem like the new heroes in England, while slowly they subdue the government and begin a takeover of the world. It's Ransom's job to stop them, though this time he has some followers and aid from a recently awakened power that has long slept.

True to his style, Lewis makes this a very entertaining novel with a great underlying message. It is very well-written and teeming with symbolism that ultimately denounces the love of science over the love of God.

This book is a great read--highly recommended.