I am very pleased to purchase this classic in hardcover. The seller provided a wonderful product for a great price,in timely fashion and in terrific condition.

I will never forget the first time that I read Perelandra. Having recently finished Out of the Silent Planet, my hopes were high for the second book in C. S. Lewis's space trilogy. However, I was completely suprised by and unprepared for the experience that was to come in this amazing work.

Perelandra is one of those books that is truly great on so many different levels. Lewis's representation of innocence is incredibly deep and very believable. His portrayal of evil, both mentally and physically, is terrifying. The philosophical and theological subjects discussed in the book are many and varied. And Lewis's vision of paradise is one of the most stirring and memorable moments that I have ever had in reading a piece of literature.

Perelandra is like a great symphony, it has the power to raise the soul to new heights. The descriptive and imaginative story, the profoundness in the dialogue with the Green Lady, the diabolical methods and doings of the Un-man, the words screamed to the heavens at the beginning of the final struggle, the unveiling of gender by the Eldils, the glory and wonder of the King and Queen, the mystery of the Great Dance; one could go on and on.

Like all great writings, Perelandra rewards multiple readings. And like a truly great author, C. S. Lewis has conjured up thoughts and images that I will remember for the rest of my life.

C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy is easily one of the best series I've ever read, and while each volume is so strong that it's difficult to choose the best, Perelandra, the second book, builds well on the foundation laid by Out of the Silent Planet and, in the end, outshines the final book, That Hideous Strength.

The story begins as Lewis, writing himself into his own story, arrives in the English countryside to visit his old friend Dr. Ransom, with whom he has been corresponding about Ransom's strange journey to Mars, chronicled in the first book of the series. When Lewis arrives, Ransom reveals that the eldils--angelic creatures bound to different planets--of Mars have continuously visited him since his return to Earth, and that he is to leave on another journey that very night. Boxed up in an otherworldly, coffin-like capsule, Ransom is whisked away and doesn't return for over a year. When he does, he narrates his story through Lewis.

Perelandra is the actual name of what we call the planet Venus, and when Ransom crashes through the dense, cloudy atmosphere he finds himself in a world of nothing but ocean, where floating islands of matted plants drift along, providing a place for rest and sleep. There, he meets the Queen of Venus, a green-skinned, naked woman apparently innocent of all knowledge except that told directly to her by Maleldil, or God. She knows the animals and their names, that her husband, the King, is somewhere on the same planet, and that Maleldil has forbidden them both to spend the night on solid land.

Ransom decides that he has been brought to a new Eden, but for what purpose? His question is answered when a familiar-looking spaceship lands on Perelandra and Dr. Weston, the Nietzschean nemesis of Out of the Silent Planet, rows ashore. Weston soon plays host to a devilish tempter and Ransom's duty becomes clear--he must prevent this Eden's fall.

Perelandra is a tour de force for C.S. Lewis. All of his skills are on display and sharply focused--the beautifully-drawn world, the deep resonance of his message and theme, and even the wry, good-natured humor that underlies so much of his work. And the work is far deeper than most scientific or theological fiction--parallels to his own works, such as The Screwtape Letters, and works like Paradise Lost and The Divine Comedy abound. Those to Paradise Lost are perhaps the most pointed, as Lewis dethrones Milton's concept of a high, stately Satan and replaces it with the far more likely childish, vindictive devil that inhabits Weston.

The Space Trilogy is very loosely constructed, which means that any one of the books can be read as either part of the series or as stand-alone entertainment. It may not be necessary to read Out of the Silent Planet prior to this novel, but I'd recommend it and, if you choose not to, you'll want to once you've finished Perelandra. You won't be disappointed.

Highly recommended.

This is a journey to Venus science fiction fantasy; the second in a space trilogy. Ransom (Godly) is a scientist sent to Venus (presumably by an angel) for reasons he did not know. He meets an innocent human-like woman upon arriving. She is searching for her King, who until Ransom, were the only people on Venus except for the myriad of unusual interactive animals. Ransom follows her as she makes her way across the floating islands of a water laden planet. As one progresses you will recognize the parallels to the Garden of Eden/Adam and Eve on earth. The forbidden fruit is the fixed, immovable land. Perelandra is a wonderful story, better than the first book, "Out of the silent planet".

The story is told in first person by Ransom's earth friend. Ransom comes to the realization of his purpose for being sent to Venus: shortly after his arrival, his earth protégé Weston (an atheist), lands in a ship, only to by seduced by Satan. Weston then begins his vigil to confuse and corrupt the woman----she grows "old". Eventually a long mental and physical battle ensues between Weston and Ransom. Ransom was sent to stop the corruption, but he was losing the battle; he new he had to kill him. Venus would keep its innocence.

In this novel Lewis asks himself questions, then tries to answer them: on origins, life, and spirituality. What an amazingly unique mind----there is no equal----surely a gift.

Wish you well
Scott

The trilogy as a whole is brilliant, but yet again, the middle child is the one most often forgot. However, do NOT skip this volume. While perhaps the most esoteric, the quality of prose is there, and the story is as gripping as anything else Lewis ever wrote.

At one point while reading I was overwhelmed and had to stop to catch my breath and my thoughts. If you have gotten to a point where reading the Bible seems like some stale old story, and wished that you could be overpowered and enraptured in its story once again, you want to read Perelandra.

It goes without saying that C.S. Lewis is an amazing fictional author. The Narnia series were great, but I find that the Space Trilogy is more thought provoking and geared more towards my sort of audience (adult that is). I greatly enjoyed seeing another planet, starting fresh within a new-born and innocent context, being vexed - by yet another serpent. Not that the temptation towards sin was interesting in it of itself, but that I got to see an intense battle take place on Perelandra between Ransom (the good guy) and the demon possessed Weston over the soul of Green Lady; thus the future outcome of the well being of that planet. The intensity sprung from this insatiable longing for the life of that planet to steer away from the same mistakes that humanity made from the very beginning on our planet. There is certainly a valuable lesson to take from this book. Perhaps many lessons. Hopefully, through reading the trilogy, one will start to see the world in its disparity because it deprives itself from God.

My first thoughts on receiving this book was "wow, this is different". You've got to understand, I don't normally read this type of fiction, but I got this because I wanted to read more of Lewis's work. To say this is different from Narnia is a huge understatement, but it is a good read.

Though not as well known as Lewis's Narnia novels, he also wrote a series of three novels, featuring Elwin Ransom as the main protagonist, in the late 1930s and early to mid 1940s. Lewis wrote the novels due to his famous conversation with his close friend J. R. R. Tolkien, who both said there wasn't enough of their type of fiction in the world, so they would have to write their own. Lewis wrote the Space Trilogy, and Tolkien wrote part of an abandoned, unfinished novel called THE LOST ROAD. Ransom, a philologist, is actually modeled after Tolkien.

There's a story in one of Tolkien's letters (published in LETTERS OF J.R.R. TOLKIEN) where his daughter, Priscilla, was reading the trilogy during one of the holidays in the 1940s, and, according to Tolkien, quite sensibly came to the conclusion that PERELANDRA was the best of the trilogy.

The second book in the trilogy is PERELANDRA. In many ways, it is the richest of the trilogy in terms of spiritual depth. While OSP is more straight science fiction, and THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH social commentary, PERELANDRA is closely modeled on the Adam & Eve story in Genesis. This novel is something of a homage to one of Lewis's favorite, John Milton. It's a beautiful book, and raises the question of what exactly would happen if Adam and Eve had not fallen. And this time, instead of being kidnapped Maleldil sends Ransom there.

The main plot of the novel has Ransom, who was kidnapped last novel, actually being sent to Venus. Lewis does away with the problem of spaceships this time around, having angels just take his protagonist there. He finds himself in a world of vast oceans, with floating islands that are actually behave like film or foam on the ocean, undulating and taking the shape of each wave. He soon meets the Green Lady, who is unfallen. Her husband is on another of the floating islands (they had become separated when they were on different islands which drifted away from one another).

Eventually, Weston arrives, the villain from the previous novel, and we find that Ransom must prevent him from corrupting the Green Lady, to prevent another Fall into Sin. Weston is an agent of Satan, and so wants to bring sin into Venus as well.

The majority of the novel focuses on Ransom and his efforts to protect the Green Lady from the Un-man, which Weston actually becomes after shortly arriving on Venus. Weston actually becomes demonically possessed, and ultimately must be stopped at all cost. Ransom is stripped, both physically and symbolically, having to rely on Maleldil (Jesus) to help him.

SPOILER:

Eventually, Ransom and the Un-man swim to an underground chamber, with the Un-Man biting Ransom's heel. This wound that will never fully heal, an allusion to Arthur and the Grail myth as well as the scripture in Genesis saying man will crush the serpent's head, and the serpent will bruise mankind's heel. In the end, Ransom puts the Un-Man to death, and so prevents Venus from having a second fall. The Green Lady and her husband are united.

END SPOILER

The descriptions of the floating islands and Ransom's experience on Perelandra in the first section of the book before he meets The Green Lady, along with the ending section of THE LAST BATTLE from Narnia where they are in heaven, to me is the most beautiful passages that ever came from Lewis's pen.

One fault that this novel does have it the ending seems to be rather preachy, but otherwise this is a first class novel, and for many readers this will be one of Lewis's most spiritually rewarding novels. Only in THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS does he deal so accurately and directly and with such psychologically insight on the problems of temptation and accountability.

While this novel is technically termed "science fiction", this is much more a spiritual track of our times than straight science fiction. The book is closely modeled upon Milton's PARADISE LOST.

For myself, the best way to read this book is reading it in conjunction with two other books, an unofficial trilogy, if you will. Because PERELANDRA is so closely related to PARADISE LOST, you should read that as well. Also read Lewis's literary criticism A PREFACE TO PARADISE LOST, in which he expertly discusses Milton's work. Lewis is a brilliant literary critic, and PREFACE is one of the best critical works on the PARADISE LOST ever produced.

My own unofficial trilogy:
1. Paradise Lost. (John Miltion)
2. A Preface to Paradise Lost (C. S. Lewis)
3. Perelandra

Overall, many readers will find PERELANDRA Lewis's most spiritually satisfying of the three novels. The characterization is strongest in this novel, as Lewis is only dealing primarily with three characters, and we really get to know all of them quite intimately. The novel is also focused mainly on evil in an unfallen world and what one must do to save that world. Until Lewis wrote TILL WE HAVE FACES in the late 1950s, the novel which he felt was his true masterpiece, he long felt this book was his best, and placed it second best after FACES. This was Lewis's favorite in the Space Trilogy and for good reason. It's probably the best (though my personal favorite is THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH).

one of my all time favorite books. it touches me on so many levels. the reader doesn't have to read the other books in the trilogy to enjoy or understand this one.

Another book that you could use as a cure for insomnia. Try and do a Jules Verne type story. Take the fun and adventure out. Make it boring and unappealing. Voila. You have C.S. Lewis's planet trilogy. Characters should seem a little bit like people, in general, if they are supposed to actually be human beings.

The second installment in a series by the author, and entirely too much allocated to religion - allegory indeed. The first half to two thirds of the book continues in the same vein as the first installment, and Lewis's novelty, and originality is incredibly refreshing. However, he goes on and on infinitum with the religious aspect which I found unnecessary, and boring. Had I a clue I'd have skipped this as I suggest you do unless, of course, you feel in need of, well you know.....

This is the second book of Lewis' Space Trilogy series (follows "Out of the Silent Planet"). This book gives interesting insight on the parallel between "earth" man's first temptation and Perelandra man's first temptation. Interestingly, the fight against evil by the Perelandra soul seemed to be much stronger than the resistance offered by our own human brethren. This led me to wonder if Lewis was really writing about a general fight between good and evil or if he was actually pointing out how spiritually weak humans are, and our incredible need of a Messiah. The premise is fascinating in line with all of Lewis' writing. However, unlike "Out of the Silent Planet", I found the pace of this book to be just a bit slow. I realize Lewis was purposefully trying to generate more philosophical thought, which was quite enriching, I just liked the pacing of "....Silent Planet" a bit more. Overall, this was a good second novel to continue the series.

C.S. Lewis' Perelandra is not really science fiction but more of a fairy tale for grown-ups. There is no exploration of future science or technology (though, the third book in the trilogy, That Hideous Strength, does explore more traditional themes of science fiction). The setting of Perelandra is an imagined Venus but could just as easily have been a Narnia-like realm. What is key for the wider story is an alien world from which humans are separated by a seemingly impassable abyss.

One of the main questions posed by Lewis here is what if Adam and Eve were, in some way, given a second chance? More importantly: What if Adam and Eve were not just met with an agent of evil but also an agent of good, an agent who then desperately sought to persuade the first man and woman not to forsake the word of God. Lewis also poses the question, What if humans were not the only sentient creatures in the universe? This is certainly not a new theme in science fiction, but Lewis provides a fresh perspective by addressing it from a Christian perspective. Lewis questions whether humans might not be just one branch of many within the designs of God.

As other reviewers have noted, there is little action in the novel, but the moral tension, the intense theological debates, will grip any reflective reader, whether one is Christian or not. Indeed, some of the earthly suppositions and theories forwarded by that chilling mouthpiece of Satan, the Un-man, are themselves very compelling. Lewis' narration of Ransom's subsequent subterranean journeys are likewise suspenseful and offer a haunting glimpse into a vast and alien world.

Perelandra is the best book in Lewis' "Space Trilogy" and can be read on its own, though Out of the Silent Planet and That Hideous Strength are still very much worthwhile.

This, the second volume in Lewis's "Cosmic Trilogy", is very likely his best book. That is in part because he manages to deal with Big Questions in (especially for Lewis) a low-key way; he presents difficult problems and gives reasoned answers, all in the context of a suspenseful tale--suspenseful even with little true action, the tension being almost entirely moral.

Best of all, Lewis's usual penchant for Very Very Obvious wrapups is here modulated to, in effect, a song of praise, so that it does not bemean the tale itself, nor leave the reader feeling she has been treated like a half-wit, the taste Lewis all too often leaves in the mouth.

This is an unusual novel, an interesting one, a complex and deep one, and a rewarding one. (It contains a scene that is perhaps the best and most horrifying portrayal in all literature of true Evil seen face to face.)

You can read the other reviews for a plot summary. Let me add that I've read this great novel many times and do not see it as an allegory. From Lewis's other works and letters, I think it's clear that he meant this to be a "what if?" series. What if space travel is possible--what will we find out there? His answer is that earth (the Silent Planet) is separated from the rest of the universe by sin. What if someone from earth goes to Venus, a planet that knows no sin? What if Satan (the bent angel) tries to achieve what he achieved on earth--the seduction of the planet's residents? How would this all play out?

If Lewis had wanted to write an allegory, he could've done that: see "The Pilgrim's Regress". Instead he wrote an engaging, exciting story of good vs. evil--happening all over again.

Too many who review this book, and indeed this is unfortunately the case with many books, tend to place themselves in judgment of the message of the book rather than the skill and captivating nature of the writer.

Make no mistake, Lewis has a message here. He uses fiction, (science fiction even if you make allowances for the writing of this before the dawn of the genre as we now see it) as a vehicle for a most deliberate and targeted presentation of the Eden narratives of the Bible and the philosophical questions that underpin them.

Lewis makes it work wonderfully. Lewis' contemporary and close friend J.R.R. Tolkien often criticized Lewis about this penchant for allegory, a form Tolkien pruported to despise in all its forms when he identified it. But Lewis utilizes a marvelous command of the English language and a mature, polished writing style that should leave the reader enjoying the story if s/he will just allow themselves to be carried with it. Agreement with the allegorical underpinnings is not required to enjoy and appreciate the read.

This book begs to be read twice. Once for the literary experience and then again to delve into the allegorical meanings if you wish. There are few works that stand the test of enjoying it whether you agree with that or not.

This book does!

Too many who review this book, and indeed this is unfortunately the case with many books, tend to place themselves in judgment of the message of the book rather than the skill and captivating nature of the writer.

Make no mistake, Lewis has a message here. He uses the vehicle of fiction, (science fiction even if you make allowances for the writing of this before the dawn of the genre as we now see it) and uses it as a vehicle for a most deliberate and targeted presentation of the Eden mythology of the Bible and the philosophical questions that underpin the entire narrative.

What is wonderful is that Lewis makes it work. Lewis' contemporary and close friend J.R.R. Tolkien often criticized Lewis about this penchant for allegory, a form Tolkien pruported to despise in all its forms when he identified it. But Lewis utilizes a marvelous command of the English language and a mature, polished writing style that should leave the reader enjoying the story if s/he will just allow themselves to be carried with the story. Agreement with the allegorical underpinnings is not the issue.

This book begs to be read twice. Once for the literary experience and then again to delve into the allegorical meanings if you wish. There are few works that stand the test of enjoying it whether you agree with that or not.

This book does!

This is a really wonderful book, in which Ransom flies to Venus to intervene on behalf of a multi-colored Adam and Eve. It is very fun the way that Lewis uncovers details in the story, as Ransom proceeds with astonishment is his strangely deliberate and chaste way. An odd and very English character.

But the writing is absolutely wonderful, and some of the scenes quite unforgettable - there is one where he barely escapes a battle for his life, but winds up unknowingly in a pitch-black cave, waiting in frustration for the sun to rise. He then has to feel his way out, encountering a large insect-like creature he observes by the light of a lava flow. I simply loved that image, which makes this a genuine masterpiece of scifi in my opinion. As ever, it is full of surprizes.

Warmly recommended for true scifi fans.

C. S. Lewis' Perelandra is sometimes described as a work of science fiction, but those who read it expecting to find a typical science fiction novel (if there is such a thing as a "typical" sf novel), are likely to be disappointedly surprised. While the protagonist, Ransom, is indeed transported to the planet Perelandra, otherwise known as Venus, the book is much more one of Christian philosophy than it is of science fiction. In fact, the entire story is an allegorical retelling of the Garden of Eden myth.

The retelling does have a rather intriguing twist in that Ransom is sent to Perelandra to do battle with the evil tempter in an attempt to save this planet's "Eve" from succumbing to his seductions and thereby leading "Adam" to another biblical fall from grace. This is a decently imaginative approach and affords Lewis copious opportunities to regale the reader with wonderful descriptions of the Perelandrian Garden of Eden.

Inasmuch as the characters and assumptions are derived from Lewis' early 20th century Christian philosophy, the book contains several concepts that may be jarring to a more egalitarian 21st century reader. For example, the Venusian "Adam" is referred to as the King, not as a deity but as the literal ruler of the planet, which assuredly exalts him above "Eve," who is merely his Lady. In numerous passages, both "Adam" and "Eve"are described as superior to all the other animals on the planet, which must bow to their human supremacy. Humans of Tellus, otherwise known as Earth, are, of course, all sinners as the result of their own failed Garden of Eden experiment. The Evil One manifests himself in the body of Weston, a physicist whose empiricism rejects notions of religious beliefs. There are more examples, but the simple point is that Christian biblical stories, beliefs and assumptions underlie all of the characters, actions and assumptions in Lewis' novel.

As usual, Lewis' use of language is superb, and his descriptive writing is worth studying for the edification of other would-be authors. I did find two parts of the book somewhat annoying, however. The first is the dialogue between Ransom and the Un-man, representative of evil, as the Un-man discusses Spirituality and "truth" from his perspective. Try as I might, I could not follow the Un-man's argument and, indeed, Ransom himself says that he is not sure of the Un-man's meaning. Perhaps Lewis has intentionally obfuscated the sense of the argument to indicate that arguments from such a source are fallacious and clouded. The other part comes near the end, while the Eldila, which appear to be angelic entities, expound on the encompassing nature of God. Their lengthy hyperbolic descriptions and analogies become quite tedious after a while.

Would I recommend the book to a potential reader? That depends entirely on the reader's motivation. If it is to observe Lewis' generally fine writing skill and technique, then certainly I would recommend spending some time with Perelandra. If one is interested in exploring an imaginative twist to an old story and seeing what the supposed outcome of an "unfallen" Adam and Eve might have been, then surely the book is worthwhile. I would not recommend it for someone who is ignorant of Christian mythology, for many references and allusions would be missed without a background knowledge of the biblical story of Man's fall from Grace. Certainly, I would not suggest it to anyone seeking a "real" science fiction novel, unless, of course, the reader were equally interested in a philosophical look at the nature of good and evil, innocence and sin, and beauty and ugliness, for this theme is paramount throughout Perelandra. So far as the title I chose for these comments, if it intrigues you, then by all means read the book and think on the symbolic nature of the container that transports Ransom from Tellus to Perelandra and back again!

Perelandra is a fine Christian allegory of the Garden of Eden, in particular Eve. I recommend that you set aside some quiet time to read this book, as it is a hard one to read with a lot of distractions around you, but great if you can take your time and focus on the imagery and beauty of the planet, inhabitants, and story. This is one of those books that can read a few times and understood differently each time.

I very rarely write reviews but this deserved one. I read this about 20 years ago and enjoyed it then. Now it's quite fascinating as well. In fact, chapter 9 is one of the creepiest, most disturbing works on evil I have ever read. The face of evil that he portrays is even more disturbing that the corporate structure if Evil he brought forth in "The Screwtape Letters."

(I am also aware that the fact that I'm reading it during the Halloween season could have influenced my reaction...still, it made my skin crawl!)

His writing style can get tough to read but, if the reader makes an effort, many layers can be seen. In fact, I see many parallels to the treatment of Native Americans and the Aboriginals of Australia by colonialism. Or course, that could just be me.

In this installment of the Space Trilogy, we see the central character, Ransom, sent to the planet Perelandra by the eldila. Whereas "Out of the Silent Planet" relates the story of Ransom's self-discovery, "Perelandra" is the story of Ransom discovering his purpose for being sent to Perelandra. Perelandra is a young planet, and Ransom finds himself in the middle of an innocent world with only two humans. It is a wonderful tale of how this version of the Garden of Eden unfolds. There is a good balance of action and adventure with reason and beauty.

The only knock I have against the story is in how it is organized. The beginning is in chapter 1 while the end is in chapter 2. The remainder of the book gives the detailed account of what happened in chapter 2. I found this somewhat odd, and it takes some of the tension/suspense out of the story because you already know how it ends.