The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis

Out of the Silent Planet reads like an early sci-fi serial. A fun read, Lewis takes the reader to the mysterious planet, Malacandra. A strange world with strange creatures where certain philosophical and theological themes are explored.

In the sequel, the reader is taken to Perelandra, an even stranger planet where the only inhabitants are more bizarre creatures and a naked green-skinned humanoid woman. This book reads more like a psychedelic fantasy than it does science fiction. The themes set forth in Out of the Silent Planet are deeply expanded upon.

That Hideous Strength may one day become known as Lewis’ most impressive work. The themes set up in the previous novels are brought back home to planet Earth where a battle will take place between the last living members of an ancient kingdom and a modern technocratic organization bent on world domination. This book gives almost perfect insight into the thought process of the mad scientist archetype, one who believes that scientific progress will make the world a better place when in reality they unconsciously fulfill the plans of an unspeakable evil. The lessons learned from this book can be applied to understanding how powerful groups in today’s society use scientific methods to control populations.