Vulcan's Soul Trilogy Book Three Epiphany (Star Trek: Vulcan's Soul)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Did you guess what the end would be?
Vulcan's Soul Trilogy Book Three Epiphany (Star Trek: Vulcan's Soul)
Josepha Sherman , and Susan Shwartz
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743463625

Book Description

Following their bestsellers Vulcan's Forge and Vulcan's Heart, Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz conclude their new trilogy chronicling the latter-day adventures of one of Star Trek's most beloved characters, shedding new light on his world's shocking history.

The distant past: The great ships have left war-torn Vulcan behind and, after a most arduous journey, have arrived at their destination. Two worlds become the new home of the exiles: Romulus is a verdant paradise, one much different from their desert home, while Remus is a barren wasteland, albeit one that is laden with natural resources. When Karatek and his family find themselves trapped on Remus with no hope of joining their brothers and sisters on Romulus, it sparks a conflict that leads the exiles into vicious civil war.

One year after the Dominion War: The Watraii are determined to destroy the Romulan Star Empire. Ambassador Spock is equally determined to learn their secret. With the aid of his wife Captain Saavik and the U.S.S. Alliance, his old comrades Scotty, Uhura, and Chekov, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the U.S.S. Enterprise, Spock executes a daring plan to bring about peace before the Alpha Quadrant is once again plunged into war....

The stunning conclusion to the trilogy that changes everything you thought you knew about the Vulcans and the Romulans!

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Did you guess what the end would be?.......2007-05-10

The first two books got me. Read them non-stop. Imagine the origins of not only Romulans but of Remans with a hint to the Watraii! But you can guess where this book goes immediately (I won't spoil it here) and not much else gets developed. Still worth it to complete the picture but not as good as #1 & 2. This three book series could have been done in two. Guess it was a money thing to get three books worth of cash out of us. It worked.
The Last Command (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 3)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Not Free SF Reader
  • Mara Jade usurps Luke Skywalker (minor spoiler)
  • The Best Way to Experience This Book
  • The Last Command Book Review
  • Sprint to the End.
The Last Command (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 3)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  1. Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 2) Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 2)
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ASIN: 0553564927
Release Date: 1994-01-01

Book Description

The embattled Republic reels from the attacks of Grand Admiral Thrawn, who has marshaled the remnants of the Imperial forces and driven the Rebels back with an abominable technology recovered from the Emperor's secret fortress: clone soldiers. As Thrawn mounts his final siege, Han and Chewbacca struggle to form a coalition of smugglers for a last-ditch attack against the empire, while Leia holds the Alliance together and prepares for the birth of her Jedi twins. Overwhelmed by the ships and clones at Thrawn's command, the Republic has one last hope--sending a small force, led by Luke Skywalker, into the very stronghold that houses Thrawn's terrible cloning machines. There a final danger awaits, as the Dark Jedi C'baoth directs the battle against the Rebels and builds his strength to finish what he had already started: the destruction of Luke Skywalker.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

"Just when the Republic thought that the insidious and unfortunately
very clever Thrawn could sink no lower, he does. In other words, send
in the clones!

This gives him the manpower (clonepower?) he needs to crew enough
ships to blow the guts out of lots of the Republic forces and
fortresses.

Han and Chewie must gain aid from a smuggler fleet, to try and stop Thrawn. Luke contends with the evil Jedi Master C'Boath.

Leia, very heavily pregnant, desperately tries to hold things together politically.

3 out of 5 stars Mara Jade usurps Luke Skywalker (minor spoiler).......2007-05-20

As post-Return of the Jedi novels about Luke, Han and Leia go, Timothy Zahn's breakthrough Thrawn Trilogy is the best. The author captures the epic spirit of Star Wars space opera overall, but the ultimate hero of climax of this book is NOT Luke or Han or Leia. As long as you're ok with that then you'll probably enjoy this book a lot. I would have given this book 4-stars if not for the let-down ending.

As for the best novels from the era of the movie saga, I recommend all of the following 5-star novels:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

5 out of 5 stars The Best Way to Experience This Book.......2007-05-02

I want to highly recommend you get the audio versions of this trilogy which is amazing. As great as the books are (and if you've read them you know they are probably the most worthy of the title "Star Wars" of any book written in the entire star wars universe), now imagine hearing them dramatically performed complete with (and this is the best part) John Williams original soundtrack set to the events of these books. If you've read the books, try this out, you will enjoy it. If you've heard the book, go back and read it because the audio version is abridged. Hope you enjoy it. I know I did.

5 out of 5 stars The Last Command Book Review.......2007-04-03

The Last Command is the ending book to a Star Wars trilogy. It is set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, and is a science-fiction book. It is about how the Empire, under Grand Admiral Thrawn, starts taking back lost territory at a furious rate and what Luke, Leia, Han Solo, and the New Republic do to stop it. I recommend it for ages eleven through fifteen. You also might want to read Heir to the Empire and Dark Force Rising, the two prequels.
I think the audience for this book is ages eleven through fifteen, especially those already acquainted with Star Wars. For example, the book mentions characters portrayed in the movies, and you need to know at least a little of their background, which is mentioned in the movies. The author does not use hugely advanced words, but words like sputter and glide, which are pretty easy to understand.
The book contains plenty of information but pieces it together just right, making it easy and informative reading. The novel is only around three-hundred to four-hundred pages long, but you learn a lot.
The Last Command is written in an easy to understand way. The writing flows quickly, and it is a real cliff-hanger. I read it in around four days.
Young s will enjoy this book because of the relatively easy vocabulary, speedy reading, and the dramatic writing. I highly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars Sprint to the End........2007-02-10

Remember Star Wars? Not that joke of a series that came out with the most recent three movies, but instead that sometimes hokey, sometimes brilliant, always engrossing space opera from the seventies. Luke Skywalker, hero for millions of boys, Han Solo, dreamed of by girls everywhere, and Darth Vader, feared by all. That's the series that changed science fiction. Timothy Zahn loved those movies as much as I did. Timothy Zahn stayed true to that vision where George Lucas didn't. The Last Command (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 3) is the conclusion of the best Star Wars story since we first met Luke and Han Solo.

As should be, the book is action from beginning to end, but that action is varied and tense. From light saber duels to Horatio Hornblower sea battles in space to political intrigue and obsessed vindettas.

The new characters feel like they were just off camera when Lucas filmed the original movies. Mara Jade has dreams of fighting Luke. She's an enforcer for a brilliant smuggler, Talon Kardde. Talon is a political animal, playing alliances and allegiances like chess moves while remaining likable and understandable.

The greatest addition of all is our true villain, Grand Admiral Thrawn. The reader understands that it's a good thing that Thrawn wasn't around for the rebel victories over the Emperor because the result would have been different. He's a mastermind, both strategically and tactically, and can only be defeated by underhanded means or overwhelming force.

To complicate matters, Thrawn's ally, the insane Joruus C'baoth, is a dark Jedi master trying to turn Luke to the dark side and to possess Leia's children, raising them as the seed to a new Jedi army.

The action doesn't stop and the ending is fantastic. Pick it up, enjoy it, and remember those good old days.

- CV Rick
Heir to the Empire (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 1)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Not Free SF Reader
  • awful
  • best of the Star Wars stories
  • Readable but annoyingly written continuation of original trilogy
  • Best of a shot-in-the-dark lot
Heir to the Empire (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 1)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553296124
Release Date: 1992-05-01

Book Description

It's five years after Return of the Jedi: the Rebel Alliance has destroyed the Death Star, defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, and driven out the remnants of the old Imperial Starfleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting Jedi Twins. And Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of Jedi Knights. But thousand of light-years away, the last of the emperor's warlords has taken command of the shattered Imperial Fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the new Republic. For this dark warrior has made two vital discoveries that could destroy everything the courageous men and women of the Rebel Alliance fought so hard to build. The explosive confrontation that results is a towering epic of action, invention, mystery, and spectacle on a galactic scale--in short, a story worthy of the name Star Wars.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Some years after the events in the Star Wars movie, the New Republic is
beginning to encounter political problems, and having to deal with
governing and routing out rebels.

Along comes something nastier. A grand admiral of the Empire, with
a very potent battle fleet at his command, and a very impressive
ability to utilise it.

The beginning of the publishing of 100 billion books of what I suppose you could call '21st century pulp'.

This series is pretty decent, however.


1 out of 5 stars awful.......2007-08-23

i can't believe people like this book.it's realy awful.and i bought this book when there was no new star wars books out and i was starving for something new from star wars.i would keep reading the old brian dalye or alan dean foster books.but i guess being spoiled by those writers reading zahn's book coulnd only be a dissapointment.and i really wanted to like this book.he just copies too much from the other writers instead of making something new.i mean an old jedi master.hey people use your brain trying to make another obi-wan character,sheesh!.

5 out of 5 stars best of the Star Wars stories.......2007-06-24

Heir To The Empire is part one of The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn. This trilogy is set 5 years after Return of the Jedi. Han Solo and Princess Leia are married and are expecting Jedi twins. The Empire, lead by Grand Admiral Thrawn (best villian since Vader), plan to capture Leia and turn her and her twins to the Dark Side of the Force. Very highly recommended.

The Thrawn Trilogy consists of:
The Heir To The Empire
Dark Force Rising
The Last Command

3 out of 5 stars Readable but annoyingly written continuation of original trilogy.......2007-06-13

My curiosity finally got the better of me, so I decided I would read the official continuation of the Star Wars story post Return of the Jedi. It starts out familiarizing the reader with a glossing over of the post Death Star V2 Emperor defeat happenings and jumps right into the activities of the new self appointed head of the Imperial forces, Admiral Thrawn who has been successfully raiding New Republic bases and supply lines. He has a plan to reinsert the Empire into their previous spot as bully overlord of the galaxy and Heir to the Empire is the jumping off point for this story, which takes three books to wrap up.



First off, it's an easy read. The story flows at a pretty good pace and seems to match the films in this respect. There are plenty of new characters that are realized relatively well and only seem out of place sometimes by name more than anything else. Some of the names of the characters just don't seem appropriate for Star Wars and it can be a little distracting, but not terribly so. What is more distracting however, and what makes these books less successful for me, is the lazy writing of the author. He can only describe moods with lip characterizations and most of the time, it's of the "so and so's lip twisted" variety, like...



Han is mad: His lip twists

Luke is worried: His lip twists

Leia is frightened: Her lip twists

Luke is determined: His lip twists

C3PO is acting dandy: His... Just kidding (Zahn probably had to hold himself back none the less)



He also comes up with new ideas of how to describe things and just starts using them all of a sudden but doesn't go back to insert them into earlier parts of the book. It's just weird when a character starts using a phrase all of a sudden, frequently, and they never used it for the first half of the book. How hard would it be to go back and place it in earlier parts of the book to make the character's use of language consistent?



And don't get me started on the Mynocks! "The thingy took off like a Mynock with a scorched tail." "It fell to the ground like a clipped Mynock." "He chortled like a bemused Mynock." "She ate like an anorexic Mynock."... and on and on.



Additionally,these characters, and maybe this was unavoidable but I don't think so, live completely in the past that is the 3 prequels. They are not given much of a life before them, in memory, so all of their recall harks back to the films (like we need to be reminded what happened) and that gets old real quick. Everything is "this is just like it happened on the Death Star" or "don't you remember what he did at Mos Eisley?" or "Luke thought back to the cave on Daigobah." Where's that extra mystery of the stuff we didn't see? It's like sitting around a bunch of people who only reminisce about a small period in their lives... Enough!



Well, I guess I'm trying to say that Heir to the Empire is not very well written, but the story is relatively interesting, easy to read, and, well, it tells us what happens to Luke and all of the rest after Return of the Jedi. I imagine a lot of people don't expect to find something literate in a book like this, but, maybe just once, I would like to be surprised.

5 out of 5 stars Best of a shot-in-the-dark lot.......2007-05-27

Star Wars novels are often hit or miss, with many of them being completely unappealing to non-star wars nerds. Speaking as one of those nerds, I've read quite a few of the Star Wars novels, and the entire Hand of Thrawn trilogy is one of the few that stands on it's own not just as a good Star Wars series, but as an excellent general science fiction story as well. Timothy Zahn has an eye for detail that escapes most authors of any genre, and has carefully crafted a fantastic story that has something for every reader to enjoy.

The trilogy focuses both on the difficulties of setting up a new government to replace the old Empire, the number of things still mysterious and unknown even in a well-known universe, and the artful style with which a true strategist could use the resources of the Star Wars universe.

If I could rate it higher than five stars, I would.
Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 2)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Not Free SF Reader
  • Author captures the epic spirit of Star Wars space opera
  • A Star Wars Fix
  • The middle of a saga is always the best!
  • The Force is with you!
Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 2)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553560719
Release Date: 1993-02-01

Book Description

The dying Empire's most cunning and ruthless warlord--Grand Admiral Thrawn--has taken command of the remnants of the Imperial fleet and launched a massive campaign aimed at the New Republic's destruction. With the aid of unimaginable weapons long hidden away by the Emperor on a backwater planet, Thrawn plans to turn the tide of battle, overwhelm the New Republic, and impose his iron rule throughout the galaxy. Meanwhile, Han and Lando Calrissian race against time to find proof of treason inside the highest Republican Council--only to discover instead a ghostly fleet of warships that could bring doom to their friends and victory to their enemies. Yet most dangerous of all is a new Dark Jedi, risen from the ashes of a shrouded past, consumed by bitterness... and scheming to corrupt Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Grand Admiral Thrawn attacks the New Republic on many fronts. He forces
our intrepid band of heroes to flee assassins, and Leia takes off with
Chewie, and Han goes looking for help by himself.

The dodgy Mara Jade is also floating around, as is a not so nice Jedi Master.

Whoever controls the 'Dark Force' of ancient ships in the end will have a massive advantage in the battle for the galaxy.


4 out of 5 stars Author captures the epic spirit of Star Wars space opera.......2007-05-22

As far as post-Return of the Jedi novels about Luke, Han and Leia go, Timothy Zahn's breakthrough Thrawn Trilogy is the best.

As for the best novels from the era of the movie saga, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

5 out of 5 stars A Star Wars Fix.......2007-01-19

Do you hate George Lucas for ruining his own creation like I do? I mean, Star Wars, the defining mythology of at least two generations, the story of heroes and redemption has become the joke of our times. How could it not? Did you see that idiot, Anakin, scratching his way up the hill, beaten and burned, destined to become the shell for James Earl Jones's ominous basso voice? Did it make you groan? Did it make you want to set fire to the Skywalker Ranch? Am I alone?

Now, I'm not a Star Wars Geek. I don't play the roleplaying game. Never have. I don't have the library of tie-in novels and I do poorly at the trivia compared to a lot of people. But I snuck into the theater when I was 11 years old to watch Luke Skywalker discover The Force. I know great stories and despite the slightly cheesy effects and the ham-handed acting, Star Wars was a great story.

Why am I going on and on about what was? Because Timothy Zahn does Star Wars better than George Lucas does Star Wars. If Lucas had just filmed these three books - Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command - he'd have a masterpiece to crown his early achievements.

In Dark Force Rising, Leia conducts a mission to influence an alien race heretofore loyal to one of the Emperor's warlords, Luke finds himself battling an insane Jedi Master, Joruus C'Baoth, and Han Solo races the forces of the warlord, General Thrawn, to get to a lost fleet of Dreadnaught cruisers. The tension is high throughout this second book in the series and the characters conduct themselves admirably, keeping to the heroic expectations and rebellious attitudes we expect.

Reading this series, and especially this book, will remind you why we loved Star Wars and why we now hate George Lucas.

- CV Rick

5 out of 5 stars The middle of a saga is always the best!.......2006-07-13

Just like Empire Strikes Back, Dark Force Rising is the pinnacle of what the middle portion of a saga is all about. There is tons of action and the book is so well written that you won't want to put it down.
Highly recommend this one and I can't wait to finish the triology with The Last Command.
Zahn is the man!

4 out of 5 stars The Force is with you!.......2006-07-13

"Dark Force Rising" Volume 2 of the Thrawn Trilogy. Grand Admiral Thrawn continues his attempt to finish off the struggling New Republic. Talon Karrde, the smuggler who took Jabba's place is slowly being pulled over to the New Republic's side even though his right hand Mara Jade (The Emperors' Hand before he died) wants nothing to do with the new republic and who's only goal has been to kill Luke Skywalker. The two opposing sides race for a lost fleet of about 200 ships. The winner will have the upper hand in the continuing battle. Meanwhile the newly surfaced Jedi master plots to capture Leia, her twins and Luke.

The Good: The whole book (along with the other 2 were all very good). It's good to read the old favorites including Han, Leia, Luke, Chewy and Lando. The plot stays strong throughout and this kept the book enjoyable.

The Bad: Nothing memorable

Overall: The book and series are both very good and I recommend them highly
Perelandra (Space Trilogy, Book 2)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • much loved
  • Not Free SF Reader
  • best in the series...totally overlooked
  • A Master!
  • A Philosophical Discussion within an Adventure
Perelandra (Space Trilogy, Book 2)
C.S. Lewis
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 074323491X

Book Description

The second book in C. S. Lewis's acclaimed Space Trilogy, which also includes Out of the Silent Planet and That Hideous Strength, Perelandra continues the adventures of the extraordinary Dr. Ransom. Pitted against the most destructive of human weaknesses, temptation, the great man must battle evil on a new planet -- Perelandra -- when it is invaded by a dark force. Will Perelandra succumb to this malevolent being, who strives to create a new world order and who must destroy an old and beautiful civilization to do so? Or will it throw off the yoke of corruption and achieve a spiritual perfection as yet unknown to man? The outcome of Dr. Ransom's mighty struggle alone will determine the fate of this peace-loving planet.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars much loved.......2007-09-12

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.

1 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

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.


5 out of 5 stars best in the series...totally overlooked.......2007-08-02



If you're reading this, i'm sure you've heard of most of C.S. Lewis's works by now and feel pretty secure in your knowledge of all things Clive Staples. Then it happens: someone tells you that Lewis wrote Sci-Fi. "Science fiction? Lewis??? is it like Narnia or what?!" you breathlessly exclaim. You want details...you want specifics...most importantly, you want to read the stories.

Here's what you're in for:

UNBELIEVABLE depth. Narnia's allagory is barely puddle deep by comparison. This is intended for folks who want to think long and hard while they're reading.
What WOULD have happened if Eve hadn't eaten the apple at Creation? Perelandra attempts to answer that question and in the process, teaches us a lot about our own psyche when dealing with the enemy.


GREAT description. In this relatively short book, Lewis packs in all kinds of descriptive detail. Much more so than the Narnia series. You can really feel the environment (and the emotional state of Ransom as he progresses through the story).

EMOTION. At least, that's what it produced in me. I cried over and over again as Lewis masterfully showed how the weakness of humanity is always a prayer away from the Majestic Strength of Jesus Christ.
With no shame i confess that i WEPT like a child when i put it down.

"Out of the Silent Planet" is great, and "That hideous strength" is wonderfully done...but Perelandra is the gem in this series.

5 out of 5 stars A Master!.......2007-07-12

This was a wonderful classic that I discovered! It can be read by adults and older kids (teens). C.S. Lewis is a master!

4 out of 5 stars A Philosophical Discussion within an Adventure.......2007-07-04

Perelandra, published in 1943 is the second work of a trilogy by the father of Christian Science Fiction, C. S. Lewis. The first story in the trilogy, Out of the Silent Planet, was published in 1938, and the set concludes with That Hideous Strength, released in 1945.

Lewis is the author of many novels including, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, and the other Narnia stories as well as non-fiction works including Mere Christianity, The Abolition of Man and A Grief Observed. Lewis was a close friend of J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings. Both were professors at Oxford University and members of an informal literary group called The Inklings.

The science part of the story is largely dated. In this book Lewis largely avoids the issue of space flight having the protagonist, Elwin Ransom, unconscious during the trip to Venus. In the novel Venus is ocean paradise not the dry hellish world we now know it to be. The writing style is also somewhat dated, being told in narrative and containing much more introspection, exposition, and character discussion than is done in modern literature. In all of his fiction works Lewis uses allegory to teach Christianity.

In the story Elwin Ransom, the protagonist, is sent by Oyarsa, the angel who governs Mars, to Perelandra, the planet we know as Venus. While the first book, Out of the Silent Planet, was an adventure story with allegory, Perelandra is more of a philosophical discussion within an adventure. The story is an examination of the fall of man and, in part, Lewis' answer to the John Milton's Paradise Lost and parallels to Dante's journey in The Divine Comedy.

I rate this book four-star only in the context of Lewis' overall excellent writing. This story is less of an adventure, a slower pace and much more allegory.

Recommendation: Christians interested in science fiction should read all three works of this trilogy both for edification and entertainment. They remain, overall, five-star stories.

Kyle Pratt
Out of the Silent Planet (Space Trilogy, Book One)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Not Free SF Reader
  • Excellent Work of Fiction and Philosophy
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  • Book Three is best
  • Great allegory and Good Science Fiction
Out of the Silent Planet (Space Trilogy, Book One)
C.S. Lewis
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743234901

Book Description

The first book in C. S. Lewis's acclaimed Space Trilogy, which continues with Perelandra and That Hideous Strength, Out of the Silent Planet begins the adventures of the remarkable Dr. Ransom. Here, that estimable man is abducted by a megalomaniacal physicist and his accomplice and taken via spaceship to the red planet of Malacandra. The two men are in need of a human sacrifice, and Dr. Ransom would seem to fit the bill. Once on the planet, however, Ransom eludes his captors, risking his life and his chances of returning to Earth, becoming a stranger in a land that is enchanting in its difference from Earth and instructive in its similarity. First published in 1943, Out of the Silent Planet remains a mysterious and suspenseful tour de force.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

If I was lamenting the state of contemporary fiction, as wikipedia mentions Lewis says in his biography, this is not what I would want to see happen to provide a cure.

A cure for insomnia, or, in a pinch, a firelighter, perhaps, but there is not much else of interest here.


5 out of 5 stars Excellent Work of Fiction and Philosophy.......2007-08-01

Lewis's account of a philologist kidnapped by a pair of scientists (one a warped idealist and the other motivated strictly by greed) is a wonderful work of fiction which touches on topics such as education, philosophy and religion. Its basis in Christian belief will be clear to the educated reader, though the unfamiliar names used to describe it may make the book more palatable to those who like science fiction but are wary of being 'preached to.' Perhaps its most charming strength is its reconciliation of a scientific understanding of the universe with a view of the world to which wonder, mystery and the miraculous are critical. In this book, the two are complimentary rather than contradictory and in the end Lewis makes it abundantly clear that this was his intent. The power of language is a theme throughout and its power both to mask and reveal ideas is sublimely shown when the philologist, Ransom, must translate into an alien tongue the philosophy of the physicist Weston. What Weston uses his polished vocabulary and oratory to convey, Ransom must restate in simple words and in so doing lays bare their real meanings and inherent contradictions.
Science fiction and fantasy fans will find a competently written plot filled out with engaging characters and plenty of fascinating, detailed images of alien landscapes, flora and fauna. Though it does involve a space journey, its tone is closer to Lord of the Rings than Star Wars or Star Trek (without LOTR's epic scope). Christians will find a reminder of the beauty of their faith and anybody interested in philosophy and ethics will find plenty of material to absorb and debate.

5 out of 5 stars Classics!.......2007-07-12

This was a wonderful classic that I discovered! It can be read by adults and older kids (teens). C.S. Lewis is a master!

4 out of 5 stars Book Three is best.......2007-06-10

This is a fascinating book and story that must be read all the way through book three in the series to be truly understood. One needs to remember that it was written so long ago that the prose is, to me, cumbersome and Lewis goes on and on about things philosophizing at great length about the smallest issue. I felt I had to stick with it in spite of this because by the time I began to see this, I had already invested too much time in the reading of it.

5 out of 5 stars Great allegory and Good Science Fiction.......2007-05-28

Clive Staples Lewis can be called the father of Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy. Out of the Silent Planet, written in 1938, is the first of a trilogy of stories. The others are Perelandra and That Hideous Strength.

Lewis is the author of many novels including, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, and the other Narnia stories as well as non-fiction works including Mere Christianity, The Abolition of Man and A Grief Observed. Lewis was a close friend of J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings. Both were professors at Oxford University and members of an informal literary group called the Inklings.

The science part of the story is largely dated. Lewis had little idea what space travel would be like. His Mars is a much more Earth-like planet than we now know it to be. The writing style is also somewhat dated, being told in narrative more than is done in modern literature, but it still works both as an adventure and allegory. In all of his fiction works Lewis uses allegory to teach Christianity. In the story Elwin Ransom, the protagonist, is kidnapped and transported to Mars by two acquaintances. Ransom flees his captors upon arrival on the alien world. After a couple days of travel he sees a Hross. At first he thinks it is just a beast but he realizes it is speaking and slowly they begin communication. Later he meets Oyarsa the ruler of the planet and, most likely, an archangel. Oyarsa's messengers, regular angels, are called eldila. Ransom also learns that Earth is the silent planet, cut off because it is ruled by the Bent One, a fallen angel.

As he says near the end of this story, "What we need...is not so much a body of belief as a body of people familiarized with certain ideas." His overriding purpose in Out of the Silent Planet is to familiarize a secular world with some of the principles of the Christian faith.

As the story wraps up, the narrator laments the evil he sees spreading across the world and of his hope that the direction of history might be altered. Of course Lewis knew that evil rules this world and only at the end would it be defeated.

Recommendation: To understand Christian Science Fiction, start with Out of the Silent Planet. It remains a five-star story.

Kyle Pratt
The Complete Star Wars Trilogy, Episodes IV, V, & VI
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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The Complete Star Wars Trilogy, Episodes IV, V, & VI
Lucasfilm Ltd. , and Full Cast
Manufacturer: Highbridge Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1565111648

Book Description

Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, slipcased.

When this series was first broadcast on National Public Radio in 1981, it generated the largest response in the network's history: 50,000 letters and phone calls in a single week, an audience of 750,000 per episode, and a subsequent 40-percent jump in NPR listenership.

This landmark production, perhaps the most ambitious radio project ever attempted, began when Star Wars creator George Lucas donated the story rights to NPR an affiliate. Writer Brian Daley adapted the film's highly visual script to the special demands and unique possibilities of radio, creating a more richly textured tale with greater emphasis on character development. Director John Madden guided a splendid cast--including Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels, reprising their film roles as Luke Skywalker and the persnickety robot See Threepio--through an intense 10 day dialogue recording session. Then came months of painstaking work for virtuoso sound engineer Tom Voegeli, whose brilliant blending of the actors' voices, the music, and hundreds of sound effects takes this intergalactic adventure into a realm of imagination that is beyond the reach of cinema.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful!.......2007-08-14

My husband had the original tapes and he can't stop raving about the sound quality on the DVDs. As far as the content, he is a huge SW fan and he loves the radio dramas almost as much as the movies.

5 out of 5 stars Star Wars Radio Trilogy.......2007-01-17

My son absolutly Loves these cd's!! What a perfect gift this was for him for Christmas!!

5 out of 5 stars Great on A Saturday Afternoon.......2006-03-05

My 7 year old (and of course mee too) loves all three of these. He'll actually sit still for hours and listen to them, and race to the CD player waiting for me to change discs. It was dissapointong to see these broadcasts get progressivly smaller with each movie. From 7 in the first, to 5 in the second, and the Return only three CD's long. The last is almost nothing but the movie, with very little additional material. It's still good, but after lstening to A New Hope, The Return of The Jedi feels very short. I would highly reccommend these. They're great for those cold or raining Saturday acfternoons.

5 out of 5 stars Complete Star Wars Trilogy Radio Dramas, WONDERFUL SHOWS!!!.......2004-12-12

How did Luke come to know Biggs? How did Leia get the Death Star plans? What happened to her in her cell after Darth Vader came in with the interrogation droid? How did Luke become a Commander? These questions, which have been asked by many fans, are answered in the original radio dramatizations of the Star Wars Trilogy. Since some readers may be considering the purchase of one of the dramas or possibly the whole set, I will endeavor to give details of all the dramas. Please note that this is an in-depth review of all three dramas and is therefore somewhat more lengthy than many reviews you will encounter. If you would prefer a shorter review please feel free to scroll to the next review. I will start with the original Star Wars drama from 1981...

In 1981, the Star Wars radio drama was released. Many people were skeptical about the success of a completely sound-based Star Wars universe because Star Wars is a highly visual world that is based largely on visual special effects. They wondered how Star Wars could be experienced without the stunning special effects of the movies. Though the drama does lack visual effects, the sound effects from Ben Burtt and the wonderful score from John Williams provide a fabulous listening experience. Many of the characters from the movies have been replaced with substitutes. Mark Hamill takes on the role of Luke Skywalker and Anthony Daniels provides the voice of C-3PO. Although the substitutes take some getting used to, over all they make better representations of the characters than the movie actors do. Perry King provides a humorous Han Solo. Although his voice is gravelly, he seems to be the kind of guy who could be Han Solo. His wise mouth and humor enhance his image. Ann Sachs takes on the role of Princess Leia. Although she lacks the cold voice of Carrie Fisher, she displays more emotion. To illustrate my point, Carrie Fisher showed little audible horror when her planet and people were destroyed. Ann Sachs provides a more realistic outpouring of sorrow and grief as she screams and cries out as her planet is savagely blown into space dust. She also displays a great deal of emotion in the scene where Darth Vader is interrogating her in her cell. This scene was not in the movies. Though the scene is not for the squeamish, it does illustrate Vader's cruelty and utter lack of caring. His heartless mental attack and Leia's screams of anguish and pain serve to drive home the sheer evil of Darth Vader and the Empire. Brock Peters plays Darth Vader. Although he can not replace James Earl Jones, he has a deep booming voice that can turn from calm to anger in an instant. He also displays emotion more effectively than James Earl Jones. For example, in the freezing pit of Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back, he expresses glee, anger, pleading, and pain. It is obvious from his increasing tone, pitch and volume that he is becoming angry with Luke. Mark Hamill is irreplaceable as Luke Skywalker. He is the perfect Luke. No one can be Luke, not even a substitute. His cockiness at the beginning of the play when he races Fixer turns to fear and anger as he meets Ben and finds that the Imperial troupes have slaughtered his aunt and uncle. He eventually gives way to despair as Ben is killed, but he soon is filled with elation as he destroys TIE Fighters as the Millennium Falcon attempts to escape from the Death Star. He and he only could be Luke. Bernard Behrens plays Ben Kenobi. He does a wonderful job, especially in the scene where he and Vader fight. Anthony Daniels and Anthony Daniels only could play C-3PO. He does a stupendous job of enhancing the personality of C-3PO in this drama. We find out how he and R2-D2 met and how their relationship came into being. Anthony Daniels as C-3PO and the electronic R2-D2 have a deeper friendship than is apparent in the movies. Their quarrels are often humorous. The special effects in the drama are absolutely staggering. Many of the sounds from the movies, and many more not found in the movies have been included. Despite the early time of its release, the original drama is in full surround sound. Unlike in the movies, the characters are also in full stereo. In the movies, the characters occupy the center channel while sounds occupy the side channels. However, in the radio dramas the characters, music and sound all are stereo. You can hear them moving in different directions. In the movies, it is apparent what they are doing by looking at them. With radio there is no visual. Therefore, there must be some way of letting the audience know what is going on. Since there is no narration besides that found in the beginning and end, the characters must let the audience know what is happening. In many radio plays, this can be quite annoying. However, Brian Daley has cunningly written the script to make the descriptions realistic. Here is an example. "Han, Storm trooper to your left!" Blast! "Aaargh!" Storm trooper falls. "Got em!" Although the drama is not perfect, I would highly recommend it due to its staggeringly advanced nature. I would expect something of this magnitude and nature to have been made nowadays. I can hardly imagine how such a monumental task was under taken without most of the computer and digitalized technology of today. Over all, it is a stupendous performance. It spans thirteen episodes, each approximately a half hour for an overall running time of six and a half hours.

The Empire Strikes Back radio drama is another delight. The cast remains the same. Billy Dee Williams plays Lando just as he does in the movies. Paul Hecht plays the Emperor. He does a passable imitation of the emperor's voice, though it could be more sibilant. John Lithgow does a great job as Yoda. Although Frank Ozz is still the only true Yoda, John Lithgow's imitation is pretty good. This production features a huge number of sound effects not found in any of the movies. Those that are found in the movies have been used to their fullest extent. This drama, like the first, is also in full surround sound. The music, just like in the first, is absolutely stunning. Mark Hamill puts on another phenomenal performance of Luke Skywalker. When he is attacked, he screams in fright and pain. He coolly kills the wampa and escapes. He attempts to walk through a blizzard back to base. His performance there is wonderful as he strives to overcome hypothermia and the desire to lie down. He actually seems to be freezing and shaking with cold. His greatest achievement comes when he acts with Brock Peters in the scene on Cloud City. He meets Vader with cocky confidence. Vader overcomes him and eventually he lets out an agonized scream of pain as his hand is cut from his body. He seems to be in terrible pain as he learns that Vader is his father. He eventually falls onto a weather vane. His desperate cries for Ben and Leia are heart-wrenching. As always, the other members of the cast have made this play a distinct pleasure. There are a wide variety of new characters and actors. They all have done a wonderful job. Over all, I would highly recommend this dramatization as well, especially if it is combined with the first radio play. The show has ten episodes, each running for about a half hour for an overall running time of about five hours. It's a superb listening experience.

The period after the Empire Strikes Back radio drama was a dark time for Public Radio. Due to circumstances not related to the plays mentioned here, funding of Public Radio was greatly lowered. No more dramas were produced for many years. Finally funds were increased in the nineties. HighBridge Audio released the first two dramas on tape and CD in 1993. Their great success led to the decision to finally make Return of the Jedi. The production team for the original dramas was brought together again and the actors who had starred in the previous dramas were called back to play in this new drama. Unfortunately, Mark Hamill does not play Luke and Billy Dee Williams does not play Lando, but substitutes have replaced them. The new Luke is more serious, but he still serves as a passable Luke. The new Lando also makes a passable imitation of Billy Dee Williams. As always, the music and sound effects are stunning again and in full surround sound. The performances of the actors are wonderful. Paul Hecht again plays the emperor. His voice, though lacking in the sibilant hiss of Ian McDiarmid does have a distinctly evil quality. John Lithgo's performance as Yoda however was a bit of a disappointment. Although he is great in The Empire Strikes Back, he sounds a great deal more human in Return of the Jedi. His death scene is moving though. There is one major flaw in this radio drama. The first two plays had ten to thirteen episodes, which allowed for a great deal of character and story expansion. However, Return of the Jedi only has six. Some of the scenes, such as the destruction of the shield generator, the Rebel fleet's jump into hyperspace, the crash of the Super Star Destroyer Executor and the bulk of the battles had to be abridged. This drama, although not as fulfilling as the previous two, is still a wonderful addition to the trilogy. It has six episodes, each about a half hour long with a total running time of three hours. I would most certainly recommend it for people who like swift entertainment instead of the slow but thorough plodding of the first two plays.

To conclude, I think personally that all three of the above mentioned dramas are astounding. I would recommend purchasing them all. There is a boxed set with all three dramas available for sale. However, another option is the Limited Collector's edition, which features some extras, such as deleted scenes, promotional spots by many of the actors, music, interviews with the cast, and a section that features the Speeder Bike scene without music or sound so we can see how it sounds as it is performed by the actors in the studio. This set also features the "get well" card that was made for Brian Daley just after the last recording session of Return of the Jedi. Although this set is the most expensive, it is much more extensive and provides some interesting little tidbits not found in the regular editions. I would highly recommend any of these sets.

1 out of 5 stars Terrible.......2004-09-26

I am a huge audio book fan. I love almost every Star Wars audio put out to date.

This ranks as one of 3 out of hundreds of audiobooks I have listened to that I couldn't make it through.

The recasting of charecters is so bad as to severly distract from the story. The actors are of great caliber, but in these roles they just do not work.

If I pay $100 for something I want it to soar, not crash. Save you money and just listen to the audio from the movies.
Luna Marine (The Heritage Trilogy, Book 2)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Moon and Marines
  • Luna HOOHARA!
  • Another good one.
  • absolutely awesome
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Luna Marine (The Heritage Trilogy, Book 2)
Ian Douglas
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0380788292
Release Date: 1999-06-08

Book Description

The revelations on Mars -- a half-million year-old legacy of the vanished star-traveling Builders -- have fed the flames of catastrophic war. A beleaguered United States and its Russian and Japanese allies struggle to hold their own against the indomitable forces of the enemy United Nations. The bloody conflict that has swept over the home planet now rages across the blackness of space -- with the U.S. Marine Corps in the vanguard, leading the charge as always.

But Mars is not the sole repository of alien wonders. The Earth's moon hides unsettling mysteries of its own-and dangerous secrets pointing toward an unstoppable threat advancing from somewhere beyond the solar system. And as scientists on both sides ract to utilize technology they have only barely begun to comprehend, the UN makes the opening move in a gambit that could end the hostilities quickly and decisively by bringing about the death of millions...without the aid of alien-inspired weaponry.

A bad situation worsens by the nanosecond. And that means it's time to call in the Marines -- to make a life or death stand on the gray shores of Luna.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Moon and Marines.......2007-06-01

The plot of part one continues. With the characters we came to know and love on Mars and an excellent storyline. Not only were there ruins on Mars, but there is something going on on the moon aswell and was it ever our moon? The Marines are as allways on the frontline.

4 out of 5 stars Luna HOOHARA!.......2006-11-23

Another good book about the future CORPS! Ian Douglas does his reseach!
Good background! Believable tech data! Another one for the almost must-read list!

4 out of 5 stars Another good one........2006-03-11

Not as good as the first book, but I think that's because I'm done being dizzy from how technically acurate the book is. Author should be proud.

5 out of 5 stars absolutely awesome.......2005-12-18

This has got to be one of the best sci-fi stories ever written. I was amazed. Normally, I like casual sci-fi, if even that. I picked up this series as a fluke. Just kinda curious about it, I figured, hey, This one has gotten pretty good reviews. So I picked up all three, and started reading. By the time I was only a hundred pages into the first book, I couldn't stop. By the time I was really aware, I had read all three books, and looking for the first of the Legacy series. Let me say, anyone who likes military fiction, like Clancy or Brown, or any type of Sci-Fi, PICK UP THIS SERIES!!!!!!!

5 out of 5 stars The Lunar Crater-Hopping Campaign.......2005-08-16

Once again, Ian Douglas has written an excellent bit of military sci-fi. "Luna Marine" takes place two years after "Semper Mars" and continues the war with the UN. This time, however, the focus is not on Mars, but the gray shores of Luna. More alien artifacts are discovered, answering many questions from the previous book...and leaving you with many more. The combat scenes are just as good as, if not better than, the last book. Douglas also manages to use several characters from the previous book, which gives a greater connection to the reader than if he were to start with a clean slate.

Once again, there are a few cultural stereotypes that Douglas sticks in that the book could do without. Don't let that stop you from picking it up though. I recommend it to anyone into military sci-fi or the USMC.
Space Trilogy
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Got me hooked on sci-fi
  • Books to Change One's Life
  • Soak It Up
  • Excellent Series
  • Sublime Christian Fantasy
Space Trilogy
C. S. Lewis
Manufacturer: Scribner Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  5. The Four Loves The Four Loves

ASIN: 068483118X

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Got me hooked on sci-fi.......2007-10-04

I absolutely LOVED this series. My science fiction loving father recommended it and now I have become a sci-fi junkie because of it. A great story that shows our history and future in interesting ideas. Fantastic read.

5 out of 5 stars Books to Change One's Life.......2007-08-14

Books such as these cannot fail to change you. There have been many books in my life which I could say that about, but short of the Bible, I think these surpass them all (Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or G.K. Chesterton's Man Who Was Thursday being the only serious competition).
I cannot speak about these books without a tone of awe, it would be absolutely useless to try and explain why. Please trust me - read these, and many times, too.

4 out of 5 stars Soak It Up.......2007-02-14

Sometimes learning is like sunbathing. You soak up wisdom like you soak up rays--changing, even though you can't pinpoint every little drop that touched you.

I say that because today I completed the second book in C. S. Lewis' Space Trilogy. True, I can't name one thing I learned (and this series is much more about exploring concepts than telling a story), but I feel very wise. Before you laugh too hard, let me say that my spirit is quiet right now. It's still. Rested. Open. In awe. Ready to receive.

Today I will continue resting, listening. Tomorrow I'll go back over the pages and remind myself what I learned. (And then I'll start the third book.)

I highly recommend these book, but read them only when you have lots of time to reflect.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Series.......2006-09-12

Out of the Silent Planet
C.S. Lewis
Scribner Paperback
ISBN 0684823802

This is the first book in C.S. Lewis's amazing Space Trilogy. These books are far less known than Lewis's Narnia series or even his Mere Christianity or The Screwtape Letters, yet it is just as good as any of those writings and goes to show the versatility of Lewis as an author.

This first book begins with our hero, Dr. Ransom, out for a walking tour in the countryside, dressed in that shabby way for which professors are renowned. His foes are his former schoolmates Devine and Weston. These men believe they need a human sacrifice, and by capturing Ransom they have their victim, for they have made a spaceship and are taking Ransom to Malacandra the red planet.

Once on Mars, Ransom escapes his captors, meets many species, and finds out that on Mars there has been no `Fall' and Ransom from Earth or the Silent Planet is a bit of an oddity. People from earth are considered to be `bent' in nature, from the original sin of the fall.

Follow Ransom as he treks across a strange world, and must find the courage to risk it all to save not only an alien race, but also, possibly his own soul.

This is a first book in an amazing series. Try it - you won't be disappointed.

Perelandra
C.S. Lewis
Scribner Paperback
ISBN 0684823829

This is the second book in C.S. Lewis's amazing Space Trilogy. This book was written as a sequel to the immensely popular Out of the Silent Planet but Lewis also wrote it so that the story can stand on its own. So if you haven't read the first you can start here.

This book takes place some time after the first, but we are not sure how long. Ransom has received a summons to Venus, a planet that is just beginning its inhabited life. This planet's `Adam' and `Eve' are on the planet and they must choose to obey God or to reject his law and face a `fall' as has happened on earth.

Ransom must face his old foe Weston, and try to save a planet from great evil. Can he navigate this watery planet; can he negotiate the intricacies of human weakness, temptation and corruption? Can he conquer himself and help others to learn obedience?

This is a great creation story. Try it - you won't be disappointed.

That Hideous Strength
C.S. Lewis
Scribner Paperback
ISBN 0684823853

This is the third and final book in C.S. Lewis's amazing Space Trilogy. This book was written as a sequel to the immensely popular Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra but Lewis also wrote it so that the story can stand on its own. So if you haven't read the first, you can start here.

That Hideous Strength, unlike the first 2 books in this series, where Ransom leaves earth and fights evil in space and on other planets, the battle in this book takes place on earth.

Ransom must lead a group of faithful believers against National Institute for Coordinated Experiments or N.I.C.E., an organization that believes that Science can solve all of humanity's problems. He must battle the people in this organization, super aliens trying to invade and control earth and use its population against other planets and against God.

On top of all of that, Merlin has arisen from his long sleep and has arisen in England's time of greatest need. But the question is, who will find him first - N.I.C.E. or Ransom and his team? The fate of the world, and possibly the universe, rests on this question.

Lewis called this story an adult's fairy-tale. It is a mix of sci-fi and fantasy, and a book that will keep your attention as you raptly turn the pages to find out where Lewis will lead you.

5 out of 5 stars Sublime Christian Fantasy.......2005-11-20

I am continually amazed by CS Lewis - his Narnia books were of course, excellent and entertaining, Mere Christianity a tour-de-force in apologetics, and The Great Divorce and Screwtape Letters were astonishing in their fictional applications of Christian doctrine. Finally, the book of his that I found most puzzling - "The Abolition of Man", turns out to be the non-fiction underpinnings for the third volume in this wonderful science fiction/fantasy trilogy. Like a key fitting a lock, the grim prophecies of "The Abolition of Man" are shaped and given character in "That Hideous Strength", and I am left in awe again of Lewis' genius.

But the trilogy does not start with such a complexity. "Out of the Silent Planet" begins mundanely enough, taking the hero Dr. Ransom out of the context of earth to explore the thesis of "what would Christian Truth be like on another planet." Lewis, as in his Narnia series, is quite bold in building his allegory - he takes license that would border on heresy if he weren't so committed to the fundamental integrity of Christianity. Indeed, one gets the feeling that where he bends doctrine in order to accomodate his plot (such as in making the Oyarsa into the makers and shepherds of worlds - contra "The Word" or "Logos"), he does so humbly and innocently. In spite of the fact that Lewis has much more to say, "Out of the Silent Planet" is self-contained and fulfilling.

"Perelandra", the second volume, follows Ransom once more as he is transported to Venus to play a strange role in another planet's Garden of Eden. While enjoyable, Perelandra relied a bit too much on descriptions of terrestrial paradise that were untransferable to the reader - one doesn't get as caught up as Dr. Ransom in the sensual aspects of Eden. Lewis does, however, deftly manage the paradox of "That Happy Fall" - the sin of Adam that led to the miracle of Christ. "Perelandra" is entertaining, but not quite so fulfilling as either the first or last books in the trilogy.

The final volume, "That Hideous Strength" is very unlike the first two in tone and context. Not merely because the action takes place on Earth (and a post-war England that is so like/unlike post-millennial America), but because rather than an exposition or exploration of Christian realities on other worlds, Lewis is engaging the eugenic nightmare threatening to atrophy all of Western Civilization. There was a strange resemblence to GK Chesterton's "The Ball & The Cross". In fact, "That Hideous Strength" was the most Chestertonian of Lewis' works, combining the comic absurdity of philosophies taken to their natural conclusions with the sobering reminder that "this is happening even now". In another weird sense, "That Hideous Strength" reminded me of John Barth's "Giles Goat Boy" (with poor Barth coming out quite unfavorably in the comparison). Perhaps this was only the use of the University as the sphere of action, or the creeping modernism that is Lewis' villain and Barth's savior.

In any case, "That Hideous Strength" masterfully blends the revelations of the preceding volumes in the trilogy along with a sudden infusion of earthly mythology, Arthurian legend, post-war philosophy, and even a bit of J.R.R. Tolkein (quite odd, this last bit!). But the root of "That Hideous Strength" is no fantasy, but a recognition of the apocolyptic desire of man to eat from the tree of knowledge and cheat death - by remaking himself. The word "eugenics" isn't used much any more after the Nazis became its champions. But back in the 30's it was all the range, striking deep into the Roosevelt White House, and carried on to this day under the auspices of Planned Parenthood. Lewis might have forseeen the horrors of man's affair with his own genetics, but this last most chilling development is not captured in "That Hideous Strength".

Here in the 21st century, in the midst of the technology that alarmed CS Lewis, we live in a world of the human genome project, designer babies, clones, fetal stem-cell research, ADHD, "Indigo Children," prisoner rehabilitation, John Hinckley, and dying-with-dignity. One hopes that somewhere out there is a Dr. Ransom monitoring the situation with a Mr. Bultitude standing by. Failing that, one wishes there were another CS Lewis, who, through an intimate grasp of Christianity and a ranging imagination, could skewer the modern eugenicists and stand in the breach against the abolition of man.
Vulcan's Soul Trilogy Book Two: Exiles (Star Trek)
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Long Slow Emotional Road Trip
  • Vulcan's Soul Trilogy
  • Exciting! Surpise after surprise!
  • vulcan snoring
  • If you read the first , you'll read this
Vulcan's Soul Trilogy Book Two: Exiles (Star Trek)
Josepha Sherman , and Susan Shwartz
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0743463609

Book Description

Tensions remain high as the United Federation of Planets, the Klingon Empire, and the Romulan Star Empire attempt to maintain their fragile post-Dominion War peace in the wake of the brutal attack by the mysterious Watraii, which ended with the loss of Admiral Pavel Chekov. When Admiral Uhura receives intelligence regarding a Watraii base that may contain more than one surprise, she sends Ambassador Spock, Captain Saavik, Ruanek, Captain Montgomery Scott, and Lieutenant Commander Data on a covert mission to learn its secrets....

But the truth of the Watraii has its basis millennia in the past. In the time of Surak, Vulcans were at a crossroads, on the cusp of either embracing logic or succumbing to their passions and thereby destroying themselves. With Surak's blessing, a group of Vulcans left their turbulent homeworld to find their destiny in the unknown reaches of space. But the stars prove even more unforgiving than the desert sands of Vulcan, as Karatek, the reluctant leader of the exiles, struggles to hold his people together.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Long Slow Emotional Road Trip.......2007-10-07

I listened to the audio book. This was two stories. The modern story was kind of a waste of time. But I liked the 'Memory' time line. I thought it was a slow moving story while I was listening to it. I was a bit frustrated. But When it was over I thought about it a bit and I realized that this book moved me. I recognized at least one connection to the original Star Trek series and this book made me view that episode in a new more sinister light. There was another random planetary encounter that really upset me. By the end I was very angry at some of the characters and I realized that means it was a good story. I actually cared about what happened. Even though we know how it will end in a big picture sense, the details are a welcome bit of texture. I really enjoyed it which surprised this action fan. I can't wait for the next book.

4 out of 5 stars Vulcan's Soul Trilogy.......2007-05-13

Sherman is an excellent writer. It is too bad that she tried to fit the last movie into the ST Universe - we all know the movie was an abomination and the director should be taken out and shot - but she is actually successful at explaining all of the details. If only she had read the rest of the series before writing these books! While the trilogy is engrossing, and well worth reading, you will probably find yourself annoyed at the sharp differences between this work and all the rest of the histories and stories of Star Trek.

It might be best for the reader to believe that all of the action takes place in an alternate universe, that way the inaccuracies can be overlooked. She does have the political and social messages for which ST is famous, and she is dead on accurate with these.

While her characters and story are not as deeply insighful as Diane Duane's, they are certainly deeper and more detailed than most. Her works are highly recommended. Now, if only she would read the rest of the books in the ST series, she could inherit position of favored story-teller in the ST universe.

5 out of 5 stars Exciting! Surpise after surprise!.......2007-05-10

Wow! Twists, turns, surprises and excitement! No plot spoilers, but I love origin stories and this is one of the best! A great followup to #1 but alas #3 can be guessed at and appears to be an attempt by the publisher to stretch a two book story into three for the sake of profits. That being said, this book is a must!

1 out of 5 stars vulcan snoring.......2006-08-14

these writers have done so much better than this. granted this was a book that had to tie together two spots in vulcan/romulan history, but it was so dull, it was hard to keep reading until the end.

3 out of 5 stars If you read the first , you'll read this.......2006-08-04

Chekov's rescue (of course you knew he isn't dead!) is too easy. The backstory of the long trek across space of the exiles is tedious. I did like the explanation that surfaces as to how some exiles end up on Remus instead of Romulus, but that's about the best thing in this story. Still, it is new Trek lore, and it's nice new stories continue to be written.

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