Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis

Title: Out of the Silent Planet
Author: C.S. Lewis
ISBN: 0-7432-3490-1
158 pages
Scribner, 2003 edition



While not specifically a children's book, and certainly with no indication that it has teens or 'tweens' in mind, I vividly remember reading this book when I was about 14 years old (being recommended the book after having heard of Lewis' 'Narnia' books). While this puts it at the higher end of what a 'tween' is, this is a book that I am sure a lot of young kids are reading (and enjoying). For some reason, tales of fantasy or science fiction are more often than not associated with children. While this book does not have a child protagonist and is not expressly written for children, there is a certain connotation that more teens and children will be reading books like this than adults (quite sad if you ask me).

Description:

'Out of the Silent Planet' follows the story of Dr. Ransom, who is ambushed on a dark and tempestuous night by an old colleague of his after he accidentally enters their secret laboratory. Ransom is knocked unconscious and upon his waking, finds himself finds himself in a strange room that appears to be moving in a strange way. What, in fact, has happened is that Ransom is currently on a spherical spaceship headed for Mars (or Malacandra as the natives call it). Ransom's two abductors, Mr. Weston and Mr. Devine, have already made a secret flight to the Red Planet and are planning their return trip (stocked with ammunition) with the plans of taking the planet over. Ransom escapes his captors and finds his way among the three species of sentient life living on the planet; a frog like species, the seal-like Hrossa and the giant Sorns. Ransom befriends the local inhabitants and aids them in defeating Weston and Devin and, in the process, learns more than any human ever has about our place in the universe.

Review:

A phenomenal book, it was even better reading a second time. As a kid I was only concerned with the cool-sounding names of the aliens and the battles with Ransom's two captors. Lewis has a gift for describing the surreal and alien and the book is keeps the reader enamored throughout. True, the book might be a little daunting and scary for a 'tween'. But for younger teenage readers and more advanced 'tweens', the book is a wonderful experience.