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Out of the Silent Planet Audiobook
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(4.26) - 39 listener ratings
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Out of the Silent Planet is the first novel in Lewis’s Ransom Trilogy (also known as the Cosmic or Space Trilogy), which is considered his chief contribution to science fiction. A planetary romance with elements of medieval mythology, the trilogy concerns Dr. Elwin Ransom, a professor of philology who, like Christ, is offered as a ransom for mankind. On a walking tour of the English countryside, Ransom falls in with some slightly shady characters from his old university and wakes up to find himself naked in a metal ball in the middle of the light-filled heavens. He learns that he is on his way to a world called Malacandra by its natives, who call our world Thulcandra, the silent planet. The Malacandrans see planets as having tutelary spirits; those of the other planets are good and accessible, but Earth’s is fallen and twisted.
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"Out of the Silent Planet begins what is often referred to as C.S. Lewis's "Space Trilogy" or "Ransom Trilogy" - his "scientific romance" novels about a philologist who is kidnapped by evil scientists and ends up on another planet. Listeners should keep in mind that this book was written in the 1930s, so don't expect a hard scientific look at spaceflight, atmospheric conditions in space or on planets, or other modern conventions of sci-fi. As might be expected by a work from C.S. Lewis, the work is a type of morality tale on what makes us human (or, in the parlance of Malacandra "hnau"). A great start to the series, this is Lewis's best fiction - more nuanced than Narnia and targeted to an adult audience.Ralph Cosham's narration is wonderful, as is typical for all of his CSL readings."
— jrb (5 out of 5 stars)
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“This book has real splendor, compelling moments, and a flowing narrative.”
— New York Times -
“Adventure beyond our Earth—beautifully colored and shaped.”
— Times (London) -
“A delightful fantasy.”
— New York Herald Tribune -
“[Cosham’s] tenor voice never stumbles with Lewis’ formal syntax or the invented alien language of the inhabitants of Malacandra. The story…has deeper meaning but is also compelling on its own.”
— AudioFile -
“This version of the SF novel should bring a new generation of readers and listeners to Lewis’ classic works.”
— Kliatt
Out of the Silent Planet Listener Reviews
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Marek Krzywdzinski, 6/24/2022
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Ansric, 4/14/2022
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Umai Kakudo, 11/16/2021
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" A marvelous reading. Lewis couldn't have done better. The unusual names and pronunciations of the voices of the different species have been reproduced beautifully. A delight. "
— Brett_McS, 8/21/2021 -
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Bennette Ajisefinni, 9/13/2016
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Stephen Brewton, 1/7/2015
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" As always, CS Lewis writes amazing stuff. I really got into all three books. "
— Barb, 6/2/2011 -
" great metaphors and a very intense story! "
— Brenton, 5/10/2011 -
" These are my favorite C.S.Lewis books. The writing is rich, the critique of materialism is brilliant, and the weaving of the stories are just brilliant hands down. "
— Justin, 4/28/2011 -
" This is my all-time favourite read (besides Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials). The entire trilogy is pure fantasy awesomeness. This is a series I re-read every couple of years. "
— Ally, 4/23/2011 -
" I'm a sucker for trilogies, and this stands as my favorite to date. It combines sci-fi and philosophy, two of my favorite things which happen to be Clive Staple's strengths. "
— Lynette, 3/18/2011 -
" Didn't like it enough to finish listening too it. Too many other books I want to read... "
— Kimberly, 3/14/2011 -
" my favorite Lewis. i have read all three a number of times and get something new each time. "
— Jessica, 3/12/2011 -
" Probably should re-read as although I enjoyed these 3 books, I did read them at a very young age and thus had difficulty understanding them. "
— Ryan, 3/5/2011 -
" I hated the last book in the trilogy; it wasn't very good. The first two were fairly interesting though. "
— Elaine, 1/28/2011 -
" A great Science Fiction trilogy by Lewis. Book 2 is my favorite, but there isn't much that I don't like about any of these books. "
— Jstrick, 1/26/2011 -
" CSL at his wordiest. Beloved by millions, but my wife and I weren't fans. "
— Adam, 1/4/2011 -
" I read these when I was young as well. Really remember liking them and want to reread them. "
— Jared, 1/3/2011 -
" Superb! A great "adult" version of the Chronicles of Narnia. "
— Matt, 12/27/2010 -
" I would like to read them again. The first time through was in high school and they didn't make much sense to me. "
— Jimmy, 12/10/2010 -
" Profound, thought provoking, its C.S. Lewis, what more can you say. "
— Karen, 11/22/2010 -
" This collection really gets your imagination going. Amazing description throughout! "
— Adam, 11/9/2010
About C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis (1898–1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably the most influential Christian writer of his day. He was a fellow and tutor in English literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the chair of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. His major contributions to literary criticism, children’s literature, fantasy literature, and popular theology brought him international renown and acclaim. Lewis wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include the Chronicles of Narnia, Out of the Silent Planet, The Four Loves, The Screwtape Letters, and Mere Christianity.
About Geoffrey Howard
Geoffrey Howard (a.k.a. Ralph Cosham) was a stage actor and an award-winning narrator. He recorded more than 100 audiobooks in his lifetime and won the prestigious Audio Award for Best Narration and several AudioFile Earphones Awards.