A truly genius work which sees the main character, given the pseudonym Dr. Ransom, introduced as a personal friend of the narrator. The events were told as if they were true events being relayed by the narrator. The character, a brilliant philologist, is kidnapped by two scientists. They travel to Mars, where most of the book takes place.
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The book chronicles the travels of Ransom around the alien planet, after escaping his captors and running around in the wilderness. It gives detailed descriptions of the planet as well as telling the extremely philosophical discussions held by the man and the aliens he has encountered. It is mainly an introduction to a series of books, in which the author details the universe he has created, in which God has made Himself known to the entire universe. People are told the truths of the universe by their Oyarsa, the spirit and consciousness of their planet.
It states that the truths are known to everyone, and nothing is surprising except to humans, because the Oyarsa of earth had, in the past, become dark (evil) and disconnected from the universe. The people of earth are in a constant battle which, if lost, would doom them. The battles are shown every few hundred years as seperate battles, only one of which was told of in the book. But, in this introduction, as Ransom traverses Mars, or Malacandra, he learns from the natives (of which there are three different species) about all of the magical creatures created by God, such as the Oyarsa and the eldeli. In the end, Ransom is returned to his planet with the other two scientists. Nothing much has changed except now Ransom knows the truth and is prepared for his second journey, chronicled in the second book, Perelandra.
The review of this Book prepared by reepicheep
Dr Ransom is kidnapped by Dr Weston and Devine, two scientists who have mastered the problem of inter-planetary travel. They bring him as an offering to the race the "Sorns" from Mars who request a resident of earth. Ransom who fears that they mean him harm runs away, but after meeting up with the peaceful "Hrossa" race realises that the Sorns are only interested in finding out about earth as they describe it as the silent planet where they can not hear what is going on. Ransom is taken to see the "Oyarsa" or all powerful being of the planet. Now Ransom has fallen in love with the beautiful planet and vows to stop Weston's plans of killing off the residents of the planet and colonising it.
The review of this Book prepared by Neil Morey
Ransom is kidnapped by aliens, that he first appeared as humans. Devine was a classmate who selected Ransom for kidnapping to Weston, the other alien. Ransom goes to planet and learns about life there.
The review of this Book prepared by Charles Koenemann
Set in the 1940's, Ransom a literary scholar, the main character, is kidnapped by a Weston the physicist who is the first man to discover a practical means of space travel. On arriving on Mars the highly advanced beings and species living there are found to call Earth 'the silent planet'. These are some of the most interesting and original aliens in all the science fiction that I am familiar with.
They, like us, are a fallen race, but they have almost completely recreated a Paradisal way of life. They deal with the evil Weston and the innocent Ransom in very different ways.
The review of this Book prepared by Michael JR Jose
