Out of the Silent Planet, written by C.S. Lewis, published in 1938, is a thrilling and exciting adventure that takes the reader to another world full of life and wonder. The planet that the protagonist, Ransom, discovers, is one with a rich history involving three hierarchal creatures which are symbiotic, each having a unique role on the planet, with their own mythology and culture.
The story begins with Ransom walking along a road to find a place to stay for the night when, through a series of events, he happens upon a house where he meets an old acquaintance, Dr. Devine. From there, the two men at the house, Dr. Devine and Weston, take him against his will across space to a planet called Malacandra. There, Ransom escapes after they encounter with some strange creatures near a lake, and soon, Ransom meets a creature called a hrossa.
Since Ransom is a philologist, he can pick up on the language of the hrossa, which are a mix between seals and otters, and learns of their culture, language, and the different types of creatures on the planet. He soon learns that each planet has a type of guardian called a Oyarsa, and that something happened on earth before it was formed that caused it to be disconnected from the other worlds.
I won’t reveal any spoilers in this review, but will say it is a fun and fascinating journey with unique creatures and habitats, with a unique perspective on space travel and life on other planets.
Fallton Havenstonne 