The C.S. Lewis Trilogy You HAVEN'T Heard Of w/ Bill Donaghy

[@andrewsk3791]

I’ve read the Space Trilogy three times and I highly recommend it. The second book (Perelandra) made me rethink how I view creation and the fall.

[@mattyp3358]

That Hideous Strength might be my favorite book. I would describe it as a cross between King Arthur, Brave New World, Star Wars, and the Book of Revelation.

[@certainlyjoel]

@@mattyp3358 Amazing

[@rodrigobarba930]

@@mattyp3358 just finished reading the first two and am about to start That Hideous Strength. Your comment got me super hyped to read it!

[@Don7Quijote]

Fun fact: the genesis of the space trilogy was an agreement between Tolkien and Lewis back in the 1930's to each a story. Lewis' wrote "Out of the silent planet" while Tolkien began a time travel fantasy that did not get very far but part of it survives in the account of the fall of Numenor at the end of the Silmarillion. Both works have a strong emphasis on a literary exploration of the fall of mankind. I find Perelandra to be the best as I find the dialogues between the characters to be some of the best literature I've read.

[@setubalmadrid]

The dialogue/temptation between Weston and the Green Lady is amazing

[@baldrbraa]

That Hideous Strength just gets more and more contemporary as time goes on.

[@thomasjorge4734]

We are now living through the Third Book.

[@baileyeli]

Read it for the first time this last summer. It’s my favorite fictional series now. My favorite stand-alone book is Lewis’ Till We Have Faces (another one that’s overlooked).

[@JasonJrake]

What is the appeal in that? I hope you can enlighten me, as I really want to know what I missed. I have read somewhere a claim that Lewis considered it his best book, and I feel silly for not getting it. My mother and I are big Lewis fans, so I asked her to read Faces because she’s more familiar with myth and folk tale literature. But she was as confused as I was about it’s meaning, style, et cetera. Thanks ahead of time for any insight you can share 😅.

[@baileyeli]

@@JasonJrake It’s the only instance (I can think of) of Lewis writing from the female perspective in the 1st person. Thematically, it’s a really interesting depiction of the relationship between humanity and the divine. In a way, he Christianizes the Greek myth.

[@JasonJrake]

@@baileyeli thanks for the reply. I’ll give it another chance with that in mind.

[@rameau1124]

Oh yes! That one I love too. A story of destiny and how vicissitude shapes a life’s journey.

[@maxmontes4449]

It is a completely overlooked trilogy. I read them and there’s a sense of great mystery that C.S. Lewis is just phenomenal at. That Hideous Strength is more graphic with its storytelling than the other two. In other words, the Space Trilogy needs a comeback. C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite Catholic writers next to Gilbert Keith Chesterton and Tolkien.

[@Angenga]

He was a high church Anglican

[@maxmontes4449]

@@Angenga True, but he did convert thanks to Tolkien.

[@Chillpeps]

@@maxmontes4449 no he didn’t

[@maxmontes4449]

@@Chillpeps Yeah, I just looked it up. He didn’t actually. Sorry.

[@burkean]

The final book, That Hideous Strength, has been called the narrative form of The Abolition of Man.

[@mac3441]

I think about That Hideous Strength almost constantly these days.

[@JohnBoyX570]

The halls of science / academia are very accurately depicted. The pressure to conform is palpable today.

[@mac3441]

@@JohnBoyX570 the embodiment of evil propped up by the ghoulish, androgynous establishment bent on social engineering and controlling information and obfuscating truth. The N.I.C.E. Feels more real than ever.

[@JohnBoyX570]

@@mac3441 Also the adjective "Bent" used to describe those in league with sin is so apt!

[@daniellamunoz8894]

I just finished the trilogy. It was brilliant, and also very entertaining. The second and third books are my favorite.

[@jonathangillies6531]

Space Trilogy is amazing! Second book is super hard to comprehend but some amazing work of Lewis!

[@josephboder6640]

So glad someone is finally discussing the trilogy. Read it several times.

[@Gargantupimp]

Read all three! They aren't just philosophically and theologically stimulating. They are also well written and accessible.

[@chrispy4636]

The last book is basically a semiprophetic look at the whole COVID crises. Not saying it's exactly what happened but some likenesses were uncanny.

[@fossil-bit8439]

I found this trilogy at a thrift store in fantastic shape for $3! It’s on my to read list.

[@tammygant4216]

I've read them over and over and over for years. That last one was hard to understand the first time I read it, but every time I re-read it, it gets richer and richer. Read his book Abolition of Man (another it took me several re-reads to really get); that gives good insight into the last space trilogy book. Oh and read Michael Ward's Planet Narnia. The book focuses on the Narnia books BUT gives great insight into Lewis' fiction. So good. So good.

[@mikezeke7041]

Second is my favorite. They are definitely underrated.

[@juneypesco]

My husband and I watched this interview last month, and it totally rocked our world/worldview. We are both reading the Space Trilogy and love it. We even bought pipes and started an unofficial “pipe club” at our house, haha. Watch the whole interview! It’s worth it! Thanks so much, Bill and Matt. If we don’t meet in this life, we look forward to sharing a pint with you and Aquinas in the next…and a pipe ;)

[@karinogrisek5517]

the last in the trilogy is my favorite of c.s. lewis! Glad to hear them talking about Tolkiens tom Bombadil! Great pod Matt. Its a pleasure to listen to you and your guest

[@michaelkelleypoetry]

I'm glad this video is promoting Lewis' "Space Trilogy", but as someone who has read almost everything Lewis wrote, including these three books many, many times, I was slightly disappointed because I thought the title was referring to another trilogy that Lewis wrote but only recently published, kinda like Lewis' translation of The Aeneid wasn't published until 2011. I thought I was going to get to read something new by Lewis that I hadn't read before. Lol. Also, as an aside, I prefer to call it The Ransom Trilogy, or The Cosmic Trilogy, given the end of Out of The Silent Planet in which Lewis has the fictional Dr. Ransom tell him they need to get readers to stop thinking of it as Space, but to get back to the older way of thinking of it as the heavens.

[@debbie9523]

Rereading this now and I LOVE it this time around now that I understand more.

[@patrickharner]

Love, love, love the Space Trilogy! It's wonderful how all the books cohesively connect and tell a distinct story but are all very different! I didn't know that Ransom was based on Tolkien! Totally makes sense!

[@karasmom3538]

I read the trilogy as a teenager. Liked the first two, didn’t think much of That Hideous Strength - boring! Read again as a working adult. Was challenged by That Hideous Strength - this was happening where I worked. As you’ve reminded me of it and it is now on my Kindle, I shall read it again as a retired adult. I am sure I will get something different from it. I think that makes it a classic when you can read a work at different times in your life and see entirely different themes. By the way, I thought Lewis was a Catholic until college.

[@iampahtashaann]

I actually found an OLD copy at a used bookstore and was shocked that we don't know about this since it is by CS Lewis, crazy!

[@thisissweeney5494]

underrated trilogy. Lewis with yet again another masterpiece. I hope this trilogy explodes one day like the interviewee mentioned about the Theology of the Body.

[@stgregsyouth]

Oh man, I had just finished the second of the books. This is a wow story.

[@MNkno]

I actually read the Space Triology before I read Narnia, and liked it far better. The first 2 in the series were good, but That Hideous Strength was absolutely accurate in its portrayal of academia... Until this video, I hadn't met/heard of anyone else who had read it! I hope it does become more popular, we could use some of the points that are made..

[@Cwik878]

Perelandra (the 2nd in the trilogy) is an absolutely beautiful story, in particular. You will love it! That Hideous Strength (the 3rd one) went way over my head, but my wife really liked it :)

[@historicworker]

one of my fav pwa videos yet; hideous strength is one of my all time impact books even though the last time i read it was late 90s...i was reading job 33 this morning & this verse/word jumped out to me... “If there be a messenger with him, An interpreter, one among a thousand, To shew unto man his uprightness: Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭33:23-24‬ ‭KJV‬‬ enjoy today, dan

[@historicworker]

that ransom was Jesus

[@whenindoubt1000]

Read the trilogy That Hideous Strength (the final book) is quite disturbing.

[@goyonman9655]

How so

[@MrDrumStikz]

Funnily with, I just read through it last month. You could argue that the series didn't even keep to one genre, which is pretty impressive.

[@Chordus_Gaius]

Great Divorce is pretty good too

[@josephboder6640]

Perelandria is my favorite book. Read it several times

[@josephboder6640]

Somewhat scary too , one time when I read perelandria I was tempted to rejoice in eve eating the apple. An excellent dialogue through the whole book.

[@ladymacanrothaich]

Read it years ago in my early thirties. It was such an exciting find for me as I enjoy Lewis and really like sci-fi. It is bizarre, especially the third. Loved the second especially. It should be more popular!!!

[@jwspiker]

the last book hideous strength is one of the hardest books to read in some ways.

[@occasional-dabbler]

That Hideous Strength has been one of my favorite books (by Lewis or anyone) since I first read it back in my post-college years (shortly after converting to Christianity). Honestly, I'd put it up in a similar league as 1984 and Brave New World - a marvelous indictment and sendup of "modern" attitudes.

[@kendrarotton9148]

I read the first book in tenth grade and I had no idea it was a trilogy! I am so excited to read the other books now!

[@Mahhkz]

It is the trilogy that set me on a 5 year long journey back to God. Those books are super important.

[@ladyolinden]

I love the Space Trilogy!!! I read it years ago in middle school and my dad read it after me and it’s just so freaking good!!!

[@MyMy-tv7fd]

Tolkien and Lewis were a great team - The Inklings (and similar groups) were the literary incubator for so much literature

[@juliedurby8333]

My favorite part was when he literally beat the devil out of that guy

[@mdleavitt]

That Hideous Strength is the most important book for our day outside of scripture.

[@Matt-ij7pe]

I've not read these books, but my favorite thing about them is the band they inspired.

[@dhixon1]

Space trilogy/ransom trilogy is great; the first two books are written in a very simple style like Narnia. Third book is like a Charles Williams novel, totally different style and so great.

[@animula6908]

I never heard of it. Thanks for sharing.

[@MaryCWeaver]

I reread That Hideous Strength every year or two. It’s so extremely relevant to today’s culture.

[@hglundahl]

Blessed Feast of St. Joachim! I read That Hideous Strength in part as a preteen (including up to Merlin speaking sub-Roman Latin sounding a bit like Spanish) and completed the trilogy as a teen. How do you like plural forms like Singular Oyarsa, Plural Oyerasu? Ransom just loved them and he's pretty loveable as a reenacting of the Fisher King ...

[@MargaretUIUC]

There are two vivid pictures I took with me from the Space Trilogy. One was the angel who was at a slant to Ransom . . . except that the angel was in proper orientation to God and Ransom was the one who was "off." The other is the jeweled frog-creatures that Weston injured and tossed aside. That, to me, remains the epitome of cruelty--pain inflicted casually and for no reason and with no particular thought given.

[@tammygant4216]

Oh that frog mutilating scene. . ..I can barely stand to read it. Such mindless cruelty just because he had the power! I see versions of that in the world every day...... so sad.

[@charlotteanneaton1143]

I'm always shocked at how little known this series is too. I can't help but wonder if it's partially because people could swallow the "Christian fairytale for kids"(Narnia) because it was kids, but felt themselves too dignified somehow to engage with Christian philosophy in sci-fi fantasy as adults. I loved them since I was a teen, though I was made to wait till I was 18 before my parents would let me touch the 3rd! 😅

[@Yaboiii_123]

Christiana Hale has a great book on the Ransom Trilogy called Deeper Heaven. It’s amazing and super helpful for understanding the trilogy.

[@BillDonaghy]

Yes! Making my way through that now.

[@marlonsouza9224]

In order to “get” Lewis’s Nárnia or his trilogy… one have to read through the layers of meaning… most of us will grasp the rhetorical aspect of it, some of us will grasp the analytical/descriptive aspect… few will delve into the more dialectic aspect… while a handful will get the symbolic of it. Someone here mentioned Ward’s Planet Nárnia… this is a proof of what I’m writing here. There is so much deepness in his writings that even the inklings and Tolkien himself didn’t get it and considered Narnia a poor work of fiction. If any of you read The Golden Key, by MacDonald, you will have the key to Lewis… his books are for the “children” in us - the most grown and experienced part of us… the only one that will enter the Kingdom. For MacDonald and Lewis alike, the older you’ll get, the simpler, more whole and child like you mind will be - only then, it will all make sense.

[@nathanaelculver5308]

As soon as I saw the thumbnail, I said, "Oh, the Space trilogy." :)

[@marsambrose1383]

I have heard of it, I just find it impossible to find in print

[@supernerd8067]

Hopefully, the Space Trilogy will be viewed as ahead of its time and becomes more appreciated, like the Prequel Trilogy of Star Wars. You're making me want to read it.

[@theresegretencord2470]

A friend of mine convinced me to read this series (lent me all the books too!) Took me a few months but it was quite enjoyable :)

[@gamers7800]

The Great Divorce is his best book outside the N Chronicles! In my opinion 🧐

[@YewrinePish]

Out of the Silent Planet is an excellent Iron Maiden song, too

[@kakelso]

I'd love to hear what Matt thought of it. Is there a later video where he talks about it?

[@jjcm3135]

Read them recently. Very prophetic.

[@n.c.9618]

Pretty sure the plot of That Hideous Strength is exactly what is happening now.

[@mdog86]

Just started listening to the first audiobook and it's pretty great! Obviously a product of its time but still really good. Honestly surprised it hasn't been adapted into a movie series, but it might be a bit too niche for that.

[@FrJohnBrownSJ]

Couldn't get through the third book. Not even the audio book.

[@timothygarrett2785]

Out of the Silent Planet relates so much to what the earth is today.

[@Tyler-Clark]

That Hideous Strength is great, but super slow until the last 1/3 of it.

[@samvimes9510]

Ha, joke's on you, I read those books when I was a teenager and still have them. Although now that I think of it, I rarely ever see them in physical stores, even ones that carry a lot of his books. So that might be why they're not widely known.

[@gertrudisd1333]

So I’ve never been a fan of Lewis but I’m really enjoying his trilogy. I finished the first two and will be starting the third after Jayber Crow. Prelandra actually scared me. 😅

[@joewoodard40]

Could you PLEASE start including a short bio of your guests... Just a little professionalism

[@gainfulanalytics]

The Space Trilogy (Ransom Trilogy) is better than Tolkien (I know, blasphemy). Everyone in the world needs to read the Ransom trilogy twice and reflect on it

[@marlonsouza9224]

It is indeed, better… Tolkien is still a bit modern, that’s why it’s easily “likable”… Lewis Trilogy is pure transcendence… that’s why it doesn’t get too much attention…

[@peterplaysbass]

I named my child Ransom because of these books

[@soundknight]

Is it suitable for my kids? We read the classics, they are 8 and 11...

[@sharipotter6137]

discuss other great fiction - please

[@lukekrell5665]

Its good stuff. You should read it. Its weird. Its an awesome kind of weird.

[@duncescotus2342]

Yeah. Go Clive Staples, yet again! Have you seen how the post-quantum crowd are preaching determinism? I thought it was just Calvinists!

[@JudeMichaelPeterson]

A lot of people don't realize it's also part of the LOTR universe. I really liked it, but the ending of the last one is super weak.The first book is near perfect, but the second two definitely are a few steps down while still being good.

[@ComicRaptor8850]

I highly contest that the ending to the last one is weak. I thought the ending was perfect

[@marlonsouza9224]

They are better than it looks… but our eyes are dirty and cannot see it for what it actually is. LOTR is still a bit palatable… the trilogy, is to mística and transcendent to be easily “liked”…

[@michaelseibert7414]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJ_KeHmaorppf6s There's a well done audio version available on KZbin :)

[@windsongshf]

Is CS Lewis in hell because he wasn't a Catholic?

[@BillDonaghy]

Good grief.

[@windsongshf]

@@BillDonaghy Hey I wanna know! It's a simple question. I'm interested in Catholicism, but I grew up being told that Catholics say people who aren't a part of The Church are going to hell. Yet, I'm always coming across CS Lewis in Catholic youtube vidoes. Please help, because I'm confused! Are some people exceptions? I'm not trolling. Seriously!

[@BillDonaghy]

Hello my friend, apologies but I will be replying soon! Life is crazy full!

[@marlonsouza9224]

Don’t worry. He is a catholic. Just not Catholic. But based on what he could grasp of catholicism, he was fully in. Catholics are not a division of the church. They just see themlselves as confessional “catholics”… the “original” catholics, so to say. Lewis was that… he just didn’t get some specifics about the current expression of Catholicism. Walter Hooper, Lewis longtime friend and editor, tells the whole story in a 3 part interview. The Pope at the time praised Lewis for his work and for fulfilling God’s call for his life. So, the pope himself saw Lewis as a catholic brother. Although not a “Catholic” in the acidental perception of the word.

[@williamgiovinazzo8523]

I don't mean to be a "negative nelly," but the Space Trilogy is terrible. Just terrible. Long meaning passages of description with little or no action, not that I am looking for an action novel. However, for many, many, many pages in each of the books, I could not help but think GET TO THE POINT!! I will admit that "Out of the Silent Planet" was perhaps the least painful, but it was still pretty bad. We all have our likes and dislikes. WHile this may be one of your likes, it is not one of mine.

[@marlonsouza9224]

You have to like “heaven” from Dante, before you can appreciate Lewis trilogy… it’s too transcendent to be “likable”… it have to be read as a mistic book… a book of prayer, a slooow, meditative and spiritual book, hiden in an fiction form.

[@williamgiovinazzo8523]

@@marlonsouza9224 I am sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but what you wrote makes no sense whatsoever. I am a huge fan of Dante. I have written on Datne, and I am in the planning stages of a Video series on the Divine Comedy. I know my Dante. I have also completed multiple courses on Dante. Dante has nothing to do with Lewis's really really bad writing. Lewis just rambles on and on because he has nothing to say. He doesn't have a strong enough plot to write an engaging story. That is the only mysticism involved here.

[@marlonsouza9224]

Hi there, I get what you mean. I don’t take it as rude. You’re being sincere, that’s it. And yes, sorry, I was too fast to mention Dante. Seeing that you are a specialist on his writings, what I ment to say is that many people like hell a lot, but can never advance to read heaven… because they find it too slow or plainly boring. How wrong are those people - very wrong. What I meant then about Lewis’ writing is that it is very symbolic. And his words have to be read as a kind of poetry. His writing on the trilogy or in Narnia is not only dialectical or descriptive/analytical, much less, rhetoric. He is being symbolic the whole time. In my experience, I see this because I use his writings to speak to children, young people, adults, old people… and in an infinitude of situations… helping marriages, helping people regarding theology, helping people with their business, etc. There are so many layers of reading, that every time I read it again it looks like another story all together. Many times I help take people out from sadness and difficulty situations by reading to them some paragraphs of Nárnia, for instance. There is so much hidden gems in his writings. But, maybe, we are reading totally “different” authors. It all depends on how much we delve into the authors mind.

[@williamgiovinazzo8523]

@@marlonsouza9224 Thank you for your response. I can come off as too harsh when I feel strongly about a subject. Thank you for the dialog. In terms of Dante, you are quite correct. People frequently stop after The Inferno because they find it boring. However, I believe that they find the Inferno interesting because of the tortures. When you pass that, it is all symbolism and Italian history. Now you might respond with that is why people find Lewis so boring. Now, I won't comment on all of his work. While personally, I find him overrated, I do believe he has done some good stuff. Speaking specifically of The Space Trilogy, he spends pages and pages describing Martian trees, riding "Venusian" dolphin, and crawling around tunnels. But as an author, I can recognize fluff when I read it. You sound familiar with Dante. Are you a Dante enthusiast?