Opinions on the C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy series?

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  • August 14, 2012 at 7:13 pm
    Rachel White
    Participant

    I am interested in these for my son, age 12.

    For what ages would you recommend them? Any other comments about them?

    Thanks

    August 14, 2012 at 9:16 pm
    nebby
    Participant

    It’s been ages since I read them. I *think* the first two would good for that age, but the third is pretty anti birth control which may not be an issue you want to discuss yet.

    Nebby

    http://www.lettersfromnebby.wordpress.com

    August 14, 2012 at 9:21 pm
    JennNC
    Participant

    There are also sections in the other books that touch on the husband-wife relationship… you may want to pre-read, depending on how much exposure to that sort of thing you think he is ready for. I didn’t feel like any of it was in bad taste, just a little more adult than I preferred my jr high boys to read. But I know a lot of families who have no problem with it so it may just be me. 🙂

    The series is extremely well written. 

    August 14, 2012 at 11:33 pm
    Bookworm
    Participant

    I would definitely pre-read anything past book 1 for a twelve-year-old.  It may be better kept for a couple of years later, so he could read all 3 without the worry.  I let my middle son read them at about 14-15 after we discussed a couple of things.

    August 15, 2012 at 12:03 am
    Rachel White
    Participant

    Thanks everyone. Sounds like this would be best for later-ya’ll are all consistant on this topic! It wouldn’t go over to stop him at Bk. 1, so it’d be best to wait so he can enjoy all three.

    Sounds like I should do some skimming of them, too so I’ll know what we need to discuss when the time comes.

    Very helpful everyone!

    August 16, 2012 at 2:25 am
    HeidiS
    Participant

    My son just finished these for his 11/12 grade English..My older son read them when he was 16ish. I agree with the others, the 2nd and third books are a bit heavy

    August 16, 2012 at 2:33 am
    Rachel White
    Participant

    Thank you, Heidi.

    August 16, 2012 at 3:15 am
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    My husband and I read this series together several years ago BFK (before kids!) and I cannot imagine a 12 yr old reading them. They are indeed pretty heavy and the plots very complex. I think that they would be wonderful for maybe highschool and up. Great books – I am a big C.S. Lewis fan.

    HTH

    August 16, 2012 at 3:39 am
    Rachel White
    Participant

    Thank you, Alicia. My son has already read and enjoyed The entire LotR Trilogy at 10 and 11 and The Silmarillion at 11, of which he savored and loved the mythology and characters; he studies the maps in his LotR Atlas of Middle Earth, explaining to me the three ages, mythology, etc.; not to mention his love for Star Trek (which he gets honestly). I know he’ll like the underlying references to Tolkein’s World.

    I actually think he could probably handle the complex plot-just guessing-though not as deeply as he will later with the benefits of more mental maturity; but it’s the mature content spoken of, and based on yours and everyone else’s experience, that tells me it’s not appropriate for him at this time. I think I’m going to have to skim though them myself, too to know when in high school it’d be best.

    Thanks again Alicia for your input.

    Do you, or anyone, know anything about Lewis’ abridgement of That Hideous Strength that was renamed The Tortured Planet? Which version should I get?

    August 16, 2012 at 4:32 am
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Very sorry, but I have not heard of that abridgement. I would be interested in possibly reading it…..That Hideous Strength has some pretty wierd/kind of out there sci fi content – was not too crazy about that.

    Yes, it really is the content more than plot complexity. If he has alreay read Tolkien, obviously plot complexity is not an issue! LOL!

    Can’t really put my finger on what it is that is not 12 yr old material but they are very different, IMHO, from the Tolkien series. I don’t really remember too many referneces to Tolkein’s world.

    One of my favorite Lewis books is The Great Divorce. It is fiction and just about 100 pages – a wonderful book!

    August 16, 2012 at 12:28 pm
    Rachel White
    Participant

    My son likes sci-fi and I was raised in a srtongly sci-fi environment-some of it good, some quite not. I read H.G. Well’s early and he enjoys Jules Verne, too. I told him I’d let him start the H.G. Wells’ books this next year.

    From what I’ve read , Lewis and Tolkein made an agreement to each write a sci-fi series-Lewis wrote his, but Tolkein never got around to it. Apparently, the references and/or similarities (perhaps influence would be a better word?) to Tolkein’s World in Lewis’ series revolves around the use of language and names from Tolkein’s created Elvish language.

    My husband just finished Miracles, which I want to listen to myself.

     

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