[madconservative]

Must-read for sure. Many others have built on the "Lord, Liar, or Lunatic" argument, because it is so powerful. I also enjoyed his talk of virtues, and found his discussion on the "impersonal god" argument unparalleled.

My favorite of his will always be The Screwtape Letters, though. I have never read a more insightful and penetrating book in all of my life.

The only book he wrote that I was less than completely knocked over by (and I think I have read almost all), was That Hideous Strength. I loved the first two of the Space Trilogy, but felt the third was a little clunky, and the Merlin stuff rather lame. Nevertheless, one can't read two pages of Lewis without getting something great.

[Dunstan McShane]

The only book he wrote that I was less than completely knocked over by (and I think I have read almost all), was That Hideous Strength.

Whoa--Hideous Strength fan here! I usually always carry a copy in my book bag, just to dip into once in a while. It has become an uncanny prophecy of the kinds of things that eventually began to happen during the 50-60 years after he Lewis wrote the novel.

But I'll agree it's hard to get into. In some ways, it's unlike other stuff that Lewis wrote.

I read somewhere that Out of the Silent Planet has been optioned for movies and the screenplay already being written. Can't wait till Perelandra appears on screen, though the nudity might cause a film-rating war.

[Eurotwit]

I love the book, and it it very dear to me...

However, to me, the "lord, lier, or lunatic" argument was among the weakest.

I have little problem with one person being nuts in one are, yet having great insights into another..

But, the book provided such a barrage of good arguments so that even if one round misses, others are bound to hit the mark.

And, apparently, the above excerpt for many was indeed powerful. And that is a great thing...

Cheers.

[Conan the Librarian]

If I understand the tale correctly, the main characture in Hidious Strenght is Tolkein himself (Name changed of course). Lewis and Tolkien had a deal, one would write a Sci-Fi and the other a Ghost story, and find which would be more popular. Tolkien's ghost story lost, but, it did have Lewis as the protagonist (name changed of course)

[Foxfire4]

The only book he wrote that I was less than completely knocked over by (and I think I have read almost all), was That Hideous Strength.

Which is interesting...it's my favorite of the three, and one of two C.S. Lewis books that my mother wouldn't let me read until I was well into high school. (The other was "Till We Have Faces".) It was clunky in places, but something about it just gets me...all the "descent of the gods" bit just blew me away. And the portrayal of Mark is IMO beautifully spot-on.