An excellent continuation of the Space Trilogy with amazing Biblical parallels.
Plot
Ransom is called to the planet of Perelandra in a time of trouble. There he meets the Green Lady, who reigns over the land as the Queen under Maleldil. When Dr. Weston arrives, Perelandra is racked by death as the Bent One of the Silent Planet uses Weston to tempt the Queen in the same way he tempted Adam and Eve...
Morality
Weston seeks to destroy Perelandra through covert deception, while Ransom tries to uphold the planet. The evil of Weston and the Bent One are portrayed as just that - evil.
Spiritual Content
Ransom throughout the trilogy is written as a type of Christ, signified by his name. Like Malacandra, Perelandra also has an archangel-spirit. The Green Lady and her husband are a kind of Eve and Adam, while the whole of Perelandra is like Eden (possibly) was. Maleldil is God of the universe, and the Bent One is obviously Satan.
Violence
Weston brings death to Perelandra and has a fascination with killing some of the animals. When Ransom accidentally scratches his knee and it bleeds, the Green Lady (who has never seen blood) is very interested and at first wants to cut herself to see if it would bleed. Ransom's heel is damaged at one point and he always walks with a slight limp in cold weather after that; one character dies in a fight.
Drug and Alcohol Content
None.
Sexual Content
Both the Green Lady and Ransom wear no clothes, but there isn't anything improper about this in Perelandra. However, when Weston arrives, he accuses Ransom of seducing and using her.
Crude or Profane Language or Content
A use of "d*mned" and a couple exclamations like "By Jove." Also an exclamation of "Good God."
Conclusion
Perelandra is perhaps the Space Trilogy story with the most Biblical parallels. Lewis writes with his usual skill and dexterity in developing Ransom's character from what it was in Out of the Silent Planet. The story telling, especially the entrance of the first person "Lewis" at the beginning, really make this book stand out from the others, and the ties to both earlier and later books is supreme.
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