Fantastical Truth

Long ago, before the great lion Aslan bounded onto bookshelves, C. S. Lewis wrote a science fiction novel set on mythological Mars. From there, the sequel carried Dr. Elwin Ransom by angels to the sister planet Venus. And from there … the Ransom/Cosmic/Space Trilogy descended to the dull world of corrupt college boards, inner-ring politics, and a secret technocracy bent on world domination with the aid of mad science and demons and everything. Eighty years after That Hideous Strength, we explore why C. S. Lewis created this earthbound and weird and wonderful pre-political supernatural thriller. Episode sponsors Sons of Day and Night by Mariposa Aristeo A Faie Tale by Vince Mancuso Above the Circle of Earth by E. Stephen Burnett Mission update New at Lorehaven: Josiah DeGraaf's Sun Eater series article Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild That hideously obscure front cover image. 1. The temptations to wield inner rings The Ransom Trilogy really includes all three fantastical genres. It starts with sci-fi, continues to fantasy, ends in supernatural. Stephen would have appreciated knowing this before this book! Because that fact, plus the cover, will affect your expectations. More than the other two, Hideous Strength feels a weird hybrid. For instance, it begins on Earth and feels “grown-up,” even dull. Who is Mark Studdock and Jane? Why do we care about them? And where is Dr. Ransom and the creatures of books 1 and 2? But here Lewis is addressing some deep and personal enemies. One of them is the “inner ring” villain he writes about elsewhere. Call this “the room where it happens,” that seat of power. Right now some conspiracists claim to “expose” secret inner rings. Yet more often they're trying to make new “rings” themselves. This “normal,” subtle threat marks the first real evil of the story. Mark, a social-climbing sociologist, craves to reach this influence. Then he gets there … and discovers it's run by the greater threat. 2. A not-so-N.I.C.E. secular technocracy Enter the National Institute for Co-ordinated Experiments. It's a social movement, an actual autocratic state bent on power. They're all about science, social engineering, efficiency, machines. These theorists take the worst of evil ideologies and mix them up. And for Lewis, this represents the worst corruptions of academia. They destroy natural land like Saruman. Hijack history like IngSoc. And they take over newspapers in plain sight like any petty tyrant. Some have different aims/ideas, such as a truly scary revelation about what exactly has gone wrong with the sterility of the Moon. Others are so poisoned by elitism that they “naturally” fall into evil. That's why we call this a pre-political story. Yes, it's about politics and has overlapping theme, but is about the ideas beneath this. N.I.C.E.'s goal: the subjugation of the human race to macrobes. From here, Lewis finally explains the recurring visions of Jane Studdock (revealing the conspiracy) and a holy resistance order. And, lest there be any doubt, we soon learn the worst threat of all. 3. Devils vs. power to demolish strongholds At last, Dr. Ransom enters the story, leading a small diverse group. He's recruited Christian fellow academics, sure, but also one rather sympathetic skeptic, leading women, and working-class folks. Their enemy is not just flesh and blood, but dark spiritual powers. That's why we call Hideous Strength a true supernatural thriller. Astute readers will discern demonic activity behind the veil. That's no surprise for the author of The Screwtape Letters. Yet the activity is more subtle, in allusion, not overt like Peretti. Ultimately we discern the demons/humans spread their evil ideas in an area Lewis knew very well: the corruption of language. Words, meanings, symbols, translations are vital to this story. And perhaps it's no surprise that the ultimate battle is won not by weapons or even direct intrusions of magic, but by word powers. Clearly the author had in mind a certain Genesis 11 narrative! By the end, one hero utters this divine judgment: “Qui Verbum Dei contempserunt, eis auferetur etiam verbum hominis.” (Kee vehr-boom Deh-ee kon-temp-seh-roont, eh-ees ow-feh-reh-toor eh-tee-ahm vehr-boom ho-mee-nees) Translated: “They that have despised the word of God, from them shall the word of man also be taken away.” These villains “have pulled down Deep Heaven onto their heads.” Holy agents unite from the planets and the past to empower good. Lewis also brings in, quite overtly, his love for medieval cosmology and the planetary influences that are crucial to this universe. And now (with a reread) Stephen has experienced this story with delight like he had hoped, particularly with Lewis's latter head-hopping and fun-poking at the expense of N.I.C.E.'s evildoers. That Hideous Strength ends with startling eucatastrophe and celebration of biblical and based virtues, from cosmic to familial. It's no wonder the story has gained new fans in these similar days. Com station Top question for listeners Do you prefer demonic evil in fiction to be overt or subtle? Next on Fantastical Truth Well, we just talked about the first Chronicle of Narnia … the book! Yet many fans found or rediscovered this series thanks to the Disney-distributed, Walden Media–made film from director Andrew Adamson. Want to feel old? That was two decades ago! So now we shall look back at Narnia's journey to the box office with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which released twenty years ago on Dec. 9, 2005.

“I don't know where the Lion came from or why He came. But once He was there, He pulled the whole story together.”

Some evangelicals may assume winsome talk about stories and songs can promote peaceful conversations with our neighbors—only to face rage, slander, and worse.

As we wage the greatest battle against sin within, we also wield the weapons of weird fiction to combat evil in the real world.

Scripture and history indicate these wicked spirits do their worst work in response to human sin, weakness, and invitation.

“Demons are simply monsters who have learned human speech. … For them, words are just a way of deceiving humans.”

Extraterrestrial devils could pull a classic and drop down from the sky, or rise up from our world's unexplored depths, or else creep into our very thought patterns.

Sometimes romantasy is deeply human and wholesome, and sometimes these tales exchange the glory of God for images resembling bulls, orcs, and aliens.

Whenever the Holy Spirit acts, ghouls shriek in the dark. Christians feel renewed. And public conversions get messy yet exciting to witness.

The Restorationists fantasy author returns to help us recall the biblical purpose of artworks and how we help children learn to love them.

When we're attacked by tragedy caused by evil beliefs, heroes must “ride out and meet them, for death and glory ... for your people.”

Without biblical wisdom, we might lock ourselves into imagining that everything is about a particular doctrine, fandom, or political activism.

Although our laments take many forms, we can celebrate how Christ builds His kingdom through “small” and “big” people who serve Him.

Audiobooks and ebooks have many benefits, but can't beat the classic practice of gathering and reading real books in real places.

When we work only to keep poisonous content out of stories, we might miss readers' greater needs for nutritious truth, goodness, and beauty.

This summer's lackbuster movies left some fans liking fun franchises with simpler morals, while others await mythic tales with challenging ideas.

Critics who suppose artificial imaginations will destroy "big Hollywood" ignore inhuman threats against skilled creators and faithful Christians.

For decades the Bancroft brothers have animated classic characters across many realms, including this fall's new movie about our greatest Hero.

We need no automatic loyalty for big-budget movies that fall into made-up moralities, flippant franchises, and scandalized or sillified superheroes.

Faithful gamers are finding fertile soil in digital worlds, leading to this year's crossover between Realm Makers and Christian Game Developers.

Let's heed the Narnia author's wise warnings against pacifism or violence, and his praise for biblical courage and defense of good causes.

Christian fans often hear warnings about fantasy stories' temptations, but Scripture shows differences between real occult and fictional spellcraft.

Inspired by Jesus's parable of the two sons, Perry Wilson and Landon Hawley have created this new audio adventure from the Christian ministry Cru.

Men may defend their families and nations by flying amazing airships, yet struggle with the temptations and tough decisions of earthly callings.

Hear the backstory of Realm Makers, from its 2013 origin as a fantastical writers conference to the new 2025 Realm Makers Expo coming this July to Grand Rapids.

Christian-led conferences attract saints as well as nonbelievers who like wholesome stories, making them fantastic fields for creative missions.

God likes the physical world He created, and that's why He will redeem human subcreations for eternity, including fantastical novels we enjoy for His glory.

Some heroines need no machines or solar slingshots to awaken in a romantic past and discover true love or deeper truths about the Lord.

Just in time for graduation season, the Houston Christian University president tells of stories that really matter to children and students.

Seventy years after C. S. Lewis's sixth Chronicle of Narnia released, we recall the reasons we love this tale of magic rings and other worlds.

Shallow fictions insult the work of Christ by implying we can cheapen the law to make ourselves better, or cheapen grace to save others.

Christian critics toss tomatoes at this newly popular genre. But biblical fiction isn't meant to preach, only to illustrate the Scripture we honor.

After fractured fairy-stales, flippant super-capers, and “Stalled” Wars, here's how we could rebuild the fallen castles of this media Babylon.

The headline sounded like an April Fool's prank. Then others confirmed it and fans raised the uproar. Here's why it matters that Aslan is male.

From a wheelchair-wielding robo-pioneer to the Ares 10 mission and other astronauts, many faithful storytellers settled on our sister planet.

After the first age of rocketry, some cowboy heroes traded their six-shooters for rayguns and rode beyond Earth to settle a new genre frontier.

Fantasy has magical beasts while science fiction has fantastical vehicles, and both have their biblical redemptive qualities. Now, let them fight.

Earth's neighbor is a frozen desert, but it has inspired many fantastical stories—from adventures to big ideas, hard science, and human nature.

Stephen and Zack explore the Christian heroes, challenging ideas, and speculative science of this possible future when oversheltered believers resist a one-world CAUSE.

Storytellers who hope for gospel witness to the world must discern today's rising audience of cultural conservatives who like some biblical ideas.

When readers treat the Bible as a resource for carving out doctrine-blocks or extracting shiny morals, we miss the Hero and true gospel Story of the Scripture.

Though all their friends thought them enemies, fantasy and romance have grown into lovers, and now bear the new ship name of "romantasy."

For centuries readers have loved to re-read, retell, or research the classic stories of magical lands where Christlike good defeats evil.

Since 2018, Lorehaven.com creators have explored fantastical stories for God's glory, and now we've upgraded our Library book search.

Some harder sci-fi treats humans as spectators to science, while softer sci-fi may use "handwavium" to explain tech while focusing on heroes.

Castles with knights and wild lands full of creatures remind us of real-life European history, often with one added fantastical ingredient of magic.

As we launch our 2025 podcast season, we celebrate legacies of the original website that boosted many authors and Lorehaven itself.

After a Christmas break, we return with our first New Year's Eve special to review last year's top features, from fantasy apologetics to false “liberation.”

These classic authors are fantastic, but they also enjoyed new stories across many genres and would recommend today's readers do the same.

In this holiday special about versions of the Nativity, Santa, and more, let's open the spiced eggnog to celebrate the best and boo the rest.

Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength would pose unique challenges for even the most Christ-exalting filmmakers.