Belbury and St Anne’s-on-the-Hill

Red Sky at Morning

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From time to time you read a book that becomes a lens through which other things become clearer.

Years ago (fresh from the memory of talking with an exchange student who had grown up in Soviet Russia) I read both 1984 and Brave New World. Dystopian literature often takes trends in the present world and extrapolates a future if those trends were to continue. The problem I had was that both of these visions left you feeling one very clear emotion - hopelessness.

Which brings me on to the topic of this thread. For me, the best dystopian novel I have ever read was “That Hideous Strength”, by C.S. Lewis. Dubbed a “fairy tale for adults”, it explores scores of themes in story form that come up regularly in the observations of @VigilantCitizen including transhumanism, occult initiation, Hegelian dialectic, freemasonry etc etc.

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The one key difference I noticed as I read was that it managed to retain humour, optimism and courage in the face of a global dystopia.
 
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Red Sky at Morning

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Btw - in case the title of the book doesn’t give much away, the context is a quote from Old English...

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The third novel in the science-fiction trilogy by C.S. Lewis. This final story is set on Earth, and tells of a terrifying conspiracy against humanity.

The story surrounds Mark and Jane Studdock, a newly married couple. Mark is a Sociologist who is enticed to join an organisation called N.I.C.E. which aims to control all human life. His wife, meanwhile, has bizarre prophetic dreams about a decapitated scientist, Alcasan. As Mark is drawn inextricably into the sinister organisation, he discovers the truth of his wife’s dreams when he meets the literal head of Alcasan which is being kept alive by infusions of blood.

Jane seeks help concerning her dreams at a community called St Anne’s, where she meets their leader – Dr Ransom (the main character of the previous two titles in the trilogy). The story ends in a final spectacular scene at the N.I.C.E. headquarters where Merlin appears to confront the powers of Hell.

Review

‘An extravagant mingling of dream and realism… excellent and thrilling reading’ Daily Telegraph
 
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Red Sky at Morning

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I am re-reading the book at the moment and this quote stood out to me...

“In fighting those who serve devils one always has this on one’s side; their Masters hate them as much as they hate us. The moment we disable the human pawns enough to make them useless to Hell, their own Masters finish the work for us. They break their tools.’
 

elsbet

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The shadow of​
that hyddeous strength​
Sax myle and more​
it is of length...​
I had to look up ye olde English-- six miles and more-- difficult to fathom, even of men two or three times our size. It is an appropriate reference, imo, with all the N.I.C.E. people attempting the same, it seems.. there really is no new thing (alas).

I haven't read this one, though... thanks for the suggestion, Red.


 
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