A Swiftly Tilting Planet

A Swiftly Tilting Planet is a 1978 science fiction novel by Madeleine L'Engle.

Related Topics:
Science fiction novel - Madeleine L'Engle

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Charles Wallace Murry, an advanced and perceptive child in A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door, has grown into an adolescent. His intelligence and remarkable goodness carry him through an adventure in time to save the world from nuclear disaster threatened by a South American dictator, Mad Dog Branzillo. In order to change the outcome of the present, Charles Wallace must change the past, in a series of "Might-have-beens," events which are turning points fought over by the powers of good and evil.

Related Topics:
A Wrinkle in Time - A Wind in the Door

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Murry family has gathered for Thanksgiving dinner, and they are joined by an unusual guest — Meg?s mother-in-law, Mrs. O'Keefe. Meg, an adult in this novel, has married Calvin and is expecting their first child. When they receive the news of impending nuclear war, Mrs. O'Keefe lays a charge on Charles Wallace — to prevent the disaster. She teaches him a Rune of protection that has been passed down to her from her grandmother.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Charles Wallace goes for a walk that night and meets Gaudior, a flying unicorn who appears at the Star Watching rock, a family haunt. With the unicorn as his guide, Charles Wallace goes within the lives of others who have lived in the area at different points in history — an Indian boy named Harcels, Prince Madoc of Wales, a Welsh settler — Brandon Llawcae, the writer Matthew Maddox, and Chuck Maddox — who turns out to be the brother of Mrs. O'Keefe. In each time period, Charles Wallace must identify the "might-have-been" moment, and change the event to prevent evil from winning out. Meg connects with him from home through "kything," a wordless communication learned in A Wind in the Door. Each time period connects to the others, and Gaudior teaches Charles Wallace to experience the life of the person he is within more deeply.

Related Topics:
Unicorn - Welsh - Kything

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As in L?Engle?s other works, family and spirituality are key.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~