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juushikaTitles: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and his Boy, The Magician's Nephew, and The Last Battle
Author: C.S. Lewis
Published: Scholastic Inc., New York, 1987-8
Pages: 186, 216, 216, 217, 217, 186, and 184, total of 1422
Total pages: 5758
Text number: 15-21
Read for: My own enjoyment
In brief: The Narnia books are pieces of classic children's literature. Over the seven books, children are called from our world to another world called Naria, where some animals talk, some trees have souls, and the land is ruled by Aslan. The children help build, run, save, and end Narnia is a chronicle that closely parallels Christianity and also makes up one of the most popular, interesting, well-written, and readable children's narratives of all time. I consider it a must-read for book fans, English majors, religion students, and just about everyone else.
I reread the Narnia series every few years because, despite the number of books, the series is actually quite short and reads very quickly, and because I love these books. They make up one of the best and most important children's series ever written, and I really do consider them required reading for English and Religion students, as well as anyone else that can be interested.
The religious themes were especially clear to me in this reading, and older or more religious-educated readers may find those themes invasive or just annoying. Lewis very closely follows the concepts and some events from the Bible, particularly the death and rebirth of Jesus, the concept of the one true God, and the afterlife. How much was intentional and what the intent was is all debatable, but to aware readers, especially non-Christian ones, those themes may be annoying and seem like preaching.
However, readers that can move beyond the annoyance of the aspects of Christianity, the series is interested because of the changes it makes to Christianity, how it uses that aspect, and moreover the world that Lewis creates and lives in, Christianity aside. Narnia is a realistic and yet magical place, well planned and created and yet whimsical and magical enough to truly capture a reader. The individual books cover the creation of Narnia, various wars, tasks, journeys, and the end of Narnia, putting together a sequence that leads the reader through a new world from its birth to death and daily life to the far reaches of the seas. Few books are as fascinating as these, and the exploring and discoveries makes for a wonderful read.
When characters are first introduced they may appear simplistic, but they actually show surprising number of failings for a children's series. They are ultimately realistic, identifiable, and undergo growth and changes in the face of their failures. The characters aren't the highlight of the text by far, and some of them (adults in particular) are 2D and annoying, but as a whole they help round out a good series and help the reader step into the text himself.
All in all? I highly recommend these books. They aren't that great of a time investment but they are a spectacular read. Accept and death with the Christian themes and there is a world in these books accessable to any reader and, I think, enjoyable, imaginative, and wonderful.
Author: C.S. Lewis
Published: Scholastic Inc., New York, 1987-8
Pages: 186, 216, 216, 217, 217, 186, and 184, total of 1422
Total pages: 5758
Text number: 15-21
Read for: My own enjoyment
In brief: The Narnia books are pieces of classic children's literature. Over the seven books, children are called from our world to another world called Naria, where some animals talk, some trees have souls, and the land is ruled by Aslan. The children help build, run, save, and end Narnia is a chronicle that closely parallels Christianity and also makes up one of the most popular, interesting, well-written, and readable children's narratives of all time. I consider it a must-read for book fans, English majors, religion students, and just about everyone else.
I reread the Narnia series every few years because, despite the number of books, the series is actually quite short and reads very quickly, and because I love these books. They make up one of the best and most important children's series ever written, and I really do consider them required reading for English and Religion students, as well as anyone else that can be interested.
The religious themes were especially clear to me in this reading, and older or more religious-educated readers may find those themes invasive or just annoying. Lewis very closely follows the concepts and some events from the Bible, particularly the death and rebirth of Jesus, the concept of the one true God, and the afterlife. How much was intentional and what the intent was is all debatable, but to aware readers, especially non-Christian ones, those themes may be annoying and seem like preaching.
However, readers that can move beyond the annoyance of the aspects of Christianity, the series is interested because of the changes it makes to Christianity, how it uses that aspect, and moreover the world that Lewis creates and lives in, Christianity aside. Narnia is a realistic and yet magical place, well planned and created and yet whimsical and magical enough to truly capture a reader. The individual books cover the creation of Narnia, various wars, tasks, journeys, and the end of Narnia, putting together a sequence that leads the reader through a new world from its birth to death and daily life to the far reaches of the seas. Few books are as fascinating as these, and the exploring and discoveries makes for a wonderful read.
When characters are first introduced they may appear simplistic, but they actually show surprising number of failings for a children's series. They are ultimately realistic, identifiable, and undergo growth and changes in the face of their failures. The characters aren't the highlight of the text by far, and some of them (adults in particular) are 2D and annoying, but as a whole they help round out a good series and help the reader step into the text himself.
All in all? I highly recommend these books. They aren't that great of a time investment but they are a spectacular read. Accept and death with the Christian themes and there is a world in these books accessable to any reader and, I think, enjoyable, imaginative, and wonderful.
