The Complete Chronicles of Narnia

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C.S. Lewis

Used from £1.50

Pages: 768 (Paperback)

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

ISBN: 0066238501

Pub: ZonderKidz

Pub date: 2001-10-01

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 228723

Editorial Review:

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, is one of the very few sets of books that should be read three times: in childhood, early adulthood, and late in life. In brief, four children travel repeatedly to a world in which they are far more than mere children and everything is far more than it seems. Richly told, populated with fascinating characters, perfectly realized in detail of world and pacing of plot, and profoundly allegorical, the story is infused throughout with the timeless issues of good and evil, faith and hope. This boxed set edition includes all seven volumes.

Reader Reviews:

Once upon a time... (23/24 people found this helpful)

C.S. Lewis was many things - a popular theologian (almost a contradiction in terms today), an engaging academic (see above qualification, as it applies here, too), and an expert storyteller, the craft of which came from his careful blending and imaginative use of the previous two. The Chronicles of Narnia stand up favourable to the work of Lewis' longtime friend and contemporary academic and storyteller, Tolkien (of Lord of the Rings fame). Narnia, however, does not go off into the same fantastic realms of Tolkien, but rather charts a different path, in that while Tolkien strives to use fantasy and mythic elements to tell more general philosophy, Lewis in the Narnia tales deliberately crafts the imagery to fit a Christian framework, and a fairly Anglo-catholic one at that.

Narnia is series of adventures for children, but like the best of such stories, continues to hold power for adults who read them as well. Resurgence in popularity of late has occurred because of the film, 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', second in the series (depending upon which chronology one follows), but the whole series is a charmer. In 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', the story focuses upon Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, four exiles from war-time London in the English countryside who discover the portal to Narnia in the back of a mysterious wardrobe. The king of Narnia, Aslan the lion (whose imagery fits both Christian and English mythic lore) is battling the icy witch, who styles herself as Queen of Narnia. Through a classic struggle of good and evil in epic battle format, the pure-hearted children and the graceful king Aslan win the day, but eventually the children must return to their own world, even after such adventures.

'Prince Caspian' takes place long after (in Narnia time - one discovers the passage of time from one world to the next is variable), as Caspian befriends many of the creatures of Narnia, both natural and fantastic. The four children, enthroned as kings and queens of Narnia at the end of the first adventure, must return to help Caspian, whose main desire is to live in old Narnia, forbidden tales of which he has heard.

'Voyage of the Dawn' sees Edmund and Lucy drawn back into Narnia through a painting, together with their horrid cousin Eustace Scrubb. Caspian is now king, on a knightly quest to discover lost knights of old, and also to seek the end of the world (in a literal sense). Sea voyages and other journeys take them far and wide, until Aslan again appears to return the children home. Eustace becomes a better person for his Narnia adventures, much as Edmund had transformed during his first major Narnia experience.

Eustace returns in the 'The Silver Chair', this time from his school, with fellow student Jill, who is also less than popular. Jill, like the earlier Edmund, must find redemption, and seeks to save Rilian (son of the now-dying Caspian). Here we encounter the Parliament of Owls as well as the bottom of the world - once again, Aslan helps to save the day, despite the nay-saying of Puddleglum.

Shasta is the boy and Bree is the horse in 'The Horse and His Boy'. Shasta is about to be sold into slavery when he escapes with Bree, and they meet Aravis and Hwin, another escaping duo, on their way to Narnia. They uncover a plot against Narnia, and must work to save the kingdom of their dreams.

'The Magician's Nephew' is often considered the first of the series, with events that preceed 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'. It gives background and insight into the overall workings of Narnia. Polly and Digory discover the portal to the Woods between the Worlds, and there is a greater mix of worlds here than in any other story. However, this is also the beginning of the other stories, with Aslan providing the same kind of guidance he would throughout the series.

'The Last Battle' is, as the title suggests, the last of the series. Narnia falls into the final conflict of good and evil, with a false Aslan (a false messiah figure) appearing and humans destroying all things around, particularly the natural environment. Old Narnia must pass away, but a new Narnia is held in promise as the real Aslan returns to lead the faithful.

While many of Lewis' original readers were occasionally disturbed by the Christian overall (and indeed, at Lewis' interpretation of Christian lore), in fact the state of biblical illiteracy is such today that most will miss much of the Christian allegory unless it is specially spelled out. Narnia can stand on its own merits as a story independent of its underpinnings, but just as most mythological and even biblical stories can achieve, this one becomes stronger the deeper one explores the symbolic meanings.

Lewis is very much a creature of his culture - this is very post-Victorian (read, more Victorian than the Victorians) in style and morals, even in the 1950s (a time so many in our present culture look back to as a high point in moral culture) he was looking back to a better time - perhaps it is no surprise that instead of finding it in the past, he found it in Narnia?

This is a series that is wonderful for children of all ages, and for adults - the tales bear repeating over and over, and many editions of these texts come with wonderful artwork. This particular one has illustrations by Pauline Baynes, the original illustrator for the series, and they are wonderful indeed.

This was my favourite book as a child... (4/8 people found this helpful)

The Chronical's Of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a book that takes an everyday object, not unlike Dr Who and his Tardis - and takes you on a journey that could only happen when it's driven by a dash of allegory from relgious texts, a lot from myths, fantasies and legends, driads, or dryads... to name one. Creatures from those worlds... plus our own, Aslan of course is a mighty yet humble Lion, plus our very own 'kind'...
Their encounter is adventurous and fun... it reminds me of a time when i believed a little more in father christmas.

A timeless masterpiece (20/20 people found this helpful)

This delightful edition of the Chronicles of Narnia benefits from the seven tales being in their correct logical sequence, as well as from the most famous, enchanting illustrations of Pauline Baynes, who depicts everything from the Elysian magical presence of fauns and dryads to the ghastly apparition of Tash, with great skill and sensitivity.

I first read this as a youngster, and it grabbed my imagination in a way that no other book (with the possible exception of Lord of the Rings) has done since. Now, revisiting the land of Narnia over a quarter of a century later, was like an unexpected joyous meeting with a long lost friend.

Children will be captivated with the adventures and more mature readers will appreciate the hidden depths, as well as forgetting their troubles by being transported back to happier, more carefree days.

A genuinely magnificent work that gets into your dreams and never truly leaves you.

Good when you're younger...... (9/23 people found this helpful)

I first read these books at the age of about seven, and I don't think I'm the only person who spent the next two years trying to get through the back of wardrobes! I re-read them many times over the next couple of years, but then, nostalgically, I came back to them at the age of fourteen. It wasn't long before the penny dropped. It made me wonder how I'd managed to ignore the constant references to Christianity throughout the books: Aslan is the 'son of the emperor from across the sea', the enchanted apple in Magician's Nephew, and the whole of the Last Battle. There are many more.

I am a Christian, but re-reading these books ruined them for me in some ways. There is a place for religion, and I find it hard to reconcile the religious element of the books with the magical fantasy world I lived in as a child, when I had a HUGE crush on Prince Caspian, and thought it possible that fauns and talking animals really could live in the back of your wardrobe.

Having said that, these books are still wonderful and magical, and when read from a Christian perspective are an excellent reflection on the true meaning of Christianity.

Grown-up classic (13/14 people found this helpful)

For anyone who believes that this is just a set of books for children, please take a closer look. Lewis's ability to take complex and foundational truth, and bring clarity through the use of allegory is unsurpassed. I have read them many times and continue to delight in the richness and depth of these beautiful stories. Truely, a classic amongst classics.

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