The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set
by C. S. Lewis
|
List Price: Our Price: $22.08 You Save: $22.92 (51%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $4.75 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set
Book Review: A brilliant introduction to fantasy for children (& adults)
Summary: 5 Stars
C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia" is an excellent introduction to fantasy realms for children between 10-12, but older kids and adults will enjoy this series as well. Lewis was a contemporary and colleague of Tolkien, but his series is geared more toward the young and has a strong Christian bent, as well as being much lighter in tone. There are strong themes of faith, honesty, love, giving and friendship in each book. While each book stands alone, there is a clear continuity and many characters reappear in more than one tale.One of the things I really liked was that Lewis was able to introduce new heroes and supporting characters in each story and get the reader to like them as much as the previous set. I also liked that there was often also a lesson for one of the supporting characters, usually an animal or other non-human, to learn to be better, such as the horse Bree overcoming his vanity.
Moving through all of these stories is the great Lion Aslan, an enigmatic, spiritual being who helps the various characters discover strengths within themselves and overcome obstacles. Aslan is like a god/creator/deity who leads our heroes to greater wisdom.
Book 1: The Magician's Nephew features Digory and Polly and tells how they let the White Witch into the world of Narnia and how they met Aslan and witnessed the birth of Narnia.
Book 2: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. One of the most loved of the series, introduces the Pevensie children Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. Edmund experiences the greatest character arc and Aslan gives the greatest gift. Very strong Christian allegory in this tale.
Book 3: The Horse and His Boy. This is a tale during the Narnian golden age, and features a boy named Shasta and horse named Bree. They journey from Calormen to Archenland, so we see some of the other lands in the world of Narnia, and learn about the King of Archenland and his sons Cor and Corin, as well as a spunky young princess.
Book 4: Prince Caspian. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy return to Narnia, but centuries after their Golden Age, to aid Prince Caspian claim his rightful throne. There is a particularly moving sequence involving the four children's faith in Aslan.
Book 5: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Edmund, Lucy and their cousin Eustace Scrubb are pulled into Narnia to travel with Caspian as he journeys to the ends of the world in search of his father's loyal advisors. Eustace undergoes great changes in this story. Lots of strange and inventive realms here.
Book 6: The Silver Chair. This is the darkest of the series, where Eustace and new character Jill travel with the pessimistic Puddleglum (a Marsh-wiggle) into the wastelands and encounter the Green Witch and a mysterious prince, plus a Dante-like journey through Underworld.
Book 7: The Last Battle. When a false Aslan is spotted throughout the land, and great changes come to Narnia, Eustace and Jill return to aid King Tirian and the unicorn Jewel. This one is very heavy with Biblical parallels, along with the beginning of the end and the rebirth.
Read and enjoy!
Book Review: Some orderly observations about ordering Narnia.
Summary: 5 Stars
The order in which the Narnia Chronicles should be read and published is a matter of great controversy. In my view, the answer to this question lies in a proper understanding of the deeper level of Narnia. When read on an adult level, the Narnia Chronicles function as a powerful medium used by Lewis to impart powerful spiritual truths about Christianity and theology. But these spiritual truths are conveyed more by Biblical allusions than by rigid allegory. This also has implications for the order of the volumes in this series.The publishers of this edition have elected to follow the chronological order of the series: 1. The Magician's Nephew; 2. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe; 3. The Horse and His Boy; 4. Prince Caspian; 5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; 6. The Silver Chair; 7. The Last Battle. The chronological order makes the books more strictly allegorical than they really were intended to be, and gives the impression that they are an extended allegory rather than incidental allusions, an incorrect impression in my view. Despite all the talk about allegory, it seems to me that Lewis is more fond of incorporating Biblical allusions where and when he pleases, rather than working with a strict and rigid allegory that tightly binds the plot. Certainly the central Biblical themes of creation, fall, redemption and consummation are present, and form the broad chronological coat-hanger on which the series rests. But ultimately Lewis does not want us to become obsessed with chronology, but with content.
Thus there is something to the vehemence with which so many readers argue that the books must be read in the order in which they were first published, namely: 1. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe; 2. Prince Caspian; 3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; 4. The Silver Chair; 5. The Horse and His Boy; 6. The Magician's Nephew; 7. The Last Battle. While it is true that this originally published order is not chronological, it does enhance the process of discovery about the magical world of Narnia, and slowly uncovers various aspects of its history.
It must be conceded that in a letter written in 1957 (published in "Letters to Children"), Lewis did appear to state a mild preference for the chronological order. But in that same letter Lewis concluded: "So perhaps it does not matter very much in which order anyone read them." Surely Lewis' own conclusion is correct. Although my personal thoughts are that the originally published order is perhaps to be marginally preferred, in the end each book is a separate story and an independent glimpse into the exciting world of Narnia. It is the understanding of the allusions that deserves our attention, not an artificial reconstruction of a complicated allegory. These allusions do not need to be artificially joined together in a strict chronological sequence to be enjoyed - they are equally profound and enjoyable as they were read by the first readers, namely, in the originally published order.
Book Review: A very nice box set of a very nice series
Summary: 4 Stars
Few adults reading this review will need to be reminded of the Narnia series, as it will be familiar to them from childhood. On the other hand, there must be some out there who, like me, did not read them as a child. I only read "Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe" and found it very confusing (too many characters!) and unenjoyable - and violent! Probably I was too young to enjoy it, and perhaps it's quaint to say it today, but these books can be upsetting to young children not yet sensitised to violence. As interesting and rich as these books are, an objective view must conclude that these stories are uneven in terms of the level of sophistication required to appreciate them.
A lot of debate has occurred in these pages over the order in which the books should be read. Both the original publishing order and the storylines' chronological order are espoused. Lewis himself apparently indicated that he didn't much care in what order they were read. Therefore, I would propose a third order: that of increasing requirement of sophistication of the reader. By that criterion, I would order the books as follows: 1. The Magician's Nephew; 2. The Horse and His Boy; 3. Voyage of the Dawn Treader; 4. Prince Caspian; 5. The Silver Chair; 6. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; 7. The Final Battle. Certianly, the first two book are very linear and have little true danger or violence in them. The last two are surprisingly violent - the sacrifice of Aslan in LWW is as traumatizing, in its way, as the death of Mufasa in "The Lion King."
But what about the stories themselves? C.S. Lewis clearly put a lot of effort into creating his fantasy world. If it's not as much as Tolkien, it's because Narnia is a young world with little history, whereas Middle Earth is at the end of its history (at least, for its original inhabitants, the Elves). While the biblical parallels are impossible to ignore (unless you've NEVER gone to Sunday School, a synagoge, or a mosque) they are also not preachy and they certainly don't detract from the story. One could argue that much of Western literature takes its cue from biblical stories, because they are part of the shared knowledge of the culture.
The stories themselves are really very good - exciting adventure, with little morals slotted in to make the journey worthwhile. This particular box set has a number of charcoal-sketch illustrations to help break up the pages of text which will help in reading to younger children. I also like the fact that each is a separate volume, rather than a bulky all-in-one volume. It's more expensive, but it's more palatable to break up the stories into individual chunks, as the stories are clearly meant to be. I think these books are really best read by the parent first, then read TO the child as bedtime stories. I think this would have helped a lot to alleviate my confusion when reading LWW for the first time as a child.
Book Review: Full of Magic
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this series. I'll admit a couple of things right off the bat-- I am a Christian and therefore do not mind Lewis's "Preaching". I am also an adult in love with children's literature. I simply believe most of the fiction written for adults is cheap, mass produced, drivel (Some of Dean Koontz's work, anything by Amy Tan, most of Barbara Kingslover's work, and classic literature being the exceptions).
Here is why I love these books--
1. They are simple.
I do not consider myself a simple person. However, there is joy in reading a book that I can finish in one sitting. I can have a nice thought-provoking adventure, without having to sort out confusing plot twists and endless dialogue.
2. They are adventurous.
I think every kid has an imaginary country. The children in these stories are lucky to find that there country is a real thriving place. I know that this resonated deep with me.
3. They present an interesting view on human nature.
The children in these works are flawed. They are sometimes spitful. They are sometimes mislead. They sometimes bicker. They forget what really matters. They are human. In each child, however, their is a sort of bravery that I believe my generation has forgotten. That bravery comes from doing the right thing, admitting to your mistakes, doing something good despite fear, and learning to trust, fear, and love the Lion.
There are also pleasantries and manners in these books that I, as a young adult, have never come across. There is chivalry and respect. It makes a nice change.
4. Aslan.
I have never read a more appealing metaphor for Jesus Christ. I think the reason I like Lewis's depiction of Aslan is that it goes against the picture my generation has painted of Jesus. We think Jesus was an interesting, reveloutionary individual. But not God. We believe he is a myth. But not God. We believe he is a good man. But not God.
Aslan helps me picture Christ. The Biblical Christ. Generous, kind, loving, compassionate, but filled with power. With such a love for the world, that he would choose to die to release us from our bondage.
A word of advice. Please, please do not start with The Magician's Nephew. It is an enlightening and entertaining book, when read after The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. But the truth is, you will need to be pretty submersed in the other Narnia books to appreciate it.
Another word of advice. If you are contemplating buying an audio edition of these books, spend the extra money and get the unabridged versions. I have heard the abridgements, and they strip the magical quality from the books. (I have not heard the radio dramas, so I can't comment on those particular editions.)
Book Review: Fantastic Imaginative Tale of Narnia
Summary: 5 Stars
This well-loved fantasy tale by C.S. Lewis is a passport to a most extraordinary place into magical lands and enchanted creatures. If you never been to Narnia, you can enter through any of the seven (7) books and meet Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. They step through the wardrobe and so begins the tale of 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.' The story is about Aslan, the noble lion who freed Narnia from the spell of the White Witch. These are my favorite in the book collection because of the beautiful illustrations by Pauline Baynes. After you start one you'll want to read every one.
After The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe follows the tale of good 'Prince Caspian' and his army of Talking Beasts who conquered the Telmarines. Prince Caspian is later made King and goes on 'The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader"' through magic waters to the End of the World. In 'The Silver Chair' captive Prince Rilian escaped from the Emerald Witch's underground kingdom. 'The Horse and His Boy' tells of a talking horse and a boy prince saved Narnia from invasion. 'The Magician's Nephew' tells how Aslan created Narnia and gave the gift of speech to its animals. In 'The Last Battle' evil came to Narnia and Aslan led his people to a glorious new paradise. C.S. Lewis used his characters such as Aslan the Lion to illustrate the love of Jesus Christ. It also illustrates God's care and grace for all His creation. As in the last battle, God in the final days will lead His people to Heaven. Lewis wrote the stories for his granddaugher, Lucy which one of the character was named after her. Each story tells of the battle between good and evil of light and darkness, and the issues of faith and hope. C.S. Lewis has written so many great books during his time that's made an impact both young and old. Read his 'Space Trilogy,' 'The Screwtape Letters' and his masterpiece 'Mere Christianity.' I highly recommend them all!
Don't miss some excellent selected video viewing: if you can find the BBC release of a 6-VHS set of 'The Chronicles of Narnia' in a stunning LIVE production. Don't miss the documentary on 'The Life of C.S. Lewis: Through Joy and Beyond' narrated by Rev. Walter Hooper, C.S. Lewis' private secretary, ASIN: B000007QXZ and the movie 'Shadowlands' starring Anthony Hopkins as the Christian apologist. If you loved Narnia then try Lewis' 'Space Trilogy' (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength) any sci-fi fan would love, too. And, don't forget Peter Kreeft's 'Between Heaven and Hell' a fictious look into purgatory with the gathering of the minds of C.S. Lewis, Aldous Huxley and John F. Kennedy.