The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set
by C. S. Lewis
|
List Price: Our Price: $22.13 You Save: $22.87 (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: Oh Aslan!
Summary: 5 Stars
"Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis
Author C. S. Lewis has written a series enchanting for adults and children alike. We follow the adventures of children as they enter into the amazing world of Narnia. Narnia is inhabited by animals that can talk, and an amazing assortment of mythological creatures that delight and fascinate.
At the center of all of these dramas, the conflict between good and evil, doubt and faith, despair and hope predominates. After entering into the wonderous new realm, the children assume a new identity. They learn that in Narnia, they are regarded by all the creatures of Narnia as the Sons of Adam, and the Daughters of Eve.
From the first, the children enter into the new identity cautiously, struggling with the impulse to run away from all troubles and leave the Narnian creatures to their own fate. However, as the story progresses, the Narnians enchant them with their loving nature, and soon the struggles of the Narnian creatures become the passion of the children.
Through the progression of the stories, a wondrous sense of purpose is awakened in the hearts of the children. They no longer feel outside of life, nor do they feel that adults are responsible for everything. Each child takes up a weapon in Narnia, a weapon suitable to their individual nature.
With each new adventure, the children learn that evil is seldom far, and that courage must always be embraced in the fight to assure the outcome of the good, in these adventures in the forests, on the plains, upon the sea, and in the mountains of marvelous Narnia.
C. S. Lewis has written a series of tales that can be compared to the books of J.R.R. Tolkien. Both authors address the issue of the unawakened self as it assumes a vital role, as it begins to engage in life. Both authors demonstrate a simple fact, a fact that can be found in even the simples folk tales of "Uncle Remus" who tells us: "No sir, you just cain't run from trouble!"
Generations of children and adults are indebted to C. S. Lewis for his stories, and they have warmed many a heart, and coaxed us through the periods of tedium that arise from time to time. These books renew our awareness of purpose, and inspire us with the idea that there is more to Life than meets the eye. There is wonder, adventure, and new purpose with every book.
Very much recommended. Absolutely Five Stars.
Book Review: Hail Aslan!, Son of the Emperor Beyond the Sea
Summary: 5 Stars
Now here's a daunting task...write a review on one of the greatest set of books every written. I'm an enormous fan of allegory, and C.S. Lewis was truly the master of the trade. I'm 33 but I still remember when my sister introduced me to "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" when I was 6 or 7 years old, and to this day it holds a permanent and firm place in my heart as a series that anyone can enjoy. Unlike many other books this series has the unusual trait of maintaining (perhaps even increasing in their reading value) as you grow older...I've enjoyed the series repeatedly each time I've read them.
The average person reading the books may not be able to pick out the deeper meanings of the series, and I say don't ruin it for them! I've had several friends (including a fair share of agnostics) that didn't know about the underlying message of the books and after reading them expressed, at the very least, a deep liking of Aslan, Narnia, and the basic tenets of good versus evil in the book. They were quite stunned when I explained to them the deeper meaning. Maybe in the Emperor Beyond the Sea's own time they'll come to understand it a little bit more and perhaps even come to embrace it. And there's the real beauty of allegory in a nutshell. Allegory is in essence the act of showing a particular belief, story, or way of life in a different light. That said this series really comes through with perfection.
Pertaining to the order of the books argument I'm going to have to side with the faction that believes in reading the books in their original order. At the *very* least read "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" first. I will say from personal experience that originally when I read through I was deeply bummed out after having gone through 4 books and then taking an enormous step backwards into "The Horse and His Boy". Truth be known I'm glad I did...it turned out to be my favorite one of the lot! By the time I hit "The Magician's Nephew" I was amazed to discover that the old Professor that housed the Pevensie kids was none other than Digory himself. Could be just me, but I thought that the original release order made the magic really happen.
My only regret is that C.S. Lewis never came out with an 8th book, hinted at only briefly in "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" about the history of the Lone Islands. Personally I hope he's saving that for a time when we'll finally get to meet the guy in person. :) Definitely one more thing to look forward to!
Book Review: Chronicles of Narnia
Summary: 5 Stars
I read the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe as a child, but didn't remember much about it. I enjoyed the movie so much that I wanted to reread that book along with the other books in the set. I am reading them in 'published' order rather than chronological order and I am on the 3rd published book, which is Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I am very pleased with what I have read so far. C.S. Lewis is a great story teller and his narrative is descriptive enough to make you feel like you are right there in the middle of everything. His imagination is unbelievable, especially in Voyage of the Dawn Treader as they journey to new lands and meet new creatures and challenges. If you are looking for fantasy, you will not be disappointed with these books.
If you are like me, and experienced a renewed interest in the Chronicles after seeing the movie, I believe you will enjoy reading all seven books in the Chronicles series. No movie follows the book exactly, but I did think that the movie stayed pretty close to the book and was a good representation of the events described in the book. Therefore, I believe if you enjoyed the movie, you will enjoy the book. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (book) was thoroughly entertaining. Prince Caspian, which was the second book I read, was also good, but I did not think it was as original and entertaining as The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Voyage of the Dawn Treader, however is completely different from the first two. There is definitely nothing unoriginal about this one as it introduces many new characters including the Pevensies' cousin who is a selfish and nagging little boy until he experiences a sort of epiphany and as a result sees the error of his ways. Their quest to find the seven lords of Narnia who were banished to lands farther east is thoroughly entertaining. I am looking forward to reading the remaining books.
One thing that touched me about the movie was the religious overtone. Based on the three books I've read, this theme continues to be prevalent. I understand that Aslan appears in all seven books, and so far I have found this to be true. As I am reading these books I am enjoying the deeper meaning behind it. In a time when there is so much wrong with the world, I think the Chronicles are a great way to escape to another land. Narnia is a world that is very complex in that it is so imaginative and full of fantasy. On the other hand, the moral of the each story is so simple.
Book Review: Why these books are special
Summary: 5 Stars
Whether you are a young person or an adult, CS Lewis' stories transport your soul to other worlds and return you a changed person. The Chronicles of Narnia series remains the capstone of his fictional triumphs. How much more empty childhood would be without these books! The Narnia series is built around the interaction of humans (both in our world and in the "other worlds of a Narnian universe," animals (talking & non-talking), and other assorted fantasy characters (dwarfs, giants, witches, and other Lewis creations. Lewis began with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and built the remaining six stories around this book. It later became the third in the chronological story line. Interestingly, he showed the story to JR Tolkein who did not much care for the story. Fortunately, millions of readers have disagreed with him.
Narnia is a Christian allegory. This is one of the primary reasons people of all ages are able to enjoy the series. As a well-read adult, these stories challenge me intellectually with their worlds of possibilities and the completely unique views of the Christian existence. The imagination is not a tool only available to the young. Through Aslan (the main character in all the books) you experience Christ. Through the animals, you see the challenges we all face living with one another. Through the nature, you are able to see the world as it once was and will be again. Through the human characters, you see yourself.
Various ages will pick up on the symbolism. My four-year-old daughter first understood Easter through Aslan's resurrection. ("Jesus rose from the dead just like Aslan did, didn't he?") My adult friends better understood the return of Christ from the story of the Last Battle, the final book in the series. The creation of the world is also brought to life through the series in a vivid and inspiring tale.
For the non-Christian, the stories are just a magical and inspiring. You will not fold the books in disgust at the overt Christianity. Yet these stories are special because of the truth contained within them. It is no wonder that the Chronicles of Narnia have consistently been referred to as one of the greatest children's stories ever told and the sales of the series have remained at the top since Lewis created them. Before Harry Potter, there was Aslan, and long from now, children will still eagerly read one of them - the story of Narnia found in these Chronicles.
Book Review: Simple but enchanting, even for adults
Summary: 5 Stars
The Chronicles of Narnia series consists of seven short books with relatively simple plotlines and settings. The boxed set available today unfortunately puts them in chronological order, not in the order Lewis wrote them. This actually doesn't work too well because Lewis sometimes mentions things that happen in books that he wrote earlier but that in the boxed set appear later. Therefore I recommend that you read them in the order they were written.The most famous of these seven books is undoubtedly the first one: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It's the only one I read in middle school and it took me fifteen years to get around to reading the rest of the series. I just finished book 7 last week and it was a most enjoyable journey! All seven books are good, but some are better than others (according to your tastes). My personal favorites are The Silver Chair and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I thought Dawn Treader (book 3) was fantastic as well. The Last Battle (book 7) made a decent conclusion to the series but wasn't as climactic as I was hoping.
The perfect age to read these books is probably somewhere between 9 and 13. At that age, one really gets swept up in the world of Narnia and gets a lasting impression on the imagination. As an adult, I found the books fun to read but not as intoxicating as I remember Book 1 being in middle school. I really want to get back to some more difficult stuff!!
If you're not familiar with Narnia, here's a short description: Narnia is a small nation in a parallel universe and can only be visited through the use of magic. Although other countries border Narnia, Narnia is special because it's watched over by a God-like lion named Aslan. Plus, Narnia contains numerous talking animals! Generally, from our world only children can enter Narnia because most grownups have lost their power of imagination.
The seven books describe various evils that visit Narnia and the adventures of the heroes (including a cast of a few children from our world) who come to the Narnians' aid. The plot is usually simple good vs. evil with little question on which side the major characters stand. Lewis' descriptions of the setting and situations are outstanding and often humorous. Of course we all know who's going to win in the end of each book but it's fun to see how it comes about.
Highly recommended!