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Summary: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Review: Although the third volume written by Lewis, "Dawn Treader" falls fifth in the Narnian chronology. It can be thought of as a melding of the Quest/Cruscade theme (from the Horse and His Boy) with many of the characters from Prince Caspian.Like in the Horse and His Boy, we have here an adventure that takes place amongst non-believers outside the Kingdom of God (Narnia). Here however the protagonists are actively seeking adventure while cruscading outside the realm. Their many adventures include abolishing slavery, freeing the invisible Dufflepuds from their 'medieval' enchantment, as well as more metaphorical visits to golden ponds, the isle of dreams, and dragon-infested lands. By the end of the book, the travellers have finally reached the boundary between heaven and earth; who will turn back and who will go on? Despite the fact that this book included several adventures and was written for somewhat older children than some of the earlier offerings, I found this book to be somewhat slow going. Perhaps the already-noted episodic nature of the tales is to blame; somehow the religious and moral messages were not as compelling here, and Reepicheep was the only really fresh character in the bunch. Nevertheless, this will be a good read for young and old alike who are looking to continue their Narnian adventure. (3.5 stars)
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Summary: Good After You Get Into It
Review: At first i didn't like The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The beging was too much like the rest of the CON, and very boring. But as i started to read it, it became the best book of the CON.
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Summary: Read The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Review: C.S. Lewis' "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" was the third Narnian chronicle to be written and the fifth chronologically. Along with "The Last Battle", it's probably my favorite in the series.
Lucy and Edmund have to stay with their cousin Eustace Scrubb and his trendy parents Harold and Albert. Eustace is very serious, a bit of a know-all, cynical and just a little bit mean, . He keeps making fun of Lucy and Edmund's tales of Narnia, the world they have not only visited twice, but been kings and queens in. His mockery soons stops though when the three of them get sucked into a painting in an attic. They find themselves on board the Dawn Treader, King Caspian's exploration vessel, on the beginning of a voyage. The King and his men seek to discover new islands, to find his father's friends who were banished seven years ago, and to see Aslan's Country, rumoured to be at the most eastern end of the world, beyond the sun and the ocean. What a voyage it turns out to be!
When I first read the chronicles of Narnia (in fifth grade), this was the one that captured my imagination the most. It's a book that is constantly exciting, each destination reached more incredible than the last. Such amazing creatures and concepts. There scary places, funny places, places where friends are made and lessons are learned. The descriptions are truly inspired. The ending, even now, leaves me spellbound every time. I can picture it so clearly. Wow!
As with all the Narnian Chronicles, "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" has illustrations by Pauline Baynes, and these are just as evocative as Lewis' descriptions, enhancing them, making them more vivid. I particularly like the picture near the start of chapter ten, of the magician's hallway where Lucy is walking so timidly.
The characters are all great too. It's nice to see Caspian and Reepicheep again, as well as Edmund and Lucy. The chatacter Eustace is a fine invention. He's something of a brat and yet we like him, feel sorry for him when he gets in trouble, and like him better when he changes for the better later on.
C.S. Lewis was a devoted Christian, and all of his work relate back to his beliefs to some extent. Although there is a great deal more emphasis on adventure and fantasy here, there are still allegory and parallels to be drawn if you're looking for them. Eustace's adventures are particularly interesting. He finds fault in everything except himself, who has more obvious faults in his character. He means to be helpful, but he can't really be helpful until he gets rid of his own flaws first. This is rather reminiscent of Jesus' saying "take the plank out of your own eye so you can see clearly to see the speck in your brother's eye". There is a part where he's transformed into a dragon, and he realises the ugliness of his actions. Aslan the Lion helps him by showing him to a well in which to bathe (rather similar to baptism). Before he can bathe, Eustace must shed his ugly skin (his rotten ways), something that he can't do, no matter how he tries. It is only with Aslan's help that he becomes free of them. In christianity, it is through Christ that believers shed their old worldly ways, similar to this. A lot of the allegory, I noticed, had to do with the nature of God, the nature of Christ and being a believer rather than any particular specific event.
Although "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is number 5 in the "official reading order", rather late in the series, the only books that are really essential to read are "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian". "Prince Caspian" in particular, as several of the characters (Caspian, Reepicheep) and plot threads (the king's lost men) are in this.
Highly recommended for fantasy fans and lovers of the work of C.S. Lewis.
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Summary: Journy to the end of the world
Review: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sail to the end of the world? Well in the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, you can! In this book the legendary King Caspian of Narnia who is on a quest to find the seven lords, seven Narnian lords cast away in the time of his evil uncle Miraz. Edmund, Lucy and their annoying cousin Eustace journey with the king on the legendary ship the Dawn Treader in search of Aslan's country in the Far East. This book is the sequel to The Magician's Nephew, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Horse and his Boy, Prince Caspian, The Silver Chair, and the Last Battle. To anybody that hasn't read this book and its sequels, I recommend that they read them now!
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Summary: I never wanted it to end....
Review: I agree with others here that this was the best out of all the Narnia Chronicles. What a book! I am reading all these books as an adult and I can only imagine how more wonderful these would seem as a child. I do like the Christianity thrown in (Aslan being the Messiah). Some others I have spoken to do not like this in your face message of Adam and Eve and the Aslan's Kingdom. This book clearly states (SPOILER) at the end of the Kingdom (Heaven) being both in Narnia and in our world. It's a great book for an adventurer or someone who would like to explain how beautiful the boundaries of Heaven can be. This is the best book (haven't read the last one yet though) and I already want to read it again...absolutely enchanting.
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Summary: I never wanted it to end....
Review: I agree with others here that this was the best out of all the Narnia Chronicles. What a book! I am reading all these books as an adult and I can only imagine how more wonderful these would seem as a child. I do like the Christianity thrown in (Aslan being the Messiah). Some others I have spoken to do not like this in your face message of Adam and Eve and the Aslan's Kingdom. This book clearly states (SPOILER) at the end of the Kingdom (Heaven) being both in Narnia and in our world. It's a great book for an adventurer or someone who would like to explain how beautiful the boundaries of Heaven can be. This is the best book (haven't read the last one yet though) and I already want to read it again...absolutely enchanting.
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Summary: Tale of virtue will hold a five year old's attention
Review: In the third book of the Narnia series, CS Lewis takes on progressive education, consistent with the themes found in his The Abolition of Man. Of course, this is but secondary to his main purpose of portraying spiritual struggle and redemption. My five year old son, to whom I'm reading the whole series, was rapt through most of it, thanks to Lewis's vivid imagery. At the end, when the children learn that they have to leave Narnia and never come back but that Aslan is present in their world under another name, I stopped and asked my son "And what is that name for Aslan in our world?" He smiled and said, "Jesus." Good lad.
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Summary: A beautiful quest story
Review: Lucy and Edmund return to Narnia and find themselves on the Dawn Treader, a true sailing vessel for a magical children's story, traveling with Prince Caspian on a quest to find the end of the world. However, when the children are returned to their favorite land, they bring along their cousin, the sour and demanding Eustace Scrubb. Through many adventures at sea and during ports of call, Eustace makes the rather predictable transformation into an alright chap, but don't mistake the predictability of this end for cheap or sloppy story telling on Lewis's part. Eustace's transformation can be interpreted as the transformation of the unbeliever to a Christian, and the symbolism of his physical change is rich and compelling for adults and engaging and magical for children. Our dear, brave friend Reepacheep is back, too, and shows his continuing bravery in a heartwarming ending that causes readers to feel great admiration for the little mouse with big courage. The richest part of the novel is the well described climax in which the story takes on a mythical nature and our friends come close to the line between heaven and earth. It's a lovely book, and as usual for the series, can be enjoyed on theological levels, but it loses nothing if the reader picks it up as pure fantasy for someone looking for a great tale!
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Summary: Among the series' best
Review: The immediate follow-up to "Prince Caspian," "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is one of C.S. Lewis' classic Narnia series, and contains all the magic, wonder and adventure of the others in the series. Maybe more. Like most of the Narnia books, "Voyage" takes little time to get moving. Edmund and Lucy are staying with their mean and arrogant little cousin Eustace (Peter and Susan are excised from the story for being too old), when the three children are pulled into the world of Narnia. Edmund and Lucy are delighted to have arrived, but Eustace is bitter at the situation. He is made even more bitter because of where they appear: In the middle of the ocean, where they are picked up by King Caspian on his ship, the Dawn Treader. Caspian is in the midst of a grand journey in which he is trying to sail to the end of the world. Tossed into the mix is his quest to find seven companions of his father, who fled Narnia when the bad folks from "Prince Caspian" took over. The entire plot is little more than an excuse to sail to lands unknown and explore the most fantastic sights Narnia has to offer. The story does not fail in that endeavor. While it begins as Another Narnia Adventure, "Voyage" quickly becomes an exploration adventure of the most classic kind, an archetype of a tale in which every action drives the characters towards the next episode and the next land of wonder. Like other timeless tales of this type, the device is remarkably effective in keeping the reader's interest and repeatedly engage one's sense of awe. Naturally, there are Lessons thrown in for good measure. Lewis can occasionally grate with moralizing, but "Voyage's" moral tales are not grating in the least. Most are tales that have been told time and again throughout mankind's history. Each island has its own little moral message, but they are subtle, fit with the story well, serve the sense of wonder the reader feels, and never intrude on the tale. That's a welcome thing. In the end, no terrible bad guy is vanquished. No kingdom is won. Nobody turns out to secretly be royalty. None of that. It simply ends when the quest is done. And that end satisfies. "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" may be the very best of the Narnia books and a journey for the ages. Here, Lewis crafts a classic tale of a fantastic journey, and he does so with a finely balanced sense of pacing. "Voyage" never fails to be engaging and will surely delight readers both young and old.
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Summary: Plot Overcomes Allegory: Hurray!
Review: This is the best of the Narnia series. C.S. Lewis allows the plot to get away occasionally from his strict form of Christian allegory. Moreover, the book is funny and episodic and exciting. And it's about getting to know yourself and changing what you don't like. Unexplored waters and unknown lands create a magic of their own in which Lucy and Edmund and, especially, Eustace -- having magically found themselves on board the Dawn Treader --can come to terms with their weakness and strength. The Dark Island, where all dreams (not just good ones!) come true, Deathwater Island -- the place of greed, Dragon Island, where Eustace turns into a dragon (which, of course, he was on the inside all along), Ramandu's island, the sea people's land, the house of the Retired Star, and more, reveal what stuff these children are made on. What their mettle is may not always exemplary, but in this book at least, characters can change. Eustace can be un-dragoned and become a changed child (having dragon skin a foot deep ripped off by a lion would, I think, inevitably result in change). This is a book of deep, miraculous possibility. As a child, I read *The Voyage of the Dawn Treader* until it fell apart, and I've gone through another copy since. My only criticism is this: C. S. Lewis, having loosened his strangle-hold on his constricting Christian allegory, occasionally seems to feel obliged to bring in something really ham-handed. It's most annoying. The most egregious intrusion occurs when the children encounter, in the middle of nowhere, a milky white lamb frying fish on the open grass. How the heck does a lamb fry fish? Where does he get fish? Where does he get the frying pan? Why do we *need* this for the plot? The Lamb of God (Christ), communion, fish. Cringe. It's all tossed into the pot and left somehow to be digested. There are fabulous Christian allegories; this is not one of them. I would to say that this is the only place in the entire series where C.S. Lewis' allegory truly and absolutely and utterly crashes and burns. But one Lamb doesn't stop this from being a great book. *The Voyage of the Dawn Treader* provides delight, wonder, and best of all, a promise of a second chance for every one of us.
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