Rating:  Summary: A fantasy children's book that enchants kids and adults Review: The Narnia Chronicles have been compared to the mega-hit Harry Potter books, though C.S. Lewis wrote them not only as enjoyable children's fiction but as a way to introduce Christian thought.C.S. Lewis was an Oxford scholar, an agnostic who became convinced that there WAS a god, and then became a Christian. Yet he infuses his beliefs gently into the Narnia books, and if you object to Christianity, you'd probably totally miss it in these books. If you object, in contrast, to Harry Potter, but want a good alternative, these books are just the ticket. The stories are written with delightful visual appeal, great imagination, and with that English tongue-in-cheek humor that makes it fun for adults to read these out loud and enjoy the jokes on two levels. These are true fairy tales and as such, never fail to please children year after year. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, in particular, is high adventure, with dragons, dwarves, a mighty Mouse, and a ship adventure, and it's my special favorite. The books emphasize the values of learning to struggle against temptation, of developing good and likeable character and the pain of growing up and having to leave the magical world of childhood behind. The books also hint at a need for spiritual growth If you haven't read these, you are in for a treat. If you haven't read them to your kids, well, get a move on!
Rating:  Summary: Before Hogwarts there was Narnia Review: These are such an amazing series of books, I almost don't know where to start. The tales are magical, the characters rich, and the stories so layered that any generation can enjoy them. I remember reading them when I was very young - and being excited when the cartoon of "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" came on tv each winter. 15+ years later I took a college course on them and loved them even more! Similar to Harry Potter, the tales are about 4 "normal" children who stumble into an alternate world filled with ... well, lions and witches. To this day, the name Aslan brings a smile to my face! My only recommendation is to read them in the order they were written - which is (oddly) NOT chronological order to the timeline of Narnia itself, and not the order provided in this collection. I don't suppose it makes all that much difference, and it certainly doesn't make the stories less enjoyable, nor cause me to lower my rating. I just think you owe it to youself to be drawn into the world the way C.S. Lewis intended (and was drawn into it himself). I honestly think this is a must have for any library - young or old - and have bought several sets for loved ones, and to replace the much loved and worn copies of my own!
Rating:  Summary: The Chronicles of Narnia 7 Book Set Review: I read the Chronicle series by C.S. Lewis while a college student at Rose State College in Midwest City, Oklahoma. The director of the Baptist Student Union was reading them and they caught my attention at a noon-day lunch. I was so enthralled with the series, that I caught myself reading the books everywhere I went and with every free time I had available. I have read the series at least three times and seen the PBS series of the The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe several times. I only have high remarks for this great children's classic. It is still one of my favorite books of all times, in so that I'm purchasing a copy of the series for my eleven year old nephew. He attends a christian school and the book are a required reading for his english class. He was so excited about the books that he told me that he couldn't wait for the class to start on next one. They are trying to finish all seven of the books before the spring session ends. I'm buying him the book because he said he could not wait to read them again, but they have to be turned back in to the teacher whem they finish one. I say "Harry Potter who"?
Rating:  Summary: Read NARNIA aloud to your Children Review: Several years ago, we unplugged our TV and started regularly reading to our kids. This has been one of the best parenting decisions we've ever made! We've read through all seven of the NARNIA books several times, including reading them aloud to our children. Lewis's tales unfold wonderfully when read aloud. The chapters are of readable length, and even early elementary age children will enjoy sitting with parents who read these stories aloud to their children. I encourage you to turn off the TV this week and read aloud to your kids. Your children's imagination sparked by Lewis' delightful writing will create an even more detailed and wonderful world than any movie screen or TV show. Encourage their imagination to fill the big screen of their minds with Narnian tales, beginning the Lucy's first steps through the Wardrobe. Meet Aslan and ride with the children upon the back of the Lion! These marvelous tales have always been my favorite adventure stories. For two other books filled with creative ideas for parents, look into "The Family Cloister" and "The Christian Family Toolbox", by David Robinson, both available through Amazon.com.
Rating:  Summary: Racist tripe Review: Although most of the books are ok, the Horse and his Boy and the Last Battle deal with people who live in a land called Calormen, who are dark-skinned and worship a demi-god called Tash and the land is basically meant to be dirty filthy e.t.c. and they are basically the bad guys. If this isn't the worst kind of racial stereotyping.
Rating:  Summary: What could they have been thinking? Review: Really the only way to read these books is in their proper order: 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 This is the way they were meant to be read! I have no idea who decided putting them in chronological order was a good idea but they were wrong, wrong, wrong. You can't find them anywhere now in the proper order which is a shame. I can't imagine getting swept up into the world of Narnia by starting with the Magician's Nephew. What a sad development.
Rating:  Summary: Classic children's literature Review: The Narnia chronicles are possibly the best examples of children's literature: imaginative storytelling, obvious distinction between good and bad, and, most important, gripping and moving enough for adults too. Regardless of your age, you should have a set on your bookshelf. A note: suggestions by other reviewers that these books are 'based on the Bible' or 'teach... the grace and power of... Jesus' are false and should neither discourage nor encourage potential readers. C S Lewis was of course a devout Christian and the Narnia books have obvious religious symbolism, but the connection ends there. There are no specific references to Christianity, and any morally decent belief system, including secular humanism, could recognize itself in the actions of the characters. The same could be said of the Harry Potter books, where decency and courage again win the day.
Rating:  Summary: "Nice" - The Fast Show Review: I won't write a lengthy review, since there's plenty already, but I STRONGLY suggest that you read these books not in chronological order, but in the order in which they were written: #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 For whatever reason after C.S. Lewis' death, and much to the detriment of the series, these books were published in chronological order. This was a horrible mistake! Certain things are revealed in a certain way that makes reading these books in chronological order a bad decission. Read them in the aformentioned order, however, and you will see that the story makes much more sense. Keep in mind that C.S. Lewis had nothing to do with his series being published in chronological order, and if, for some reason, he were still alive today, I guarrantee that they would be published the way they were released.
Rating:  Summary: It deserves 25 stars!!!!! Review: (...) These books I first heard of from my sister, Tara. Then, My 3rd grade teacher, Mr. Kelly, also recommended them to me, I had read more books in 3rd grade than most people have read in their Senior year of high school. I read The Lion, The Witch, and The wardrobe first, and I was totally mesmerized, and hooked like a magnet. I read them all over a second time that same year. The thing I can't understand is how some of those"Grown-ups" as they are known, don't seem to think that they have much purpose for children. Sure, in 3rd grade, I didn't understand the Christian views inside them then, but about two years later, in 5th, I sure did. (...) You, If you've read my review on the "His Dark Materials" series by Philip Pullman, know what I think about a childs strength in this world, and obviously it's more than a small tidbit. These books to me are as good as Harry Potter, and anyone who loves those should love these. You'll understand when you finish The Last Battle. :-)
Rating:  Summary: The chronicles of narnia series. Review: This set is THE best work of fiction/non-fiction EVER! The allegory is amazing and the stories are exciting! It is great for all ages and teaches people of virtues, chivalry, manners, and the love grace and power of our lord and creator Jesus Christ.
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