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Summary: The Chronicles of Narnia
Review: C.S. Lewis creates a magical world of centaurs, witches, kings, queens, fauns, etc. so real you wish you could find your own secret passage to Narnia. Each book in this series stands alone as it's own story, but once you read one, you will want to read all of The Chronicles of Narnia. The characters come to life and their adventures, although fantastic, are likened to every day struggles of the real world. A beautiful religious message of eternal life offered through Christianity is woven into the stories, but is not overpowering or pushy. Christians will delight in the parallels and non-Christians will savor the books for their entertaining fiction.
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Summary: Classics in the world of faerie tales
Review: O.K. The Chronicles of Narnia are children's books, but they don't have to be considered that way. If you are a Christian, you'll actually find Lewis rewrote the bible in a simple and more cheerful way, disguising Christ as Aslan and showing Israel as the land of Narnia, though this was not Lewis' original intention, nor does he mention this fact in the books. Even if you're an adult, its not hard to give way to the magic that surrounds these books. These simple stories are easy to follow, portray people we can all relate to, and are entertaining. Whether you are reading these book at the age of seven or reading these to your children at bed-time, you'll easily become hooked on the writings of one of the world's greatest modern Christian thinkers.
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Summary: A must read for any kid
Review: I love these books! I read them when I was a kid and I recommend them to my friends with kids. Lewis writes characters that young people can relate to and care about. His imaginitive stories seem at once fantastic and, somehow, believable. They always made me feel like maybe I could walk through a wardrobe or jump into a picture and be somewhere else having grand adventures. The best thing about these books is that you can go back and read them again when you're older because there is a lot more here than just a fun story. There are lessons on morality and even a little theology. Also, LOTS of religous symbolism. Pretty cool. :) The one tiny problem I have with this set is the order of the books. When I was a kid The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe came first. The Magician's Nephew was sixth and The Last Battle was...well...last. I think this is more fun because you find out how Narnia came to be after you've gotten to know all the people there. But, no matter what order you read them in these books are wonderful. I especially recomend them for kids who are chomping at the bit for the next Harry Potter book. If they like Harry, they will love Narnia.
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Summary: Magic in the Narnian Cronicles
Review: When I read all seven of the Narnia Cronicles they took my breath away. The way Lewis describes everything was amazing. You could picture the entire world of Narnia: towering mountains, beautiful valleys,talking animals,and the noble beauty of Aslan. Lewis wrote a truly inspirational collection of books. The way he shows good and evil was facinating and pure genius. His collection of stories will live on in the hearts of the people who read them.
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Summary: Wonderfully written, wonderfully read
Review: Without these books, my childhood would have been greatly altered. From the moment I saw the pearly-white unicorn that appears on one side of the box set, I was swept up in the magic and imagination of these magnificent books. These seven books alone contain more beauty than almost any series of books I've ever read. They were my first introduction to the world of written fantasy and since then I have not differed from it, aside from science-fiction (but the line is so often blurred that it doesn't really matter). If you have never read these books, you don't know what you are missing. Even if fantasy isn't a real factor in your life, I have never known someone who didn't enjoy these absolute masterpieces of children's literature.
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Summary: The best edition of the classic Narnia series
Review: This review is of the Harper Collins one-volume edition, "The Complete Chronicles of Narnia", ISBN 0060281375:Are these books for children or adults? Lewis originally wrote them for kids, but I'm an adult and I read them regularly! They are true classics, marvellously written and essential reading for any age. This edition is one of the best I've found. It is a sturdy hardback, well-bound with good paper. The illustrations are marvellous! They aren't large and obtrusive - they don't overwhelm the text. But they truly capture the magical, mystical feel of the stories. I was taken by surprise when I first read this edition - the books are in a different order than I was used to. I'd previously read them in order of authorship, while this edition places them in chronological order. I believe I like it this way better, now that I've gotten used to it. The price is actually quite low for the quality of this book, too. Of all the editions I've seen of this must-have collection, this is the best one I've found. If you want to buy the Chronicles of Narnia, buy this edition!
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Summary: If only I've had earlier the chance to read it
Review: The first time I've seen and heart anything about C.S.Lewis wasin the Hollywood movie "Shadowlands" ...and at first I thoughtof him as a fictional person (sorry, I'm a German). But, thanks to the internet...- I know now better. So I've bought the Narnia Stories and, even as a nonchristian reader, I have to see this books as among the very best for children and adults, and if you haven't read them, I promise you that you will find at every age a different story in this books. For me it was beside the sometimes thrilling adventures an account of an unbreakable, unquestionable love from God (here as Aslan) for all creatures. In this Aslan is in my heart as a promise that no earthbound hell will last forever for all creatures which are trying to respect the Creation, no matter what errors they make. Go and see! END
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Summary: On so many levels, a pleasure
Review: C.S. Lewis rejected and resented the word "allegory" being applied to his Narnia series. An allegory, he said, means that abstract principles are brought to life or to concrete form. He felt the entities he was representing in the Narnia books were real enough already, such as Christ and God's work in the world. There seem to be many ways to interpret the books, one book for each of the seven deadly sins, is an interesting way to look at the volumes of the series, for example. It's also interesting when one thinks of Lewis's idea that humans no longer come to God without preconceived notions of what it will feel like to love God. Lewis felt that people lack a freedom to love God in their own ways as there is so much "baggage" attached to religious feeling anymore. He wanted to write about these children's reactions to Aslan in a way that would illustrate a true and unencumbered love of God. But, even beyond these things, and the temptations to identify philosophical tenants such as the Devil's rights theory, and so on, the stories themselves are truly enjoyable narratives that sweep one up and away. Though other writers, such as Tolkien, criticized the heavy-handedness of the ending of "Lion," the plots are true and engaging. A favorite of mine is the Horse and his Boy, which seems to be a Moses-meets-Oedipus story. For children, these narratives are riveting. For adults they provide a lot of grist for the intellectual mill. They're timeless, and it's hard to believe they'll become anything but a greater and greater part of our cultural identity as the years pass.
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Summary: For all ages
Review: I wrote a thesis in college on certain children's books, and I still consider the Narnia Chronicles to be the best children's books ever written...partly because the enjoyment of reading them ever dies away. I have read the series numerous times, and each time, another layer or bit of truth becomes clear to me. Aslan and his followers tend to impart more Truth to me than some parts of "religion" do. No one should go through life without reading at least The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. And once you read that, you'll not be able to stop until you finish the series. If, however, you could only read two Narnia books, I would suggest that The Last Battle be your second, especially if you are afraid of the End of the World or are struggling with the idea of Hell. Lewis has an interesting and creative approach to these two ideas.
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Summary: A wonderful series of children's books...
Review: These wonderful books will appeal to children of all ages and backgrounds. They will especially appeal to those kids who are reading the Harry Potter series now, with the myth and wonder of Aslan and his magical world, Narnia. (I won't synopsize the plots, you can see those in the reviews above.) I read these books over and over as a child, and still read them occasionally as an adult. They are terrific for older children to read on their own, or to be read to younger children. As a child I was unaware of the allegorical aspects of the books, and that can either be stressed or not, as a parent chooses. I too would recommend that the books be read in the order they were published, since The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe is such a great introduction to the four children, Aslan, and Narnia. These books will take your children into another world, filled with magical talking creatures, one which will be with them all their lives. Don't hesitate to buy this series, for yourself or your children!
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