Rating: 
Summary: Welcome to Narnia
Review: If you've read "Lord of the Rings," then reading C.S. Lewis's Narnia Chronicles is a must. A close pal of J.R.R. Tolkien's and a fellow "Inkling," Lewis was one of the first widely-read fantasy writers, and his books are still widely read and enjoyed by children and adults alike."The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" opens as four children (Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter) are being shipped to the English countryside at the beginning of World War II. While exploring and playing in the vast house where they are staying, Lucy accidently ventures into a winter-locked world called Narnia, which is ruled over by the evil White Witch. The king Aslan is about to return -- but the Witch quickly gets a hold on Edmund. "Prince Caspian" takes place long after the events of "Lion" (though in our world, only a short time has passed). Young Prince Caspian escapes his uncle's castle when his life is threatened, and he finds refuge with the hidden races of Narnia -- dwarves, talking animals, dryads, centaurs and many others. And to help Caspian regain the throne, the two kings and two queens of Narnia are called back... "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" begins when Edmund, Lucy and their obnoxious cousin Eustace are sucked through a painting into Narnia, where their pal Caspian is now king of Narnia (and an adult to boot). Caspian is heading toward the end of the world to find several knights who were banished, and vanished into the perilous islands along the sea. "The Silver Chair" heads into slightly darker territory when Eustace returns to boarding school. He and outcast girl Jill Pole are drawn into Narnia, where Jill must perform a task to redeem herself for a stupid act. She must find the dying Caspian's son Rilian, who vanished many years before. The search will send the two children across Narnia with the pessimistic Puddleglum, to carnivorous Giants, creepy underground creatures, and an enemy worse than they could have imagined... "Horse and His Boy" shoots back in time to the middle of "Lion." Shasta lives with the man he thinks to be his father in a hovel by the sea, but when a Calormene warrior purchases him, he escapes with the man's talking horse, Bree. He meets the escaping noblewoman Aravis (who also has a talking horse), and the two are planning to escape to Narnia and freedom. But in the capital city, there is a conspiracy brewing against the visiting Narnian kings and queens... "Magician's Nephew" clears up many of the questions about Narnia, Aslan and the White Witch. Digory and Polly end up in very serious trouble when they encounter Digory's weird, slightly nutty uncle, a magician who has created magical rings that send the user to other worlds. The two kids end up in the "wood between the worlds," and venture into a dying land where they set loose the evil Queen Jadis -- who follows them to the newborn world of Narnia. "The Last Battle" is definitely the end of the series, where Narnia decays slowly into the final battle between good and evil. Humans are destroying the trees and killing the dryads, and a false Aslan is appearing to mislead the inhabitants of Narnia. Old and new friends will band together as the true Aslan prepares to lead them to a new land. If you don't like allegory (religious or otherwise), then steer clear of the Chronicles. While Lewis's beliefs are presented in a more complicated and subtle manner in his other fictional works, here the parallels to basic Christian beliefs are quite evident. But if you can get past the slightly ham-handed treatment, it's a fantastic read. Lewis reshapes typical mythical elements like dwarves, nymphs, talking animals, centaurs and wicked witches into shape in his invented world. And Narnia is an inviting place -- it isn't always fun or pleasant, but there is always the feeling that the good guys will ultimately come out on top. Charmingly written and full of endearing, entertaining characters, the classic Narnia books are a must-read for any fantasy reader.
Rating:
Summary: Reminding the world of Great Literature
Review: It shocks me to see that someone could actually say these books "suck." To me that speaks profoundly of a lack of understanding for great literature and its context.
These books are wonderful, though I would agree with another reader in saying that they should not be read chronologically--at least not the first go-round.
C.S. Lewis was a profoundly spiritual, Catholic writer who sheds a beautiful light on spirituality through a magically written set of fantasy books that should and do grab the attention of young and old. Do not be fooled by the recommended reading level of these books! I read them first at 9, and now I'm 24 and STILL loving them! Highly Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: This boxed set is the BEST way to get this CLASSIC
Review: Over the last century, C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles have become among the most beloved works of children's literature ever published, and with good reason. The seven volumes of this series offer stories that are absolutely timeless, fairy tales mixing adventurous journeys, marvelous characters, mythical creatures, terrible evils, and moral lessons. That they are well told only helps them stand the test of time. This boxed set is simply gorgeous, with attractive covers and nice layouts - plus you get the books individually, which is good for children who may not have the stamina to hold up that giant collected edition. Each of the seven volumes can be read as an independent story, yet each are linked together by reoccurring themes and characters. Together the separate books form a unified whole, the grand and epic tale that is the Narnia Chronicles. Only "The Horse And His Boy" stands alone as a tale outside the core story arc, though there are cameos by core characters. Over the course of the six core volumes, the interwoven story of Narnia is told from that magical land's creation to its glorious end. The books are not always of consistent quality, but a strong book always follows the weaker volumes. Such was the case when the Homeresque "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" followed the forgettable "Prince Caspian," for instance. Of course, calling the seven-book series a single epic brings into mind a long-running debate. In what order should the books be read; chronologically or in published order? In truth, either order will work because the stories are strong enough to withstand any amount of juggling. The Narnia Chronicles are classics because they offer rich and rewarding stories, glimpses of far off and magical lands, and present entertaining characters to the reader. They stand the test of time because they contain age-old moral lessons, are written in an eminently readable way that just begs to be read aloud, and are simple enough for kids while deep enough for adults. The cliché holds true here: the books are great for young and old alike. No fan of young adult or juvenile literature should pass up on the Narnia Chronicles. Neither should any fan of fantasy, either. And probably nor should any reader at all, period. Recommended classics and near essential reading.
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: Truly Exceptional Stories for ALL ages!
Review: The Narnian Chronicles have been my favorite series since I first read (and devoured) them in third grade (I'm now 30). I have since reread them many times, enjoying them even more each time as I see new things previously undiscovered or not understood. They are entertaining, imaginative, and thought-provoking from many perspectives, and will appeal even to the mature 5 or 6-year-old child as a read-aloud adventure. These books are truly worthy of discussion with your elementary, middle school, or high school student. College students have even written theses about these books and their many intriguing themes. I recently gave the entire set to my eighty-year-old grandmother as a gift, and she read them all within a couple of weeks! She said they were so good, she couldn't put them down, and she has loved talking to me about them ever since! My husband's 90-year-old grandmother is also an avid reader, finishing a book every few days. I am planning on giving the Narnia books to her as well! You simply can't go wrong purchasing these books. This is a wonderfully appealing fantasy series for all ages- it will surely be an enduring classic for generations to come.
Rating:
Summary: The greatest of children's fantasy
Review: The seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia are undoubtedly among the greatest modern classics for children. I once heard someone say (or read somewhere) that they are among the few stories that one should read three times in one's life: in childhood, in early adulthood, and later in life. Indeed, these fun and colorful tales are worthy of such attention by even the most sophisticated of readers. In each book (except The Horse and His Boy) Lewis chronicles the stories of ordinary British schoolchildren (around the time of WWII and earlier) who inadvertently get transported into a magical land called Narnia, usually via some sort of "ordinary" household item such as a wardrobe, ring, or picture. The first book, The Magician's Nephew, follows two children named Polly and Digory who are enticed to try on a ring crafted by their deranged Uncle who wishes to test his discovery. The children are transported into an intermediate world that serves as a junction for many worlds, including our own. Eventually they enter a world that is just being newly created by a Lion named Aslan. This is Narnia, where animals can talk and time runs fast relative to our world so that whoever enters and then leaves finds that while many years may have past in Narnia, only a perphaps a few minutes have gone by in our world. It is the character of Digory who, in the later books, is the old professor in whose house Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy find and enter the magical wardrobe. A host of adventures follow in which the children rid Narnia of an evil witch, help restore the rule of a good king, travel to the bottom of the world, and (my personal favorite) even to the ends of the oceans. The final book, The Last Battle, tells of the end of Narnia. Much has undoubtedly been said or written about the Christian allegory contained in these books and, while young children won't notice, many of the implications are obvious. The first book parallels the book of Genesis in the creation of Narnia by Aslan and its early corruption by the witch. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe describes a scene representing the crucifixion of Christ, and both the Horse and His Boy and Prince Caspian are meideval adventure stories. At the end of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader it is made blatantly clear that Aslan IS Christ in Narnia, and not merely a representation or figure of similarity. The Silver Chair takes us to a sort of Heaven of Narnia where Aslan and his Father the Emporer reside. The Last battle includes the complete destruction of Narnia with the good passing into Heaven and the bad disappearing forever. The last story is even complete with an evil Ape and his plans to decieve all of Narnia into believing in a false god at the end of days. The end of The Last Battle is glorious and borders on sentimentality, which it probably should given the subject. It's actually refreshing to read a story in which morality is so clear cut and where the author isn't afraid to blatantly inject strongly held (and positive) personal beliefs. Although completely different in style and intent, these books are the equivalent of The Lord of the Rings for young readers and should be kept and cherished as treasures of modern fantasy literature.
Rating:
Summary: For action and adventure, the C.O.N won't let you down!
Review: The seven books which make up the Chronicles of Narnia (1.Magicians Newphew, 2.Lion Witch & Wardrobe, 3.The Horse and His Boy, 4.Prince Caspian, 5.Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 6.Silver Chair and finally 7.Last Battle) are packed with imagination, action, adventure and suspense. Each book can be read as an individual story, but to truly appreciate the whole picture I would read all seven Chronicles. There are seven children in total who find themselves going to Narnia in very different situations. But in all cases, it is a magical trip. In this series you will witness Narnia and its talking animals being created, fly on a winged horse, see a young boy get "un-dragoned", sail on a ship to far off destinations, and of course ride on the Lion's back. I would recommend these books to any child between the ages of 8 - 101. C.S. Lewis has a wonderful way of capturing the attention of adults even in his children's books. ><> ><> ><>
Rating: 
Summary: Not just for kids.
Review: The suggested age range of readers for this series is 9 to 12 years. I just read it at 35 and I found it stimulating and inspirational. The stories and characters are allegorical, but just because there is a message there doesn't mean it isn't entertaining. I enjoyed the imagery, the introspection, the dialogue, the settings, all of it. A truely great read.
Rating:
Summary: Delightful Reading, But Sadly Altered
Review: There is a modern misconception concerning C.S. Lewis's great children's series, 'The Chronicles of Narnia.' Due to changes during reprinting, the orginal order of his seven-part series was disrupted to conform to the overall story-line. When the books were written, Mr. Lewis began his series with the classic Christian allegory, 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.' He then went on to write the remaining novels in a non-traditional, non-chronological order: part two of the 'Chronicles' was 'Prince Caspian'. Next came, 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader', 'The Silver Chair', 'The Horse and His Boy', 'The Magician's Nephew', and finally, 'The Last Battle.' Lewis released his novels in this order for a reason and I urge every reader to follow the original, proper sequence. It transforms a mere fantasy series into some of the single best children's novels in print. The symbolism of Christian allegory and the honest and noble morals that rest among the pages will stay with you and your children for years to come. May Aslan be with you and your family as you take the delightful trip into the fantastic and amasing land of Narnia!
Rating:
Summary: The Narnian Chronicles: Amasing read, Deceptive order
Review: There is a modern misconception concerning C.S. Lewis's great children's series, 'The Narnian Chronicles.' Due to changes during modern reprinting (circa 1995), the orignal order of his seven-part series was disrupted to conform to the overall story-line. When the books were written, Mr. Lewis began his series with the classic children's novel, 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.' He then went on to write the remaining novels in a non-traditional, non-chronological order: Part two of the Chronicles was 'Prince Caspian.' Next came (3) 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader', (4) 'The Silver Chair', (5) 'The Horse and His Boy', (6)'The Magician's Nephew', and finally, (7)'The Last Battle.' Lewis released his stories in this order, and I urge every reader to follow the original, albeit unconventional, published sequence. It transforms a mere fantasy series into some of the single best children's novels in print. The symbolism of christian themes and morals will rest in the minds of all who read them; giving the reader a taste of hope and the power of true Belief. May Aslan be with you as you and your family travel through the unforgettable land of Narnia.
|
