Companion to Narnia

Rating:
Summary: The Narnia Book's Page Numbers ...
Review: corpus-callosum's [Amazon.com] review mentions "At the end of the articles, Ford has placed in parentheses an abbreviated reference to the specific book and page number that coincides with the topic being discussed. "

There are two numbers separated by a comma- the first is the tradepaperback/hardback HaperCollins or Harper Trophy page number, the second (after the comma) is for the Harper Trophy rack sized (mass market) paperback editions.

Examples from the Companion book listings to check pagination of the Narnia editions you have to see if they match up on the correct page:

Lion Witch Wardrobe: Hosea 11:10 "at the sound of his roar" 79,85
Prince Caspian:Isaiah 9:1"the people that lived in hiding" 72,75
Dawn Treader: Isaiah 6:6 "a little live coal" 207,224
Silver Chair: Psalms103:9 "I will not always be scolding" 236,250
Horse & His Boy: Daniel 4:24 "not a donkey!" 219,235
Magician's Nephew: Job 38:7 "stars themselves singing" 107,117
Last Battle: Deut.33:27 "between the paws of the true Aslan" 121, 134

I have the trade paperback Harper Trophy "full-color collector's edition of Narnia, boxed set ISBN: 0064409392 and the first number of the two (the one before the comma) matches perfectly in all the Narnia books.

Rating:
Summary: Not Kid-Friendly
Review: I first entered Narnia as a child, simply pushing the fur coats aside and stepping through the wardrobe into the snowy world near the lamp post. I didn't need a guide book. Things just unfolded and I went with the flow of wonders. I came back for an extended visit when I was expecting my first child. There were concepts there that I had not noticed before as "concepts". I felt inspired and doubly moved by its beauty. Now, I'm at the "grandma" age if not yet in that reality. I've popped back in to visit old friends and this guide book is truly a "companion." I realize that the word "companion" in the title refers to the fact that this volume is a companion to the Narnia books, but for me the title has a double meaning, in that it is also my companion on the journey to Narnia, my tour guide, so to speak.
This book takes you by the hand and encourages you to look closer, gently pointing out the secrets of the locale that only the natives might know. It gives insights and provokes thought and dialogue. It is a neat holistic view that encourages an appreciation for the big picture by illuminating the subtle details. It is also the kind of tribute to the minute of one's heroes that all "fans" love to pour over. If you are a young person just let Lucy help you find your way into Narnia and I assure you that you will have a splendid time, but if you are a bit older I recommend this travelog and the company of this wonderfully helpful and insightful book.
This book also contains an insightful foreward by Madeleine L'Engle, author of "A Wrinkle in Time".

Rating:
Summary: It's an extremely useful resource guide
Review: I found the book to be quite informative and well-organized. The bits on the themes were especially helpful. I would consider this book essential to anyone who is interested in the world of C.S. Lewis' Narnia.

Rating:
Summary: Very informative, useful appendixes
Review: I found the book useful, though there is no substitute for reading the books. For those who have already read the Chronicles it gives some interesting facts. I have loved the Chronicles from an early age and I would hope that the Companion to Narnia is useful to all friends of Narnia.

Rating:
Summary: There's always something new in Narnia!
Review: I have read and re-read all seven of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia many times in my adult life. And plan to do so again and again. The remarkable thing is that the stories still seem fresh and alive. They never seem to get boring and there are always new insights waiting to be discovered. Even for the adult reader. I would highly recommend the stories to all young readers, even though I myself did not read them as a child. I think I was so bent on trying to read the entire works of Enid Blyton at the time, that I failed to notice anything Narnian about my local library.

"New insights" are what the Companion To Narnia is all about. Paul F. Ford has done a wonderful job of assembling all of the myriad of characters, places, themes; all the rich history and lore of Narnia and beyond, into this one encyclopedic book. I really cannot see how it could be improved upon. It is massive in scope. I have read it and "used" it for years now.

The book is arranged alphebetically and all topics are meticulously cross-referenced (an asterisk follows any word or phrase which is an entry elsewhere). Even though this is not the type of book that is commonly read from cover to cover, picking it up and starting from any topic will surely tempt you to the reading of the asterisk-linked articles. In Narnian terms, I think of this as the hidden "Turkish-Delight" feature of the book. Let it take you where your curiosity and interest leads.

At the end of the articles, Ford has placed in parentheses an abbreviated reference to the specific book and page number that coincides with the topic being discussed. This sends us back to the original source of the material if necessary, and allows Ford's book to be not only a companion, but a sort-of concordance as well. It is a very useful feature.

The copious footnotes will definitely appeal to those who are interested in learning more about the creator of Narnia. These notes clearly show that Paul Ford is an expert in his knowledge of the man C.S. Lewis. (A good example is the numerous footnotes to the article entitled "Digory Kurke").

Another great feature of the book is that not only are characters and place-names discussed, but also the IDEAS and THEMES of the Chronicles are examined. For instance there are comprehensive articles on such things as: Dreams, Knowledge, Fear, Privacy, Sounds, Music, Obedience, Birds, Ecology, etc. Of particular worthy mention is the great five page section on Biblical Allusions.

The final thing I will mention is that there are wonderful illustrations throughout the book, and these serve to take the imagination even further into the world that is Narnia.

The book is appropriately titled. My desk-dictionary has, as one of its definitions for the word companion... "one of a pair of matching things". In my opinion, any bookshelf that has its Narnia, ought to have its Companion.

Rating:
Summary: I didn't like this book at all.
Review: I resold this book immediately, without even browsing all the way through it! I thought it would be a fun book to help me re-enter the Chronicles of Narnia world, but there aren't any short summaries of the books and their meaning. There are many long references to obscure characters. Without remembering which are the most important characters in which books, it's hard to look anything up.

Rating:
Summary: A mess of information.
Review: I resold this book immediately, without even browsing all the way through it! The way it was typeset and laid out was awful - one section ran on forever. I thought it would be a cute, fun book to help me re-enter the Chronicles of Narnia world, but the book takes itself much too seriously. It offered no quick-n-easy summaries, rather long references to obscure characters. Very bad.

Rating:
Summary: A fine companion
Review: Is it strange to think that you need a companion for a set of books that take place in a world that doesn't even exist? No, not really. I read the companion thoroughly, then re-read the books, and I can say that they really did add something. There were some jokes (like in "The Magician's Nephew) that needed explaining, and some translations that brought the story a little closer to home. If you love Narnia, you'll love the companion.

Rating:
Summary: SUPERB!!!
Review: The Companion is Great!!! When ever your reading parts of the book and get to something that doesn't make a lot of sense just find it in the Companion! It has everything including Maps, Definitions, Charts, Graphs, Everything! This book is great and everyone who owns the Books or the Movies should have this!!!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent source of infomation
Review: This is a great book. It is arranged alphabetically, in encyclopedia form, and contains over 500 pages of entries. Every single obscure character is listed (remember who Lord Tarva was?), descriptions of places, ages, weaponry, even philosophers who had an impact on the author and the book are discussed and explained.

This book is a wonderful resource for those who are writing research papers on Narnia, or for those of us who just love the world and like to expand our grasp of Narnian trivia. Don't hesitate!