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Summary: An "Odyssey" for Children
Review: After reading the very first line, "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it," I realized that I had made a huge mistake beginning "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" half an hour before bedtime. More exciting and adventure-packed than the two preceeding books (in the original ordering, of course), "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian", it is hard to put down.The main characters that readers will recognize are King Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, and Reepicheep. Sadly, Peter and Susan have since become too old to reenter Narnia; but the story does amazingly well even without them. Here, Eustace, who will reappear in "The Silver Chair", is introduced for the first time. They are an interesting bunch, all providing something essential to the story, especially Reepicheep (whose character and personal history are developed further) and Eustace (who experiences a wonderful kind of redemption). The Dawn Treader is a ship King Caspian built in order to fulfil an oath made on his coronation day to find the seven lords and friends of his father that his uncle Miraz had sent to explore the Eastern Seas. Every two chapters or so, the Dawn Treader stops at an island, where its crew and passengers have a small adventure-within-the-larger-adventure, discover the fate of each of the seven lords, and learn good moral lessons. For instance, one island, called the Dark Island, is a place where dreams come true. It may sound wonderful, until you realize that the dreams that come true are not the pleasant daydreams, but the nightmares. After the last island, the passengers even reach, or very nearly reach, the End of the World. Though I compared this book to Homer's "Odyssey" in the title of this review, I must add that it can also be likened to John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress". This voyage is not guided by fate and devoid of reason, but is blessed by Aslan (who symbolizes Jesus) and is full of meaning and purpose. It does not merely represent the passage through life, but the passage through life _as a Christian_. That may be why one reviewer complained that this novel is overly preachy. Yet we readers are human, after all, and in need of being preached to now and then. Another thing that may surprise readers is the chivalry with which Lucy, the only girl on the ship, is treated by the men. Though it not "politically correct," as Eustace himself points out at the beginning, it has a certain rightness to it. Remembering how the March girls in Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" played at being good in imitation of the character Christian in "The Pilgrim's Progress", only to realize that their game was really a way of life, I can say that it would be wonderful if children today could apply the allegories in "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" in the same way. Parents, take note: it is easier to ask a child, "What would Edmund tell you about forgiving someone who has done wrong, like Eustace?" than to launch into a weary sermon about forgiveness that they may not remember anyway. There are more archetypes in this book, and in all stories about Narnia, than C.S. Lewis himself must have realized: and children can only benefit from knowing them as they grow up.
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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: 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: 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: Never a dull moment
Review: This is the fifth book chronologically, and the third published. After "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", it's probably the next most enjoyable of the series.
Peter and Susan are now too old to enter Narnia, and this time it's Edmund and Lucy embarking on their last magical adventure. We rejoin them during their stay with their new age aunt and uncle, and obnoxious cousin Eustace. A painting of a Narnian ship literally draws all three children in to the next adventure, where we advance three Narnian years from book four, "Prince Caspian".
Caspian, the boy King, is on a quest to find out what really happened to the seven lords who had been sent away by his evil uncle Miraz. This is the story of that perilous journey to the unknown Eastern Seas, and according to legend, the country of Aslan himself.
Journeying into the unknown is always fraught with danger, but after many thrilling adventures and much adversity, they are successful in solving the puzzle of the seven lords, for better or for worse. Time and time again, they seek Aslan's help, and in his mysterious ways, he guides them through their darkest hours.
Packed with excitement, adventure, magic and enchantment, pirates, dragons, treasure and invisible people, there's never a dull moment aboard the Dawn Treader.
Amanda Richards, September 3, 2004
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Summary: A Voyage of the Best Kind
Review: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C.S. Lewis is in my opinion, the best out of all seven of the Chronicles of Narnia.
It is like a cruise- in a book- you get a taste of various make-believe cultures. You even meet a Star and experience a vast endless sea adventure with good and evil, right and wrong. Explore the shallows of the sweet waters where there are fierce yet valiant sea people. Search for the eight lords banished from Narnia by the evil 'king' Miraz. See Aslans country and look for the many biblical parallels hidden within that only make it more exciting with its familiarity yet different adventurous ways of portraying the prophesies. This book is good for people of all ages, and is a good place to start with the fantasy genre.
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