Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

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Submitted by Anonymous 
(Mar 09, 2009)

Ever since I was a young boy I have always felt a special connection with The Chronicles of Narnia. They were my escape from the reality of my world into the wonderful world of Narnia. Being a christian myself an even deeper connection exists between myself and this series. I have many times "living" in the books and in Narnia itself. This series of books is an example of a masterpiece of literature. I am truly blessed to have been in contact with the series and have in turn read them all to my children who now dream of nothing else than the world of Narnia. they wish and dream for nothing more than fighting alongside Peter the High King and dancing with the Driads. I know that there will always be a place for these stories in my heart. I say to anyone who thinks that these stories are for children only, you are sadly mistaken. These books and stories are not just for children. They are for anyone who has an imagination, anyone who has creativity, and to everyone who believes. My entire life has been influenced by this series and I can't imagine what I would be today without them. Thank you C.S.Lewis.

This, next to JRR Tolkiens Lord of the Rings is one of the absolute best fantasy series ever written. My dad had an old boxed set which was first read to me and which i later read to myself. Since i learned to read well enough i have read the entire series about three times. The books are intriqueing on so many levels, the plots of the stories are gentle enough for young children, yet still interesting for older audiences. Their is always food for thought in the books, and plenty of C.S.S Lewis's personal theology. Many books with such a large amount of thought without a counter balance of action would become boring, but C.S.S is such an amazing writer, with such elegance and such wonderful thoughts that his books are always interesting. I savor scenes from his books weeks after reading them. I loved the books and if you like fantasy, reading, or just to think than i expect you will too.

I was a little shocked not to see a single review to one of the greatest fantasy series of all-time, The Chronicles of Narnia. Yes, they are primarily children's books. However, they contain all the great elements of fantasy; great storylines, a well developed world and excellent charaters. There are seven books in the series. I read them every few years and have found them just as delightful every time I read them. After Tolkien, Lewis could be the finest fantasy author.

Written at the same time as The Lord of the Rings, and just as essential(and good!), though different. We begin with four siblings who find the fairy-tale-ish land of Narnia through a wardrobe. Throughout the series, main characters drop off and are replaced, and ages pass(Narnia time). Book 5 breaks up the chronology of the series, taking place during Book 1. The last two books take us to the very beginning of Narnia, and then to the very end. Every book as creative as the other, extremely well-written(they are classics!), and coming full circle, it is perfect. READ THE BOOKS IN THE ORDER THEY WERE RELEASED!!! They have recently been reissued and re-numbered in chronological order. This is as great a crime against classic literature as I can think of!!! It severely lessens the impact of the books in countless ways. For instance, Lewis wanted you to wonder how Narnia came to be before he told you. Now, the series begins with Book 6 and gives it away at the beginning, and people and places appear that Lewis wanted you to be already familiar with. Read it the way it was written. This and The Lord of the Rings are the parents of modern fantasy and world-building. Peter Jackson, how's about a SEVEN film series?

I received these books as a Christmas gift when I was about seven or eight, and absolutely loved them. Since then, I have read the entire series three or four times. They were the books that introduced me to fantasy writing, and I've been hooked ever since. Individually, they're short enough to not scare away less ambitious readers, but together they create a world with such detail that I was sure such places really did exist, if we only knew how to get there. I, for one, will never grow too old for Narnia.