The Chronicles of Narnia

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Beloved by generations for more than 50 years, this classic children's series is now available in a special adult edition.

C.S. Lewis' classic series is now available in an attractive streamline paperback volume that includes the complete text of all seven books. A Pauline Baynes illustration pulled from the original 1950s editions graces each chapter, and the unabridged text is presented in C.S. Lewis' original spelling and punctuation. Now adults can enjoy the entire series as much as the next generation.

Author Biography: C. S. Lewis, Oxford University don and prolific writer, was one of the most brilliant Christian philosophers and apologists of the 20th century. At the same time, Lewis had the uncanny ability to speak clearly to even the very young. Since his death in the early 1960's, his books - which range from fiction to non-fiction and from juvenile to adult audiences - have created a lasting legacy for him.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

HarperChildren's Audio completes its latest set of recordings of C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia, now available as a stylish boxed set. In 2004, Jeremy Northam and Patrick Stewart were the latest British Shakespearean actors to lend their voices to the classic fantasy series reading The Silver Chair and The Last Battle, respectively. Other previously recorded performers on the collection include Kenneth Branagh, Michael York and Lynn Redgrave. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

When The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe appeared on the literary scene in 1950, it helped to define the genre of fantasy for children and adolescents and opened the door for authors like J. K. Rowling (the "Harry Potter" series), Gail Carson Levine (Ella Enchanted and The Princess Tales), and Phillip Pullman (His Dark Materials Trilogy). The books that followed all took up either the adventures of the five main characters from the first book—Peter, Susan, Edward and Lucy, who became the Kings and Queens of Narnia and the mysterious lion, Aslan, everlasting ruler of all Narnia—or followed events occurring in the "otherworld" of Narnia itself. This current compilation arranges the seven books of Narnia in the order C. S. Lewis thought they should be read. Thus, in The Magician's Nephew (1955), we learn of the origins of Narnia. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (1950), The Horse and His Boy (1954), Prince Caspian (1951), The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952), and The Silver Chair (1953) provide further adventures for the main characters and their friends. The final book, The Last Battle (1956), chronicles the end of Narnia. The adventures themselves are compelling for younger readers, and those who come to Narnia as older "participants" may find themselves analyzing the Christian allegory that Lewis infused throughout the texts. However, in light of concerns about gender or ethnic representations, some readers may have concerns about the stereotypical manner in which a number of characters are constructed. And those students who have found fantasy because of Harry Potter may find The Chronicles of Narnia, at a surface level, less compelling. But Narnia still invites readersof all ages to its shores, and trip is well worth the time. 2001 HarperCollins Publishers, $19.95. Ages 8 up. Reviewer: Jean Boreen

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