On Narnia

So ends a month in Narnia.  It's hard not to enjoy the seven tales told by renowned author C.S. Lewis about a magical world where animals talk, creatures of myth abound, and the great lion Aslan rules.  This was my third time (at least) reading through them, and they have a place on my shelf as something I'll revisit time and time again.  This time, however, I read them in chronological order, which differed from the published order as follows:

Chronological Order:

The Magician's Nephew
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Horse and His Boy
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Last Battle


Published Order:

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Horse and His Boy
The Magician's Nephew
The Last Battle

I rated all of them a solid 'A' or 'A-', and they all contribute something.  Still, I have preferences:

My Favorites (from most to least):

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Magician's Nephew
The Last Battle
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Prince Caspian
The Silver Chair
The Horse and His Boy


Movies:

Three live action movies were adapted from the series:
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

They were . . . okay.  The first was the best, and they got progressively worse.  'Tis often the way with movies . . . stick with the books.  I hear they're making another movie; we'll see how that goes.

One cartoon movie was released:
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

It was pretty good, though dated (it's 37 years old).


Thoughts:

In a word, the books are edifying for all ages.  Profound, amusing, enjoyable, heartwarming, instructive . . . there's a lot of good here.  Lewis does a good job communicating truths through story.  Aslan- the lion who clearly symbolizes Jesus- was exceptionally well done.  Other characters were also good for different reasons; my favorites were Reepicheep (the brave mouse) and Puddleglum (the Marsh-wiggle).  Lots more information about characters, themes, and other things can be found on the Narnia wiki page.  The movies are okay to good, also edifying, but don't quite equal the power of the written.  The bottom line: if you have a chance, check out the books.  The volumes are short and can be read in a day or two (three if you're taking your time).

Series Rating: A

The Last Battle (C.S. Lewis)

Eustace and Jill- heroes of the previous book (The Silver Chair)- find themselves back in Narnia at a most dreadful time.  A false Aslan is at work, deceiving and enslaving true Narnians, and good King Tirian has been taken prisoner.  The children are able to free him, but soon find themselves in a fight against incredible odds.  Narnia's last days may be upon them all . . . who can survive such terrible times?

The final book in the Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle is an allegory for the end times and the new Earth as described in the Bible.  The tale is told well, weaves everything together nicely (incorporating characters from all seven books), and a fitting end to the saga.  Or is it just the beginning?

Rating: A

The Silver Chair (C.S. Lewis)

Eustace Scrubb (who first appears in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader) is at school helping classmate Jill Pole escape some bullies when both find themselves transported to Narnia.  Aslan has a quest for them: to find the lost prince Rilian, son of King Caspian (also from prior volumes).  To do so, they'll need to follow the four signs Aslan provided.  As they do, they'll have adventures and encounters with owls, a Marsh-wiggle named Puddleglum, giants, gnomes in an underground kingdom, and a green witch.  Can they prevail through it all?

I found this quite similar to other offerings in the Narnia series.  Fun adventure, enjoyable for kids and adults, with some good, fantastical illustrations on how Aslan changes and directs lives even through human failures.  Another nice volume.

Rating: A-

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

With the book (see previous post) fresh in my mind, I re-watched the 2010 movie adaptation of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  In this movie, Edmund and Lucy are joined by their obnoxious cousin Eustace in a return to the magical land of Narnia.  This time, they must assist King Caspian in finding the seven lost lords by sailing to the end of the world.  Along the way, they encounter an insidious green mist responsible for enslaving many free peoples and bringing darkness to many.  To beat it, the children must find and collect the swords of the lost lords on Aslan's Table.  Can they prevail?

Boo.  Like the previous movie, they presented some book material in a different order, which was okay.  Unfortunately, they also added things (green mist, collecting swords, etc.) which completely changed the objective (and hence the spirit) of the overall voyage as recorded in the book.  Some other complaints:
- where Prince Caspian felt overly long (at 2.5 hours), this felt rushed (at under 2).  High points of the book were rushed and deprived of their potential, while extra (and unnecessary, in my opinion) scenes were added.
- again they got the essence of some characters wrong.  Edmund and Caspian fight at times and seem to lack trust in each other, which never happens in the book.
- again Aslan's role seems minimized.

Ending on a positive note, they nailed the casting of Eustace- I quite enjoyed him.  And Reepicheep was similarly a fun character, but for entirely different reasons.  Overall, though, this is a forgettable adaptation.

Rating: C-

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (C.S. Lewis)

The two younger Pevensie children, Edmund and Lucy, are staying with their dreadful cousin Eustace for a few weeks.  Things look up, though, when they're all pulled into a painting and find themselves in Narnia again.  Three [Narnian] years have passed since their last visit, and they join Prince Caspian as he embarks on the Dawn Treader to find seven lost lords of Narnia and the end of the world.  Along the way, they have numerous quests, to include run-ins with slave traders, invisible beings, a dragon, water that turns everything in it to gold, and a land where all dreams (good and bad) come true.  Can they make it to the end of the world in one piece?  And if they do, what will they find there?

I enjoyed this well enough.  It had echoes of the Arthurian tales (the constant quests involving the fantastic with an ultimate moral lesson behind them).  We see Aslan changing more hearts- Eustace being the prime example- and other good lessons herein.  It's worth your time.

Rating: A-

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

With the book (reviewed here) fresh in my mind, I wanted to re-watch the 2008 movie adaptation of Prince Caspian, the sequel to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (book discussed here and movie here).  In this movie, the prince summons the four Pevensies back into Narnia to help him defeat his uncle and restore freedom to the Narnians of old.

This movie disappointed me.  I expect changes from the book, but they altered the spirit of it.  There were lots of small changes and minor rearrangements of material in the novel.  That's no huge deal.  But here's what bothered me:
- they added a large scene in the middle- the old Narnians storming the Telmarine stronghold- that was unnecessary and almost made the good guys come off as aggressors.
- the children- Peter in particular- didn't act like one who had been saved and changed by Aslan (which happened in the prior book).  He was proud and obstinate for much of the film, and had spiteful exchanges with Caspian and others.  It was very unlike the book, where Peter was wise and loving for much of it.
- they minimized Aslan's role (and least until the very end).
- they added a minor romance element that the book lacked.

For these reasons, I was let down.  There was some wisdom here, like the book, but overall they could have done better.

Rating: C+

Prince Caspian (C.S. Lewis)

One (Earth) year after events in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the four Narnian rulers of old (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy) are simple children living in our world.  They get pulled unexpectedly back into Narnia, where many hundreds (or thousands?) of years have elapsed since the golden age of their rule.  The landscape has changed, many animals have become dumb, and the Telmarines have conquered the land.  The current ruler, who took the throne by murdering his brother, is looking to kill his nephew (Prince Caspian) to remove all threats to his ill-gotten throne.  The young prince hears tales of Narnia's past, though, and looks to find shelter with- and receive help from- the beings of old.  Can he prevail?

The book was a nice addition to the Narnia chronicles.  We see deterioration of a kingdom over the ages, and the effects it has on the inhabitant animals (turning them from intelligent, speaking beings into dumb animals).  We see again how Aslan is necessary to wake and restore all.  There's a lot of good here, but it didn't feel quite as strong as two others in the series.

Rating: A-

Enter the Battlefield

Enter the Battlefield follows some of the world's top Magic: The Gathering players on the Magic pro tour.  It gives some personal backstory for each of them.

As an avid Magic player, I was excited for this . . . it was disappointing.  The majority of the film was getting to know the players personal backstory a bit, and that part was mundane and boring.  For example, they'd talk to family members who'd say the expected things like "he likes playing the game so much" and "we're proud of him" and "we'll support him no matter what."  I was hoping the documentary would focus more on how the best players prepare for tournaments, or their tips for becoming a great player.  Overall, it was too high-level for Magic fans and too boring/unenlightening for outsiders.  An occasional interesting comment aside, this can be skipped.

Rating: C

The Horse and His Boy (C.S. Lewis)

It is the golden age in Narnia, and the reigning monarchs (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy) are ruling the land well.  It is not so elsewhere.  Shasta, orphaned and serving a harsh master in the equally harsh land of Calormen (south of Narnia, across a vast desert) is about to be sold into slavery when he discovers a talking horse (Narnian, named Bree, and desperate to go north himself).  Together they escape and eventually join up with fellow escapees Aravis (girl) and Hwin (talking horse).  But as they head north, they catch wind of a terrible Calormene plot to conquer Narnia and Archenland.  Can the horses and children warn the northern countries in time?

I enjoyed this tale well enough, but it doesn't seem to quite compare with the other Narnia books I've read to date.  There are profound Christian truths illustrated here, but they don't come in until towards the end.  It's nice to get a view of lands outside of Narnia, but the tale seems like a bolt-on and not as integrated into the saga as other volumes.  It's pretty good; just not as good as the others.

Rating: A-

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)

Things look bleak for the Pevensie children- Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy- when they're sent to a strange professor's house in the countryside to escape the London bombings during World War II.  But when Lucy stumbles upon a new world, accessed through a wardrobe, life takes quite a different turn.  She and the others have found Narnia, a land of talking animals ruled by the evil white witch, where it's always winter but never Christmas.  Things are changing, though, as Aslan- a lion and the rightful ruler of Narnia- has returned and is eager to rid the land of the witch forever.  To do so, however, he must pay a terrible price.

This, the first published and most famous volume in the Chronicles of Narnia, is an allegory of Jesus' death and resurrection.  Aslan is Christ, suffering for the sins of others and ultimately overcoming death itself to heal and restore Narnia.  It's a good story of friendship betrayal, love, and healing.  It's worth your time.  Just be warned: Aslan "isn't safe.  But he's good."

Rating: A

The Magician's Nephew (C.S. Lewis)

Digory and Polly, bored during a typical gray London summer, get more than they bargain for when their explorations take them into Uncle Andrew's study and all the wonders therein.  When the greedy relative tricks them into helping him conduct an experiment, they find themselves traveling between worlds and unwittingly awaking the evil Queen Jadis.  Finally, they arrive in Narnia as it is sung into being by the powerful lion Aslan.  Can Aslan set things right?

The Magician's Nephew is book 6 (in publication order) but book 1 (in the tales' chronological order) of The Chronicles of Narnia by noted Christian author C.S. Lewis.  Here, we learn how Narnia is created and the evil Queen (who will play a prominent role in the best-known tale, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) comes into that world.

This is a children's story, and it's done well.  I'm not sure how well it would stand on its own- the enjoyment is heightened with prior knowledge of Narnia and Aslan- but it's good.  Aslan obviously represents Jesus, and Lewis makes heavy use of symbolism throughout this book (and the series) to teach Christian truths in a witty, powerful, and (at times) light-hearted way.  I'll end with some quotes to reflect upon from the book:

For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of person you are. 

Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. 

O Adam's sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good! 

All get what they want; they do not always like it.

Rating: A

The Quest of the Holy Grail (Author Unknown)

Monty Python did a movie about it, Indiana Jones sought it, and a great many real people have, too.  The Holy Grail is based in history but tales concerning it are mostly of Medieval legend.  The Grail was the cup used by Christ at the last supper (Matthew 26:26-29).  In some versions of later tales spun over the centuries, it was also used by Joseph of Arimathea to catch the Savior's blood while on the Cross (this is nowhere in Scripture).

The legend of the Holy Grail was weaved into Arthurian legend in Medieval times (the literary history is somewhat convoluted; see here for an overview).  So, on to today's review.  Written in the early 1200's in France by an author lost to history, The Quest of the Holy Grail fused Christian symbolism into the Arthurian court.  Here, the Holy Grail was sought by King Arthur's knights- in fact, its pursuit breaks up the fellowship of the Round Table.  In the story, the Grail symbolized 'the secret and hidden wisdom of God' (as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 2:6-10), and knights sought to attain it by virtue.  Each encountered many 'adventures' (we'd think of them as trials) along the way, and all fell short save for one destined to achieve it (name withheld to avoid spoilers).  Many of the adventures were close parallels to stories in Scripture; in fact, often a handy hermit or priest would explain the meaning or symbolism of an adventure to the participants after the fact.

As later Arthurian works discuss the Grail, I was interested in this, one of the earlier ones, and certainly the longest treatment of the subject.  It was pretty good.  I especially enjoyed the Penguin Classics edition; the translator did an excellent job with explanatory notes, walking the reader through the Christian symbolism which pervades this book and pointing the reader to referenced or relevant Scripture passages along the way.  It's clearly meant to instruct.  Of most interest to me was the aspects of Medieval theology we can infer from this.  Here, one virtue (mentioned perhaps more than any other) is chastity- sex was viewed as bad, even (apparently) in marriage.  Perhaps this betrays the author as being a celibate clergyman.  Another common theme is earning merit through virtue (or works)*.  The Reformation (hundreds of years in the future) would address this and give a counter-claim that only by the unmerited favor- or grace- of Christ, in reliance upon His works, can one be saved.  There are other examples; time and space preclude full exploration.  In closing, this is a worthy and insightful addition to the Arthurian saga.

Rating: B+

*Though, to be fair, the only knight who ends up being worthy of the Grail may be symbolic of Christ- the only one who was worthy- so this may be saying that we as sinful humans cannot merit salvation, which would align with Reformation thought.