C.S. Lewis's Oxford (Simon Horobin)

C.S. Lewis, famed author of the Chronicles of Narnia and Christian apologist, spent most of his adult life at Oxford. C.S. Lewis's Oxford "examines the role Oxford—its colleges, libraries, chapels, clubs, common room and pubs—played in fostering the work of one of the twentieth century's most influential writers and thinkers." 

This book is a curiosity. It started slowly but got more interesting. It is kind of a biography, but not in any traditional sense. Focusing on Oxford, it is a bit like a tourist guide, moving back and forth chronologically at different locations in the town important to Lewis. Along the way, it shares insights into Lewis's daily life (mostly his duties as a tutor/lecturer, his involvement in clubs/societies, and his friendships).

In dividing the focus between Lewis and Oxford, you get a full picture of neither. This book was a meandering (if enjoyable) hodge-podge of anecdotes and does not achieve its stated purpose. Instead, it is more about sharing stories (likely previously unpublished) about Lewis's life. It is best enjoyed by a fan of Lewis on holiday in Oxford who can wander the streets and soak in the locations mentioned.

Rating: B-

The Reading Life (C.S. Lewis)

For C.S. Lewis, noted author of Mere Christianity, The Chronicles of Narnia, and other works, reading was an unsurpassed passion. He was known to have read widely and with retention, able to recite breathtaking amounts from memory. The point of The Reading Life is to create a "collection [that] brings together fun, whimsical, and wise selections from Lewis's lifetime of writing that would be of interest to those who share this passion." (from the editors, David Downing and Michael Maudlin) In his life, Lewis wrote on this topic often, and this work collects his thoughts on why we read, marks of a "True Reader," why children's stories are not just for children, the case for reading old books, and more.

Lewis is a gifted writer, and I greatly enjoyed this little volume. His insights, always delivered with eloquence (and often with wit), help articulate the value of reading in ways few have matched. Select thoughts are below.

Why do we read? 

"We seek an enlargement of our being. We want to be more than ourselves. Each of us by nature sees the whole world from one point of view with a perspective and a selectiveness peculiar to himself . . . [we] are saturated with, and limited by, our own psychology." "Literature as Logos is a series of windows, even of doors. One of the things we feel after reading a great work is 'I have got out.' Or from another point of view, 'I have got in'; pierced the shell of some other monad and discovered what it is like inside." "Literary experience heals the wound, without undermining the privilege, of individuality . . . in reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself."

On children's stories

I am almost inclined to set it up as canon that a children's story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children's story. 

No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally (and often far more) worth reading at the age of fifty. 

On fantasy

[Fantasy] stirs and troubles him (to his life-long enrichment) with the dim sense of something beyond his readh and, far from dulling or emptying the actual world, gives it a new dimension of depth. He does not despire real woods because he has read of enchanted woods: the reading makes all real woods a little enchanted.

The value of myth is that it takes all the things we know and restores to them the rich significance which has been hidden by 'the veil of familiarity.'

On reading old books

Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books.

Rating: A

Echoes of Eden (Jerram Barrs)

In Echoes of Eden, Jerram Barrs provides some "reflections on Christianity, literature, and the arts." After background material on "God and humans as creative artists," he looks to build an understanding of what it means to practice, approach, and appreciate/judge art as a Christian. He discussed 'echoes of Eden' (see below) and the concludes by looking at 5 artists (and their key works): C.S. Lewis (Narnia), J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings), J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter), Shakespeare (Macbeth), and Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice).

In 1 Timothy 4:1-5, "Paul insists that . . . all the gifts of creation-are good and holy, for God himself has declared them to be so." "Man and woman, God's image bearers, are made to be sub-creators following after their Creator." Thus "We may describe a Christian undersatnding of the arts in the following way: Our work in any field of the arts will be imitative. We will be thinking God's thoughts after him." So "Christian artists need to regard themselves as creatures of God, using gifts given by God, delighting in the world made by God, needing the help of other artists, doing their work to the glory of God, and devoting their labors to the enrichment of the lives of others." 

It's important to note that artists serve not themselves, but "serve the needs of other people and to bring some help, enrichment, consolation, and encouragement to their lives." Through the gifts of an artist, "We may experience more of the wonder of God's world as we read and so enter into someone else's perspective on this world. This is true in all the arts . . . [artists see] something of the world that we do not see, and so as we look or listen or read, we are enriched by each artist's vision." "In the enjoyment of others' creativity, I enter into a vision and richness beyond my own: 'familiar things made new, and new things made familiar,' to paraphrase Samuel Johnson." C.S. Lewis would agree, and argues that art can include delving into fantasy/fictional worlds: "The value of the myth is that it takes all the things we know and restores to them the rich significance which has been hidden by 'the veil of familiarity.'"

We should learn to recognize the value in art from all, as "God has given his creative gifts to believers and unbelievers alike." As John Calvin eloquently put it, "The human mind, however much fallen and perverted from its original integrity, is still adorned and invested with admirable gifts from its Creator. If we reflect that the Spirit of God is the only fountain of truth, we will be careful, as we would avoid offering insult to him, not to reject or doncemn truth wherever it appears."

Ultimately, Barrs argues that "All great art will echo these three elements of Eden: (1) Eden in its original glory, (2) Eden that is lost to us, and (3) the promise that Eden will be restored." He repeats this several times using different words:

• "as a principle that the themes of all great art . . . are the world and human life as they came from the hand of God; the world and human life as they now are subject to sorrow, sin, and death; and the world and human life as we long for and look forward to their restoration."
• "all great art contains elements of the true story: the story of the good creation, the fallen world, and the longing for redemption."
• "What we are calling echoes of Eden is like this, for as soon as we experience a memory of the glory of Eden, there is also a sense of deep sadness intermingled with the glory, for any true echo will have both the beauty that was ours and the sorrow of its loss."
• "the three fundamental themes . . . [are] the beauty of creation, the appalling reality of evil, and the universal human longing for redemption and a better world."

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I enjoyed this book. I was pleased to see my approach/thoughts on the matter (the "content consumption" posts I did in October) largely align with Barrs. I gained from his insights and am thankful for them. The most value is found in the first half, where he does a good job explaining core concepts on how we should value and approach art. The second half, where he evaluates five authors, is also of value, but felt less structured and more conversational/meandering. And the book ends abruptly; I wish he had included a final chapter to wrap everything together. Overall, though, it is a good read.

Rating: A-

Prince Caspian (C.S. Lewis)

Generations after The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe . . . Prince Caspian is a Telmarine and the rightful ruler of Narnia, but his evil Uncle Miraz has claimed the title for himself after murdering Caspian's father. Fleeing for his life, Caspian encounters the stuff of legends: talking animals, the ancient (and original) inhabitants of the land! They agree to help him go against his uncle, but it's clear more help is needed. Blowing a horn of legend, they hope to summon Kings Peter and Edmund, and Queens Susan and Lucy, to join the fight- and hope for Aslan, king of the world, to join them. But will they come? And will it be enough?

I first reviewed this in 2016 (here); I'm reviewing it again because the passage of four years (and reading it out loud to my kids) has given me a different take on the story. I still enjoyed it, but not quite as much as I did last time. It's good, not great. Some elements of wisdom, fun characters, etc., but not as profound or interesting as the first-published release in the series. Looking back on my thoughts on the entire series (here), I agreed then that it wasn't in the top half of the seven books (placing it fifth of seven); I wonder how I'll feel about the others now.

Rating: B

The Top Ten: Books (Fantasy)

I dislike science fiction but love the fantasy genre (this book helped me understand why).  At its best, fantasy acknowledges and incorporates the supernatural into its tales and teaches wisdom through story.

Minas Tirith from The Lord of the Rings (image from here)

I have high hopes to plow through several noteworthy (and lengthy) fantasy series someday, but the below selections I've already enjoyed are worthy of your time.

1. The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien)

This trilogy set the standard for the genre.  Impossible to omit from any 'top fantasy' list.

2. The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)

The book whose popularity encouraged Tolkien to write The Lord of the Rings.  More suitable for children than its successor.

3. The Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis)

The seven-book series with overt Christian symbolism, these stories are filled with both adventure and wisdom.

4. The Warlord Trilogy (Bernard Cornwell)

Perhaps the only 'historical fantasy' I've ever read, Cornwell's take on the Arthurian legend is a must-read.

5. The Harry Potter Series (J.K. Rowling)

These seven books made many kids (and adults) learn to love reading.

6. The Once and Future King (T.H. White)

Another book on Arthur; this one is at times whimsical and always outstanding.

7. The Eye of the World (Robert Jordan)

I'm currently on book four of the 14-book Wheel of Time saga; book one sets a high bar for what followed.

8. The King Arthur trilogy (Rosemary Sutcliff)

This classic telling of the Arthurian saga- suitable for children- is a delight for adults as well.

9. Ivanhoe (Sir Walter Scott)

I have a page dedicated to Robin Hood . . . I should have at least one Robin book in my top ten.  I've never read a top-notch telling of the legend, though I've enjoyed several good ones (Robin McKinley's Outlaws of Sherwood and Henry Gilbert's Robin Hood come to mind).  But for my vote, I'm going with Ivanhoe.  This tale features Robin more on the sidelines, and may not be considered fantasy (rather, historical fiction), but I'm going with it; it's a fun read.

10. The Arthur Trilogy (Kevin Crossley-Holland)

Detecting a theme in my list?  Yes, I like King Arthur stories.  Crossley-Holland's trilogy (The Seeing Stone, At the Crossing Places, and King of the Middle March) follow two Arthurs: one living in ~1200, and the other "famous" one living seven centuries earlier, whose exploits are visible to the former through a seeing stone.  Very well done young adult fare.

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Read a fantasy book- or seven- this year.

On Fantasy Novels

Wheel of Time art by legendary fantasy artist Darrell K. Sweet

I knew it would happen at some point.  I love fantasy books, and I avoid them for that reason, as many are multi-book series that require a big time commitment.  But a friend gifted me the first nine books of Wheel of Time, and having just finished the first in that series, I can't help myself: I'm on a fantasy kick, big time.

What is fantasy? It is a type of fiction.  Fiction is anything that has not happened; fantasy is anything that cannot happen.  It is "untethered from scientific and societal laws" (source).  In fantasy novels, authors create worlds with magic, beasts (like dragons), other intelligent species (like elves), strange plants- anything is possible, since it's not constrained by the real world.  And I love it (explaining why here).

There are many types of fantasy (this article covers some, this many more).  My favorites:
- High (or epic) fantasy involves large-scale worlds and 'save the world' tasks (like The Lord of the Rings).
- Low fantasy is based in the real world, with small supernatural elements.  The world of the muggles in Harry Potter would be an example.
- Dark fantasy's focus is on the macabre- it aims to frighten (like The Call of Cthulhu).
- Arthurian fantasy deals with the King Arthur legend.
- Fairy tales are for children and often have supernatural creatures (like Grimm's Fairy Tales).

My favorite is high fantasy, due to common elements like the theme of good vs. evil, epic journeys, fantastic beasts and settings, the hero's quest, and an impression of depth.

My main 'fear' of high fantasy books is their nature.  Epic, by definition, includes length- and I don't like the idea of starting series that will take years to complete, or starting a series not yet completed.  The best approach, for me, is pacing- to set a number per year and stick to it, keeping it manageable- even if that means decades.

Here are a few fantasy links I've used for this post:
Fantastic Fiction
A google search on the best fantasy of all times
Paste Magazine's look at top fantasy works
Best fantasy books seems like a relevant site
Thrillist's take on the best
Tor is a major fantasy publisher and this article looks at completed series

I'll conclude with the below list of fantasy series I've read or want to read.

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Okay, I've already read this one.  You could argue Tolkien's works kicked off the genre; though earlier works existed, none established themselves quite like Middle Earth.  Read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings for certain; the other works were often left unfinished and since edited by his son, suitable only for diehard fans.  Visit my LOTR page for more information.

C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia
An excellent series, short and suitable for children.  Clear Christian symbolism throughout.  My reviews can be found here.

David Farland, The Runelords
I read book one ten years ago.  I remember it being pretty good but other matters (like the birth of our first child) distracted me.  I hope to revisit this series at some point- at least the first four books.  It's based on an interesting idea of attribute sharing- you can voluntarily give some aspect of you (looks, intelligence, athletic prowess, etc.) to another.  Whatever you give, you lose, so (for example) a beautiful woman will become ugly by giving her beauty to another.  The ones who amass hundreds of attributes are called Runelords, and they must protect those who have given attributes in order to maintain their power.  It sets up an interesting universe.

David Eddings, The Belgariad
I read at least one of these- I may have even read all five in Eddings' first pentalogy (but my memory is dim, and this would have been twelve years ago).  The books are short and (from what I recall) suitable for older children. 

Raymond Feist, The Riftwar Saga
A prolific author with many books to his name, I hope to read his original trilgoy.

Patrick Rothfuss, The Kingkiller Chronicle
Book one is hailed as outstanding; what's kept me from this to date is that only two books have been written of the trilogy, and Rothfuss has taken years to write book three.  I avoid series until they're complete.

Brandon Sanderson, The Mistborn Trilogy
Sanderson is widely respected in the fantasy genre, having authored several successful series and completing Jordan's tome (see next entry).  I believe he's done several unrelated epics, which impresses me (most authors with successful epics tend to continue them).

Robert Jordan, Wheel of Time
I've read book one, and currently enjoying two.  Jordan died before he could complete the work, but left instructions for Brandon Sanderson to complete it, which he did (admirably, I'm told).  I plan to read all 14 books in this series.

Terry Brooks, The Sword of Shannara Trilogy
Brooks' Shannara series has gone on for decades; I'd like to read his first trilogy.

Terry Goodkind, Sword of Truth
A well-known twelve book series; I'd like to try the first 2-3 and see where it goes.

R.A. Salvatore, The Icewind Dale Trilogy
Salvatore is a prolific author, and this is among the earliest of his works.  He's best known for a character named "Drizzt."

L.E. Modesitt, Jr., The Saga of Recluce
I see this name a lot in fantasy searches; though I know thing about the author or series, it's too popular to ignore.

George R.R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire
No list would be complete without Martin's work.  I read book one around 2003, before the HBO series brought popular awareness to these works.  I found the book outstanding but including extremely graphic and inappropriate elements; that, plus Martin's infuriating delays to completing the last books, means I'll likely stay away.

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-

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