I love, love, love Ward’s Planet Narnia. Lawrence wondered if he should re-read them chronologically, but his mother felt he should stick with the original published order. He suggests that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is more initially captivating than The Magician’s Nephew, that certain lines in Lion do not make sense when the book is not read first, and that Nephew has greater mythic power when read as a prequel. Prince Caspian 3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader 4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia #1) by C. S. Lewis. Although I knew the story thanks to the 1980s BBC series (yep, I’m old) I picked up The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe earlier this year for the first time ever to read to my kids. Lewis meant for the books to be read in chronological order with The Magician's Nephew to be read first. Walden Media’s Narnia movies followed the original published order: 1. The Earth children join forces with outlaw Prince Caspian and his animal followers to save their beloved land. ", "Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy.". It adds a deeper and richer element to the reading of the Chronicles, and I think it fits Lewis’s style in those stories to consider that there were layers upon layers–first you have the basic, simple, story-as-it-seems layer, then the … The books were not published in the chronological order. I'm planning on reading it in the future, sometime. You can read it in different orders, it doesn't make a difference. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010), Where should Netflix’s Narnia reboot start? I’m about to begin this series for the first time ever, and I have seen the controversy over what order to read the books in. Eventually, British editions of the series were numbered chronologically. You don't really understand what Narnia is like unless you read this book. In books 1 to 4 in the publishing order, we follow four visits to Narnia by the Pevensie children, along with their cousin Eustace in the latter two books. I have a strong opinion about this, and I am in good company. Georgie Henley Talks to NarniaWeb About Narnia Movies (15 Years Later), Where Netflix’s Narnia Reboot Should Start | Talking Beasts. Here are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about. Why are there multiple orders? Among the mysteries of the house is an old wardrobe that yields a passage to an extraordinary land. Lewis' seven books relating the history of the World of Narnia. So they were all ripped and dog-eared. Publishing order jumps back and forth in time too much. Recently, Harper Collins has repackaged the Narnia series in the order that best fits with the internal chronology of events. The Chronicles of Narnia (Chronicles of Narnia #1-7), C.S. In the 21st century, this became much more feasible and the film series was created. I’m about to begin this series for the first time ever, and I have seen the controversy over what order to read the books in. If you prefer to read them in the original order—an order that may bring more surprises—follow the dates after the titles instead. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 2. 1 starting with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe or 1 starting with the Magician's Nephew. The series was not planned beforehand as she thinks. C. S. Lewis wrote back to the boy, saying, "I think I agree with your order for reading the books more than with your mother's," and soon afterward the publishers began to number them in this way. Chronicles of a Narnia … Do you prefer in publication or chronological order? Narnia is a "stepping stone" to Harry Potter; Narnia fills children's minds with magic; 1: Lewis had a "lust" for the occult. A reader writes: Thanks for your article on the Narnia movies.I’m wondering why they made the movies in a different order than the numbering of the books. If you’re doing a reread of “The Chronicles of Narnia”, read in whatever order you like. Answers below… Publication Order. The boy thought it would be better to read them in story order. "In the last days of Narnia, far up to the west beyond Lantern Waste and close beside the great waterfall, there lived an Ape.". He doesn’t normally get excited about homework! I was curious to see if people think it's best to read them in chronological order or in the order they were published. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia #1) by C. S. Lewis. Favorite Answer There is a reason why every adaptation of the series started with “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”. Lewis' seven books relating the history of the World of Narnia. His instructions were to make a Chronicles of Narnia diorama. The live-action Narnia films. I’ve read most of his works many times. I'm planning on reading it in the future, sometime. The Chronicles of Narnia (Chronicles of Narnia #1-7), C.S. The books have also been adapted many different times for television, radio, stage and more. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 2. I’m also a fan of CS Lewis. The boy's mother believed the books should be read in order of their publication, beginning with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. (This is partly copied from something I recently posted in answer to another question: answer to How many stories are there within the Narnia storyline?) He suggested that chronological order might be the easiest way to read the Chronicles (see Lewis’s letter of 21 April 1957 and corresponding footnote 43 in Lewis’s Collected Letters III, 847-48). But if it’s your first time experiencing the Chronicles, I absolutely insist you start with “The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe”. Edmund, Lucy, and their spoilsport cousin Eustace are called to a mission on the seas of Narnia. The books were not published in the chronological order. Done reading THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA.This edition I own contains the seven unabridged books arranged in chronological order. I am SOOOO confused. Going by the order of the events within the books, the reader should start with The Magician's Nephew, then read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Horse and His Boy. I think it gives the best experience in Narnia. Loading ... What order should the books be read in? He doesn’t normally get excited about homework! Talking horses use their wits on a quest to guide two refugee children to safety. The Chronicles of Narnia is the collective name for C.S. I was curious to see if people think it's best to read them in chronological order or in the order they were published. But Lewis, who had written bits and pieces of the books at different times, also noted that the order probably didn't much matter: "I'm not even sure that all the [books] were written in the same order in which they were published.". So perhaps it does not matter very much in which order anyone read them.” I think publication order is best. … This is the place to start if you are new to C.S. Infoplease knows the value of having sources you can trust. Proponents see this as clear proof Lewis wanted the books read in chronological order. I started reading it as a firm skeptic, and ended a firm believer. What order should The Chronicles of Narnia be read? On the official website of C. S. Lewis, Dr. Charlie W. Starr claims that “Lewis scholars almost universally agree” that the original published order is superior. Here is what we think…. Since Peter Jackson already had his claws in The Lord of the Rings series, Walt Disney Pictures decided to offer up their take on the epic fantasy genre with The Chronicles of Narnia, a well-beloved children's fantasy series from author, C.S. The compilation book includes this statement: “Although The Magician’s Nephew was written several years after C. S. Lewis first began The Chronicles of Narnia, he wanted it to be read as the first book in the series. Experience all seven tales of C. S. Lewis's classic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia, in one impressive paperback volume! read the Narnia Book series in 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 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950), Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (1951). The boy thought it would be better to read them in story order. "Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, and it has been told in another book called The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe how they had a remarkable adventure.". Our editors update and regularly refine this enormous body of information to bring you reliable information. Blackadder, which everyone, without exception, should also start in the second season, only in this case, never return to the first season at all. "This is the story of an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands between, in the Golden Age when Peter was High King in Narnia and his brother and his two sisters were Kings and Queens under him.". ", Two children stumble into a bizarre experiment and are transported across time and space. Why are there multiple orders? This letter is cited by readers on both sides of the controversial decision to re-number the books. Publishing order jumps back and forth in time too much. The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of fantasy novels by British author C. S. Lewis.Written by Lewis, illustrated by Pauline Baynes, and originally published in London between 1950 and 1956, The Chronicles of Narnia has been adapted for radio, television, the stage, and film. Torday's take on Narnia is more of a meta-story about libraries, reading, fact and fiction, retaining the classic English feel of the original series and set during World War … Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia #2) by C. S. Lewis. I’ve read most of his works many times. FEN Learning is part of Sandbox Networks, a digital learning company that operates education services and products for the 21st century. Recently, Harper Collins has repackaged the Narnia series in the order that best fits with the internal chronology of events. The original publication order was as such (from 1950 to 1956): 1. Chronological, or publishing order? In 2005, Walden Media and Disney teamed up to produce The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – the first big screen adaptation of the book.Released to positive reviews, the movie was a huge hit with audiences and led to a follow-up, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Blackadder, which everyone, without exception, should also start in the second season, only in this case, never return to the first season at all. Learn more about the mythic conflict between the Argives and the Trojans. Author's Writing Style: 5 stars!! In what order should i read the Chronicles of Narnia book series? Lewis never believed that film could capture the scale of Narnia, thus he never sold the rights. That last bit is important because that’s the way Lewis told the story. Publication order: Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Silver Chair, Horse and his Boy, Magician's Nephew, Last Battle. My 10-year-old son came home excited about a school project several weeks ago. Chronological order for The Chronicles of Narnia. But if it’s your first time experiencing the Chronicles, I absolutely insist you start with “The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe”. The Magician's Nephew (chronologically the first) is also a good book, but it does not have the punch and attraction of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Answers below…. A year after first entering the wardrobe, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy return to Narnia, where the passage of centuries has brought hostile invaders. However, by doing so, one misses out on the growing sense of wonder one experiences when first reading The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe , with its gradual revelations of the wonders of the land of Narnia . Narnia Reading Order. Prince Caspian 3. I heard there are 2 ways of reading them though. Celebthôl Loremaster. Epic battles between good and evil, fantastic creatures, betrayals, heroic deeds, and friendships won and lost all come together in this unforgettable … Check our encyclopedia for a gloss on thousands of topics from biographies to the table of elements. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (The Chronicles of Narnia #3) by C. S. Lewis. The chronological order isn't really important. It was about reading them. And I’m not the least bit ashamed of it.” Infoplease is a reference and learning site, combining the contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas and several almanacs loaded with facts. American editions used publication order while British editions were numbered chronologically. Is “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” or “the Magician’s Nephew” the first book by C.S. As usual if you are a novice to this series, I would recommend reading it in its entirety in publication order. Lewis Estate. Is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe or The Magician’s Nephew the first book in The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis? When I wrote The Lion I did not know I was going to write any more. It seems that nearly everyone online suggests to read the Chronicles of Narnia in its original intended publication order (see for example the answers on this question), but it also seems that the series is only ever published in chronological order. You should read The Chronicles of Narnia because your kids should read it. C.S. A fluke event on the British Railways permits Eustace, Jill, and other Friends of Narnia to return to that kingdom at its hour of greatest crisis. Lewis meant for the books to be read in chronological order with The Magician's Nephew to be read first. The islands that lie beyond the kingdom offer mystery and wonder—and in a world that is flat, what lies where the sea ends may be the greatest wonder of all. Brush up on your geography and finally learn what countries are in Eastern Europe with our maps. The Chronicles of Narnia: Features and Quizzes, Chinese New Year History, Meaning, and Celebrations. Opponents point out that Lewis suggested the order “does not matter very much” in the same letter and he could have re-numbered the books himself if he really wanted to. If you’re reading them as you grow up, they should be read in order of descending font size. Celebthôl Loremaster. How should I read Chronicles of Narnia? NarniaWeb is maintained by fans and is in no way connected to Walden Media, Walt Disney Pictures, 20th Century Fox, The Mark Gordon Company, Netflix, or the C.S. Why are there multiple orders? The boy's mother believed the books should be read in order of their publication, beginning with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels by C. S. Lewis. I just bought the series and am so excited to get started. Douglas Gresham. I’ll say this much. About 10 years ago I took them to a comic store to see how much they’d give me for them and they give me $50 for the whole box! But I found as I was wrong. Image: ©Walden Media/20th Century/Disney. Initially, HarperCollins included this explanation in the books: The HarperCollins editions of The Chronicles of Narnia have been re-numbered in compliance with the original wishes of the author, C. S. Lewis. Like The Chronicles of Narnia, J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels have strong Christological parallels and can easily be read as Christian allegory. First, I believe Christians should avoid Chronicles of Narnia because Lewis, by his own admission, had a "lust" or a "disease" which was the desire for the occult, quoted in this blog post: Prince Caspian 3. In what order should the Chronicles of Narnia be read? C. S. Lewis, 4/23/57. All copyrights are held by their respective owners. There’s the order in which they were written: 1. Youth is wasted on the young. TMN doesn't help you understand or appreciate TL,TW,ATW any more, in my opinion. For more of my thoughts on the series, check out my review here. The Silver Chair 5. In 1957, an 11-year-old boy named Lawrence Krieg was preparing to read the Narnia books for a second time. You should read The Chronicles of Narnia because your kids should read it. i want to read them in the most recommended way. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first book to be written and published, is generally considered the best introduction to Narnia by scholars and fans alike. I have strong opinions on the order of the Chronicles of Narnia and typically feel that the order they were written in is the 'only' proper order to read them. The Voyage of the […] The boy's mother believed the books should be read in order of their publication, beginning with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He asked Lewis about the best order for reading the series. I love, love, love Ward’s Planet Narnia. Douglas Gresham, stepson of C.S. Lewis (“Jack”), said: “[HarperCollins] asked, ‘What order do you think we ought to do them in?’  And I said, ‘Well … I actually asked Jack himself what order he preferred and thought they should be read in. This video will just look at the reading order for the Chronicles of Narnia and will not contain any spoilers. The original publication order was as such (from 1950 to 1956): 1. "It was a dull autumn day and Jill Pole was crying behind the gym.". However, the story of Narnia is popular in our house. “Most scholars disagree with [the decision to re-number the books] and find it the least faithful to Lewis’s deepest intentions,” says Dr. Paul F. Ford, author of Companion to Narnia. "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.". Prince Caspian 3. Answer Save The Silver Chair 5. But the boy thought it would be better to read them in order of Narnian history, beginning with the creation of the enchanted world in The Magician's Nephew. Chronological order for The Chronicles of Narnia This is the place to start if you are new to C.S. Have at it. Be talking beasts. The compilation book includes this statement: “Although The Magician’s Nephew was written several years after C. S. Lewis first began The Chronicles of Narnia, he wanted it to be read as the first book in the series. However, the story of Narnia is popular in our house. Don’t miss one of America’s top 100 most-loved novels, selected by PBS’s The Great American Read.. Have at it. If nothing else because the original book is a wonderful read and will hook you into the series. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe 2. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures. ? The reason is that this is a better order because the story progresses through time. I was recently thinking about reading the Chronicles of Narnia for the first time since my mom read them to me as a child. Either way has its merits. The series is set in the fictional realm of Narnia, a fantasy world of magic, mythical beasts, and talking … My 10-year-old son came home excited about a school project several weeks ago. Jun 6, 2003 #2 In my mind, it wasn’t about “collecting” them. Chronologically the magician's nephew is of course placed before the other books, but should in my opinion be read … I was recently thinking about reading the Chronicles of Narnia for the first time since my mom read them to me as a child. While they lost interest (they are only 5), I finished it and want to read the rest of the series. 2. The reason is that this is a better order because the story progresses through time. 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