Prince Caspian
Last night I finished the fourth in the Chronicles of Narnia series: Prince Caspian (see the bottom of this post for links to my blog posts on the other books in the series).
The story takes place some hundreds (even thousands) of years after LWW, at least in Narnia. The Pevensies have aged a year when they are pulled back to Narnia with the call of Susan’s horn to help out Prince Caspian regain control of the land for Old Narnia and cast out the wicked Telmarines who (centuries ago) had gone to war and kicked out those of Old Narnia. The two Kings and two Queens of Old come with the aid of Aslan and wake up many creatures that had been sleeping for ages to win the battle at take back Narnia for those who would rule justly.
I enjoyed the scene before Aslan returns:
Lucy woke out of the deepest sleep you can imagine, with the feeling that the voice she liked best in the world had be calling her name.
Wouldn’t that be a lovely way to wake?
I love the character Reepicheep because (I think like Gimli from LOTR) he thinks he is much larger than he actually is (being a mouse and all). When his tail is cut off in battle his followers offer to do the same to show their love of their commander, Aslan decides to step in:
“Ah!” roared Aslan. “You have conquered me. You have great hearts. Not for the sake of your dignity, Reepicheep, but for the love that is between you and your people, and still more for the kindness your people showed me long ago when you ate away the cords that bound me on the Stone Table, you shall have your tail again.”
After it is affirmed that he is from the same line as the wicked Telmarines, King Caspian talks with Aslan:
“I was wishing that I came of a more honorable lineage.”
“You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve,” said Aslan. “And that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content.”
More profound words from Jack!
Next up will be The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, but I think I will be taking a break from Narnia to read the second of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series: The Drawing of the Three. Almost Christmas! Whoo hoo!
-Matt Jones
My blog posts on The Chronicles of Narnia series:
And yet still nothing of the wonderful episodes of Firefly. “Huh” as Mal would say. Of the Narnia books, The Silver Chair is my favorite. Mostly because of Puddleglum’s defiance, “I’m on Aslan’s side even if he’s only in my imagination.” (paraphrase…can’t recall the exact line) I’ve gotten stuck in the fifth book of King’s series…I better get to it.
I know, I know. I have had a lot to post about! Firefly will come, I promise! I did finish the series and what I want to know is: how in the hell did they cancel that show!? It was a thing of beauty.
I am hoping I can finish the series before going back to Regent. We shall see I suppose. I really liked Gunslinger so am looking forward getting into more of the series. You always seem to have problems getting into later books in a series… cough Ender cough…
I KNOW! A thing of beauty indeed…Fox is stoopid.
I will finish the King series…and, y’know I really should read more of the Ender series…being as how I actually, y’know, own the books.
I just finished Dawn Treader and am almost finished with The Last Battle. I’ve been reading them compulsively and out of order this last term when I should’ve been reading Wound of Knowledge.
Soooo, I take it you prefer the chronological order of Narnia, rather than the order in which he wrote them.
Well at least they were better than Wound of Knowledge.
Yeah, I have been reading them in chrono order because I have heard from a number of places that that is the oder that Lewis prefered. I suppose it really don’t matter too much in the long run. I am enjoying it this way!
I’ve also read that Lewis preferred them in chronological order, but I personally don’t like them in that order. I sort of feel like it ruins it to know where Narnia came from before you read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, but I can’t articulate exactly why. I think I mostly get bent out of shape because I LOVE these books and don’t like seeing anything changed, even the order they’re read in.
I’m going to stop now before I really start ranting. I’m glad you’re enjoying the books, at any rate.
Yeah, I know what you mean. It is kinda like reading Silmarillion before the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings. I would say, if anything, that for those that don’t want to know the beginning, read them in the order that Lewis preferred but save Nephew till later. I don’t know… I guess I just like to read things chronologically, but there is definitely somethign to be said for the order of authorship…