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Return to Narnia

  • Jan 12, 2006
Rating:
+5
PRINCE CASPIAN is the 2nd book in THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. It begins about year after THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE ended. Apparently, the war that was threatening England at the beginning of LION has either ended or isn't as threatening because all four of the Pevensie children are preparing to return to school. Their summer has just come to a close and they are waiting on the platform at a train station to go their separate ways to school. Suddenly, they all feel themselves being violently tugged. One moment, they're in England and the next they find themselves back in Narnia. Except Narnia isn't at all how they remembered it. After all, time doesn't pass in Narnia the same way it passes in our world.

They discover that probably over a thousand years has passed since they last stepped through the wardrobe back into their homeworld. Narnia has fallen into a world of chaos. The magical creatures that were the citizens of Old Narnia have either all been exterminated are sent into hiding. There is a New Narnia now--one that is ruled by the wicked King Miraz. Miraz took the throne through murder, but since he had no heir of his own, kept his nephew, Prince Caspian, alive. But on a fateful night, a son is born to Miraz and his wife and Caspian must flee into the night.

Thus begins his crusade to regain control of Narnia and restablish the legacy that the Golden Reign of King Edmund, Queen Susan, Queen Lucy, and High King Peter had left. A war is joined between the armies of Miraz and Caspian and a long siege in the wood begins. When the Pevensies return to Narnia, it is up to them to make things right and aid Caspian so that he can take his rightful place as King of Narnia.

PRINCE CASPIAN basically directly follows the events of THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE and is very much its sequel. The book is full of exciting events, but the tale unravels in a way that one would not suspect. Tolkien and Lewis were very close friends for many years and different as their writings are, there are parts of THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and the LORD OF THE RINGS that will forever be compared. In this sense, PRINCE CASPIAN is very much like THE TWO TOWERS: it's a bit darker than LION, deals with some deeper themes, and even has a seen where the trees come alive again to help crush an evil army.

LION, though not a complete allegory, was very much allegorical and PRINCE CASPIAN continues some of that same deep symbolism. When I first read the book, I understood some of the deeper meaning (such as when Aslan commands Lucy that she must follow Him even if the others do not), but I was unfamiliar with the history of Christianity to recoginze other elements of the story. Now that I do know about such things as the Reformation, I can see those events being alluded to in the story.

Regardless, PRINCE CASPIAN remains a worthy sequel to THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE. It's a fantasy adventure story that young children will love, especially if they've read LION.

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About this book

Wiki

Grade 4-8-Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensey, the heroes and heroines from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, return in this fourth installment of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. The four children are transported from an English train station to an island in the world of Narnia. Though Narnia has been at peace since the children left, it is now under the control of Wicked King Mirax. The youngsters, along with Aslan the great lion, must help young Prince Caspian restore Narnia's glorious past. This full-cast dramatization adheres closely to the book's text. Actor Paul Scofield is the "storyteller," and other British actors read the character parts. The production features sound effects and background music, and is a more complete version of the story than the BBC audio production (Bantam Doubleday, 1998). Children familiar with the series will enjoy this impressive production.
Shauna Yusko, King County Library System, Bellevue, WA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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ISBN-10: 0064471055
ISBN-13: 978-0064471053
Author: C. S. Lewis
Publisher: HarperCollins

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