The Chronicles of Narnia
The Complete Set
by C. S. Lewis · first published 1970
33% recommend62% neutral4% critical
Why HN recommends it
Children's fantasy series that readers return to as adults; short, direct prose that suits young readers and read-aloud family time, and it often serves as a first introduction to fantasy.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Journeys to the end of the world, fantastic creatures, and epic battle between good and evil - what more could any reader ask for in one book? The book that has it all is THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, written in 1919 by C.S. Lewis. But Lewis did not stop there. Six more books followed and together they became known as The Chronicles of Narnia. For the past fifty years, The Chronicles of Narnia has transcended the fantasy genre to become part of the canon of classic literature. Each of the seven books is a masterpiece, drawing the reader into a world where magic meets reality, and th
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A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter Miller (recommended SF classic) The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis (an old favorite, recommended) The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco (some interesting parts, but overall a disappointment) Theology and Sanity - Frank Sheed (recommended; a very written description…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2016?” ↗Young Adult * _The Chronicles of Prydain_ (https://www.goodreads.com/series/40371-the-chronicles-of-pry...) * _The Chronicles of Narnia_ * _The Hobbit_ * _John MacNab_ (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/161001.John_MacNab / http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0300621.txt) * _The Postman_ (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/889284.The_Postman)…
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia J.R.R. Tolkien's Hobbit None others really come to mind, although I'm sure that they must exist.
on “Alan Rickman, Harry Potter and Die Hard Actor, Dies Aged 69” ↗>I don't know the author C.S. Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia, the second() most famous fantasy literature ever written in English as well as a number of other famous books. He is as much a classic as Dickens and a damn sight more accessible than Bill Shakespeare.…
Our kids love reading Andersen's tales same as: Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis | The Little Prince by A. de Saint-Exupéry | Six Bullerby Children by A. Lindgren (and many more form Lindgren) | Pettson and Findus by S. Nordqvist | Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne | few…
on “The case for not sanitising fairy tales” ↗There is certainly a xenophobic strain in the Chronicles of Narnia, most evident in what is otherwise my favorite book in the series, "The horse and his boy." I can only think that to Lewis's ear, the word "Turkish" had a certain brutality to it that contrasted well…
on “C.S. Lewis's Greatest Fiction: Telling Kids They’d Like Turkish Delight (2015)” ↗…grade mystery series like the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew - A few of my personal favorites from childhood: The Pushcart War; Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH; A Wrinkle in Time; The Phantom Tollbooth; the Chronicles of Narnia (warning: heavy Christian symbolism); Bunnicula; Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle; Mr. Popper's Penguins; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; anything by Roald Dahl - Some "classics" can be considered middle grade…
on “Ask HN: How get started with reading books?” ↗…fiction, I read mainly fantasy/sci-fi. Here are a few of my picks (which I don't think have been mentioned yet). - The Worlds of Chrestomanci and _everything_ else by Diana Wynne Jones; it was this and 'Chronicles of Narnia' which first introduced me to fantasy as a child. Really great fun, have re-read most of her books over the years. There's something there for everyone. - Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix; read this in…
on “Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life?” ↗…Harry Potter book when they first read it. It is not uncommon for people to stop reading the first book at a few chapters in. Perhaps you should try something different for your first novel. I like the Chronicles of Narnia series by CS Lewis, his writing is short and to the point, but very descriptive in its own way. That may not be your cup of tea, though. You may want to ask friends or family who know your tastes better…
on “U.S. children read, but not well or often: report” ↗…emotional even now just thinking about it. Additionally, the books my Dad read really helped me connect with him. He read to us the same books he read as a kid: A Thousand and One Arabian Nights, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, all of Sherlock Holmes, Peter Pan, and many more. Having been exposed to the same media, it helped my brothers and I relate to our dad, and makes our relationship stronger to this day. Read…
on “Bring Reading Rainbow Back” ↗CS Lewis is pretty good... I read the Chronicles of Narnia around the same time I started reading Harry Potter. What do you think about Philip Reeve? By the way, I wasn't asking to challenge you... I'm just a big fan of childrens' fantasy!
on “Alan Rickman, Harry Potter and Die Hard Actor, Dies Aged 69” ↗> I’m not sure the eternal life to come will eventually be boring either. Along these lines, the ending of "The Last Battle" by CS Lewis which ends the Chronicles of Narnia is so beautiful: "There was a real railway accident," said Aslan softly. "Your father and mother and all of you are—as you used to call it in the Shadow-Lands—dead. The term is over: the holidays have…
on “How to not fear your death: An Epicurean perspective” ↗Crime and Punishment, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Frankenstein, Lord of the Rings, 1984, The Great Gatsby, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Odyssey (by Homer) are all books that I enjoyed that are varying degrees of old. I think comparing old vs new books is fundamentally different from old vs new movies. Let’s bring in another form…
on “Greatest Films of All Time” ↗…Nearly anything that has won the Newberry Award is great for the whole family. Some standouts in my mind: * Island of the Blue Dolphins * Chronicles of Prydain (Book of Three, The Black Cauldron, etc) Chronicles of Narnia aren't Newberry winners, but are good regardless (if you don't mind the religious subtext). +1 for other people mentioning The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Our whole family has enjoyed classics like…
on “The Good Soldier Švejk (2018)” ↗…invocation:) Most of these are old since I’ve been reading more articles these days but here are a few good books or series I’ve read more than twice: The Hobbit, LOTR, the Silmarillion, Neuromancer, the Chronicles of Narnia, Hong Lou Meng, The Heart Sutra, The Bhagavad Gita, The Tao De Ching, The Wheel of Time series, No country for old men, Persuasion, Sense & Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice, The Way of Kings, The Talisman,…
on “Ask HN: Which books did you read at least twice?” ↗