[Andrew Priest]

Heh. And yet is seems appropriate considering everything. It's not like this is just any fantasy series being made into a movie.

[DaveF]

Quote:

Did not mean any offense, Dave

My words were terse, but I didn't mean to imply offense. I just didn't understand the comparison between, I assumed, the current sites. I didn't pay attention to the LOTR website back in 2000 so I didn't realize it looked different then.

Now if Lewis had made the Narnia website, and Tolkien had made the LORT websites, it might be amusing if one copied the other. Though I'd expect that Lewis would have done it quickly and simply, and gotten millions of visitors. Tolkien would have done it painstakingly, having built the hosting computer starting with unrefined sand, and then been annoyed at Lewis for having done it so easily.

[Ernest Rister]

I love both series of books - Voyage of the Dawn Treader is my favorite of the Narnia chronicles. I haven't read the book since I was ten years old, but the characters still live in my memory. Should make for a great movie.

I had a hard time getting into The Last Battle when I was 10, though. That's not going to be the most blistering piece of cinema of the year, if they stick to the book.

I had never read any criticism of the Narnia books by Tolkien. I knew that the two were contemporaries and friends. Lewis' 1st book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is a cracking good story. Tolkien surely could have admired it for that.

[Chris Farmer]

I don't remember details, but I do know that Lewis liked LotR a lot more then Tolkien liked Narnia, but again I don't remember why.

[Ernest Rister]

For me, the obvious difference between both series is that each Narnia book is self-contained for the most part, while the only self-contained Tolkien book is The Hobbit. Tolkien's second book, [i]The Lord of the Rings[/], was split into three parts, but they are all ultimately one story.

I don't have a memory of such narrative completion in Lewis' Narnia Chronicles. Each book was its own animal -- no pun intended. Again, my memories of The Last Battle are quite vague, as it failed to seize my imagination like the other six. Even The Horse and His Boy and The Silver Chair are more vivid to me.

I think the best of Lewis' books are The Magician's Nephew, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Prince Caspian is another good book, but I'd rank it with the other four. Last Battle would be my least favorite -- maybe I should read it again as an adult.

[Andy Sheets]

IIRC, the reason Tolkien criticized the Narnia books was that he felt Lewis used too much allegory. Tolkien of course firmly denied that his books had any allegory at all.

[MatthewLouwrens]

If you look up at DaveF's post, you'll realise he's making quite a funny joke about why Tolkien was not a huge Narnia fan. He felt that Lewis was basically just throwing his world together to tell the stories, where Tolkien was going to a lot of effort to develop the whole world, and then just let the events happen in them. He disliked the way Lewis put too little care into creating the world of Narnia.

I went back and reread the books recently, and they were even better than I remembered.

I'm surprised by your dislike of The Last Battle, Ernest. To me, I found it quite fascinating and exciting. It also contains the one most upsetting moment in the entire series - when we learn that Susan is no longer a friend of Narnia. My only criticism of the book is that Lewis wasn't even attempting to hide the Christian analogies at that point.

But then, The Silver Chair was always my favourite. I always loved Puddleglum, and was delighted when the BBC series cast Doctor Who himself, Tom Baker, in the role.

[Joe D]

I also really like The Silver Chair, my favorite book the series.

When I was a child I read every book except the Last Battle, don't remember why. I re-read the books later in my years and I enjoyed the Last Battle. Not sure why I couldn't get into it when I was a kid.

[Ernest Rister]

"I'm surprised by your dislike of The Last Battle, Ernest."

Dude - I was ten years old. Allow 24 years to change a man.

[hanson mat]

Finally this book gets a fair shot - I think this adaptation actually has a chance. I'm looking forward to see what they do with this. Early reports look good.

[DaveF]

Quote:

If you look up at DaveF's post, you'll realise he's making quite a funny joke about why Tolkien was not a huge Narnia fan

Matthew, Thanks clarifying my (poor) attempt at humor. I enjoy and respect both Lewis and Tolkien immensely.

"The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" used to be my favorite book of the series. I loved its imagination and variation. The Dufflepuds still amuse me and the tale of Edmund and the Dragon is a wonderful parable.

But I re-read the series every few years, and after reading them last year, I think I now favor "The Silver Chair" the most. It is perhaps the best story of the bunch. And I adore and identify with Puddleglum. Coming close is "The Horse and his Boy", as an excellent story and perhaps hinting at the narrative style of "Esther" (in the Old Testament); also "Prince Caspian" for its strong story and effective use of flashback to tell two halves of the same story until they are brought together.

I hope that the Narnia movies are given at least as much respect as the LOTR trilogy were. Done properly, these could be LOTR meets the best family movies Disney ever did. They have struggle and adventure for the youth and metaphor and spiritual depth for the mature.

And if they are poor, I will send Reepicheep in to reclaim their honor