Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

Prince Caspian
by C.S. Lewis [j Lewis] 

All four children, Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy all return to Narnia about one Earth year after their adventure in the wardrobe. When they arrive on a beach with castle ruins nearby they realize that many years in Narnia have passed since they’ve been gone, as the castle ruins are that of their castle Cair Paravel, still with some of their belongings inside. Once they save a dwarf from drowning on the beach the story really gets going as the dwarf recalls the story of Prince Caspian’s escape from his home and uncle, the talking animals of Narnia who’ve gone into hiding, and Caspian’s quest to unite with them and take back the throne as King. In his battles to do so he called the old high kings and queens (Peter Susan, Edmond and Lucy) back with Susan’s horn to help him. Before they can aid him however they must find him.

This was a pretty good story, and it’s been interesting to see the various ways to get to Narnia in the stories so far, as I was only familiar before with the wardrobe. I’d say you could read this easily without reading the others in the series first (although preferably you’d have some inkling as to the plot of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe). However this is the start of a string of books featuring Caspian, so I would read this before reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair. It’s been rather satisfying reading the other tales of Narnia and discovering how wide the world is. Part of my drive to read them was to compare them to Tolkien’s works and so far it feels Lewis’s gentler for lack of a better word; his are not as action packed and develop at a slower pace but still have diverse characters, personal growth and moral themes. I would recommend it if you are looking for a cozy fantasy series (I’m not sure that’s actually a genre but it’s descriptive).

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the entire Narnia series, by C.S. Lewis:

Publication Order:
1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)
2. Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (1951)
3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
4. The Silver Chair (1953)
5. The Horse and His Boy (1954)
6. The Magician’s Nephew (1955)
7. The Last Battle (1956)
Chronological Order:
1. The Magician’s Nephew
2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3. The Horse and His Boy*
4. Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
6. The Silver Chair
7. The Last Battle
* Takes place within the time of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe]

[ official C.S. Lewis web site ]

Recommended by Kristen A.
Gere Branch Library

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