Which order do you think the books should be read in?

Into the Wardrobe said:

I think to start out with people should read them in published order. Then if they want to read them in chronological it's fine, but so many of the fun suprises are spoiled if it's done in chronological order to start with in my opinion. I love the published order personally, but that's me.

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Man i ment to pick Chronological order... anyways but yah i think they should read them in chronological order cause you learn how Narnia came around and what happend after that and so on.

I chose Other.

Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe should be read first followed by the other books in chronological order (Magician's nephew, horse/boy)

My first introduction to Narnia were the BBC series so I was already familiar with LWW, PC, VDT and SC once I started reading the books. I've always read them in chronological order, I tend to do that with all books I read and movies I see. I like the order of things in that way.

I can't say what the best reading order is for someone who has never read the books before or seen the films. When I introduce them to my future children though, I think I'll go for the chronological order!

I've always read them in chronological order, I tend to do that with all books I read and movies I see. I like the order of things in that way.

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I hope you don't do that with Star Wars...

I reading them in Chronological order. I think that's a good way to read them....

I always read them in the order they were written, and I don't think I'll ever read them in chronological order. I think it would completely ruin all of the surprises. One of the best parts of reading the books for the first time is watching all the pieces fall into place.

NotATameLion said:

I always read them in the order they were written, and I don't think I'll ever read them in chronological order. I think it would completely ruin all of the surprises. One of the best parts of reading the books for the first time is watching all the pieces fall into place.

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I'm the same way. I like the suprises and the way things fit together when reading them in the published order. Sure, the chronological sounds more logical...but it's not nearly as memorable and amazing.

For me personally, I decided to start the series by reading them in the order of the history of Narnia--starting with The Magician's Nephew. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. I think CS Lewis said he preferred his reader's to read them in the order of the history of Narnia, but it's OK to read them in the order they were written in. I think each way of reading it will give you a different perspective in the series. It's all how you prefer it.
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Lt-r450 (race ready)

Personally, from my own first hand experience on a first time trip through the world of Narnia, publication order is better. When I first hard them when I was nine it seemed so much more magical to not know how the lampost got there or who Aslanw as or how the witch came to Narnia. It made Magician's nephew mroe surpising for me. I'd lie in bed as mom would read it to me and go" so that's how that happened!"

Chronological certainly works better when you go back to Narnia, but not for the firsttime. Several friends of mine admitted to being exposed to Narnia by chronological order and it wasnt' able to captivate them. They liked TMN and LWW, but when they got to HHB they were lost and gave up.

Thanks to me they are willing to give it another chance and read publication order. They now love it.

It was similar to my expereince with Tolkien. My very first intro to Middle Earth was when I tried to read "The Shapping of Middle Earth" before The Hobbit or LOTR. BIIIIIIG Mistake. ( I was in seventh grade at the time.) Then some years later ( Junior year of High School when the first LOTR film came out) I read Hobbit, LOTR, then Silmarillion and Histories and love it.

Now, the only way I will expierience any franchise or series is in publication order. (Except for Star Trek. I still haven't been able to make myself watch Star Trek: The Motion Picture before Wrath of Kahn. haven't even seen ST:MP. )

Publication order is how I plan to introduce my future kids to Narnia and Middle-Earth.

Sven-El said:

Several friends of mine admitted to being exposed to Narnia by chronological order and it wasnt' able to captivate them. They liked TMN and LWW, but when they got to HHB they were lost and gave up.

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I don't know why so many people dislike that book. To me it's like a Narnia history book. You get a glimpse of the Pevensies during Narnia's golden age. And of course, how can you not love reading about an adult Edmund slapping Shasta I always found that scene funny. But I digress...

In my opinion, I think the HHB should be read after the Silver Chair.

QA48 said:

I don't know why so many people dislike that book. To me it's like a Narnia history book. You get a glimpse of the Pevensies during Narnia's golden age. And of course, how can you not love reading about an adult Edmund slapping Shasta I always found that scene funny. But I digress...

In my opinion, I think the HHB should be read after the Silver Chair.

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I think for a lot of them it's the fact that it is set durring the time of LWW, and the Pevensies dont' show up till half way through the book and it's only in a minor role.
But I do agree it is fun to see them back durring narnia's Golden Age and it also gives great hints at Susan's eventual fate. ( plus when they get to the film of it, for all intents and purposes it sounds like Skander, Anna and Georgie will be playing those roels.... Who can't love that!)

I whole heartedly agree on your opinion. That was how I first experienced it. Actually, I found I was more interested in hearing that story because of SC as it is meantioned that Eustace and Jill hear the story and the narrator says , "It would make a good story to hear and perhaps I will tell it to you some time." so when you get to HHB your reaction is, " He's going to tell, he's going to tell, he's going to tell." ( thank you Monty Python and the Holy Grail.)

I actually read the books in chronological order. It worked very well for me. I knew the history behind everything, and to tell you truth, HHB is one of my personnal favorites. A boy runs for freedom from the evil Calormans.

I already posted what I had to say about this topic in the following link:

http://www.narniafans.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9371&page=19

Actually, it's just page 19 if you want to go there.

I first read the series, during middle school, in written order. When I was in HS my friend had the Complete Chronicles (the one with Aslan's face on the cover). Oh how I wanted that book! Finally, when I was in college, my dad bought me the movie edition (White Witch cover). It was at Christmas time and I read it in chronological order, cover to cover, in 3 days. (I had to spend SOME time with relatives!) Ever since I either read it chrono or just whatever particular story suits my fancy at the time. Written order is nice, but I think the chrono gives it more of a "history of Narnia" feel that adds to the adventure.

I picked other. My preferred reading order is this:

1. Magician's Nephew
2. LWW, up through the coronation
3. HHB
4. Finish LWW
5. PC
6. VotDT
7. SC
8. TLB
9. VotDT again

This is because I love reading things in chronological order, and because I started with MN way back when. It's also because I really like to have HHB before PC, so I can see what they mean when they're talking about losing Narnia. And also, VotDT is my favorite book of all.

If I were filming the books, I would film most of LWW, then PC, then VotDT, then SC. The I would take a break, scout out some places for HHB. Maybe start that if I had too. Then, when my actors had grown a bit, I would film TLB, ending with the scenes in which the Pevensies show up. Then I would film/finish filming HHB, ending with the Pevensies, to make them old enough. Then I would go back to LWW and do the final Narnian scene.

MN would depend on whether or not I was going to have the same actors play Polly and Digory in TLB and MN. I was never really clear on their ages in the books, so I think you could have child!them, and prime of life!them, and old!them played by six actors. Or you could have older children!them and adult!them, played by the same actors. In the first case, I would film MN after SC. In the second, I would film it at the start, and give my kids time to grow up. (I have no idea how I would release them, given this order.)

"The I would take a break, scout out some places for HHB. Maybe start that if I had too. Then, when my actors had grown a bit, I would film TLB, ending with the scenes in which the Pevensies show up. Then I would film/finish filming HHB, ending with the Pevensies, to make them old enough. Then I would go back to LWW and do the final Narnian scene."

Well, if you wanted to use the same actors for H&HB, just older than they were in TLB, you'd have to complete TLB first before filming H&HB. The actors who play Aravis and Shasta won't stay young forever.

" (I have no idea how I would release them, given this order.) "

If I could do this series, I would make it a TV miniseries. Here would be the order of episodes (assume 1 hour episodes--maybe a few 1.5-2 hour specials):

1) Beginnning of LWW
2) Ending of LWW up to coronation scene, then very beginninjg of H&HB
3) Beginning of H&HB
4) End of H&HB/End of LWW/children tell Professor about Narnia, he then begins his story
5) Beginning of MN
6) End of MN/finishes with telling of what happened to tree
7) Beginning of PC
8) End of PC
9) Beginning of VotDT
10) End of VotDT
11) Beginning of TSC
12) End of TSC
13) Beginning of TLB
14) End of TLB

Adult Pevensies/Digory/Polly would be played by different actors than the children.

MrBob

MrBob said:

Well, if you wanted to use the same actors for H&HB, just older than they were in TLB, you'd have to complete TLB first before filming H&HB. The actors who play Aravis and Shasta won't stay young forever.

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Wait, what? Aravis and Shasta's actors can show up for TLB after HHB (or have different actors; they're what, twelve when we see them in canon? And might die old--I'm unsure they need to be recognizable; we definitely didn't see them in the prime of their lives).

I do like the idea of a miniseries, though! Especially with HHB flowing in with LWW.

well I think you start with MN and end with LB, but I start with HHB and end with LWW, but thats just moi.

Considering I read them in neither chronological nor published order when I first read them all those years ago, (boy I feel old saying that,) I don't exactly have the clearest picture of things in this respect. Though I /do/ believe LWW MUST be read first for a first timer. MN is so much more effective as a flashback of sorts, in my opinion.