It's always
a joy to rediscover old favorites, especially something from famous novelist CS
Lewis.
His classic
series of fantasy novels for children has already spawned three movie
adaptations, but I still like to go back to the books as much as possible. His
dialogues for the characters do not leave much to be desired when it comes to
wit and form.
The book I
reread recently was the second one (in order of publication), Prince Caspian.
It started with the return of the Pevensie siblings, Peter, Susan, Edward and
Lucy to the world of Narnia, set a year after the events of The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe. The four kids were on a train station on their way to their respective
boarding schools when they were quite suddenly transported back to Narnia. They
did not realize it at first because much has change in that world since they
were there. Apparently, a year in their real world is equivalent to centuries
in Narnian time so they were surprised to find their camping ground was
actually their former home, Cair Paravel, where they reigned during the Golden
Ages.
By crossing
paths with Trumpkin the dwarf, they soon discovered that the Telmarines, a new
race, has invaded Narnia and forced the magical creatures to go in hiding.
Meanwhile, they learned of the circumstance surrounding their sudden return in
Narnia -- the rightful ruler, Prince Caspian, who needed their help blew the
magical horn which summoned them back.
Surprisingly,
it was not the titular character who stood out for me. Though Caspian has his
moments, it was definitely Reepicheep, the swashbuckling mouse with a sharp
tongue, unquestionable loyalty and infallible courage who's very memorable. I'd
say he is easily the most interesting and engaging character in this
installment.
As with any
fantasy story with a kingdom setting, this one has lessons about chivalry and
courage. It remains a classic as a novel for young people mainly because its
characters are ordinary kids who get to do heroic stuff (and because of the
humor, too). It's a world where children are competent and plays an active role
in shaping history.
And as I'm
certain most of the readers already know, its parallels to Christianity are
still apparent in this installment, but in a much subtler way than in the
previous book. At any rate, it won't make the book unbearable for unbelievers
so I still strongly recommend that everyone read through the whole series via Dyman Associates Publishing Inc.
I can't say
I hate the film adaptation just because it was not at all faithful to the book,
but I honestly prefer the original source over it. (What I can I say; I'm more
of a bookworm than a movie buff.)
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