Rating: 
Summary: Not as Great as the Original
Review: I love the Chronicles of Narnia and would recommend them to anyone. But I think it's horrible how they changed the order of the books. The way they are printed now, they list "The Magician's Nephew" as the first book to read. It is not! The order Lewis originally wrote them is: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe-- Prince Caspian-- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader-- The Silver Chair-- The Horse and his Boy-- The Magician's Nephew-- The Last Battle-- I would not buy new books in the order they put them now, since it is not the order Lewis indended them to be read. If you read them in the right order they make a whole different story. But the books themselves are great--I guess it's the publishers I'm raging against.
Rating: 
Summary: The Chronicles of Narnia
Review: If you like "Harry Potter," you'll love "The Chronicles of Narnia." The way the stories weave and work together is nothing short of brilliant. I would definately recommend reading the 7 volumes in the order they were written (Lewis chronologically), rather than the order in which they are now marketed ("Narnian" chronologically). There is something about getting all the way to book six ("The Magicians Nephew") and having so many questions answered that is thrilling - you'll see!If the underlying tones of redemption and "good vs. evil" intrigue you, check out "Mere Christianity." C.S. Lewis is truly one of the "biggies" of western literature.
Rating:
Summary: Other worlds do exist
Review: C.S. Lewis proves that there are no limits to imagination. The characters, landscapes and stories he created touched me deeply as a child and continue to resonate as I grow older. One of the great treats of living on planet Earth. My only advice, other than getting these ASAP, is to read The Magician's Nephew sixth instead of first, like it was ordered in the original set. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a much easier read, especially for children, and a better entry into this magical land. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and A Horse and His Boy are my personal favorites.
Rating:
Summary: Good for adults too!
Review: Every now and do you like to read some escapist fiction? These children's books are written with enough allegorical and metaphoical sophistiation to provide edification and stimulation for even the smartest of grownups!! In a world of too many great books to read one twice, I have done so with these regardless -- and again!
Rating:
Summary: You're never too old for Narnia...
Review: All I can say is that you will never be sorry that you read these books. You will long to revisit the land of Narnia again and again (and maybe even strive to put a little of Narnia's magic into our own world).
Rating:
Summary: obsessed family of five
Review: I bought these books years ago, before I had children ,on a whim, not even knowing who Lewis was or what the books were about. 8+ years later, my husband has been reading these books to our 3 children for months now. My 8 year old is especially engrossed in this series. Every night that he reads to them, they beg him to continue. When they finally must quit for the night, my husband reads ahead after the kids are in bed. When they finish a book and I suggest maybe taking a break and reading another book, they all yell for Narnia. My 3 year old calls all lions ASLAN. We have several of the videos too--all splendid! After we finish the books we are going to the web site to take the "tests" just for fun-ha Addition:FYI, three years later, we still love these books; however, as a Christian, I feel obliged to warn other very conservative Christians that some people object to this series for good reason. There is an excellent critique of the series by Keepers of the Faith at their website. We enjoyed the books very much, and we have discussed with our children the parts of the books that we find objectionable.
Rating:
Summary: Basic Library Necessity
Review: Absolute superb simplicity. Lewis has captured the essence of writing for all ages - the layers of understanding deepen with age and life experience. "The Chronicles" are definitely not allegory. To try and carry a meaning to its logical conclusion would result in a very distorted interpretation. However, viewed as a series of 'snapshots', it is possible to glean a myriad of illuminating and helpful 'pictures' that upon rereading or wrestling with a difficult idea causes you to cry 'Yes!! I see it now!!'. It is, in essence, a companion in life; one gains understanding from it as well as life giving understanding to it. Absolutely essential reading from childhood up.
Rating:
Summary: A tradition continues
Review: I have been reading these books over and over again since I was 10 years old, and now I am buying the same set for my little sister for christmas. these are wonderful books and will most likly become a family tradition or reading rite of passage to your children. If you don't want to invest in a whiole set right now, at least get The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and make a point of adding to the collection at every special occasion. No library is complete w/o this set. Also, look up The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, it's a fun and hilarious satirical comedy by Douglas Adams.
Rating:
Summary: A gem of children's literature, but for adults?
Review: Let me say one thing: these books are highly escapist fantasy. Now whether or not that's a good thing is debatable. Lewis was a friend of Tolkiens, and they were friends at college. However, Lewis differs from Tolkiens writing quite a bit. First of all, his stories are more allegorical, with a biblical theme. Also his stories are more accessible to children, who will most likely have fond memories of them. I read these books at a relatively mature age (30s) and see them slightly differently. The stories themselves are gems of children's literature. They have a magic all their own. I could relate to the heroes somewhat, and the entertainment factor is very high. As a fun read, these books are worth it. However, to me they seemed less readable by adults than some other 'children's books'. Firstly, the books are very comforting, with absolute good and evil tht a child may need but an adult should not. I was somewhat annoyed by that, because personally I don't believe in absolute morality. Furthermore, the stories show us heaven as the ultimate goal, and our heroes who will buy passage by their spiritual superiority. Along the way, the real world is portrayed as a sort of second-best to heaven. At one point the old professor says "It's all in Plato" meaning the physical world is a shadow on the wall of the real suff. Its not very provoking (as the best art should be). You can easily sympathize with the good guys and deplore the badguys. For these reasons I wouldn't give the book a 5 star rating, which I reserve for a very few books that I consider masterpieces. Children should be introduced to this series, as they will probably love it. I don't know about adults who haven't read it before. PS If you like this series and want a completely opposite view, read Pullman's His Dark Materials.
Rating:
Summary: Regarding the order of the books
Review: You can read the books chronologically by date of publication or by the timeline of the stories themselves. In "CS Lewis: Letters to Children" a letter is included in which a child asks Lewis what the proper order is in which to read the books. CS Lewis gives some explanation about how the books were not published in chronological order, but he recommends reading them in chronological order that being the order listed in the book description above. So it seems clear that reading them either way is just as good and will not decrease the pleasure in reading these amazing books. I originally read them in the order in which they were published, that is The Lion, the With, and the Wardrobe first and The Magician's Nephew 4th or so. I enjoyed the books just as much that way. I highly recommend that everyone read these books in either order. Also, if you can obtain a copy of "CS Lewis: Letters to Children" I highly recommend it. It gives a greater insight into the man who wrote these books.
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