Wow, I was just thinking about introducing The Chronicles of Narnia to my 9yo son, and I was thinking that starting it with The Magician's Nephew wouldn't work too well - and then I see this video of yours! Myself, I remember getting these books gradually, and I definitely read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe first. Then I think I got the sequels to it. The "prequel" (The Magician's Nephew) and the "spin-off" (The Horse and His Boy) were harder for me to read and like. I missed the Pevensie children. But I was already enchanted by Narnia, so I read these too after all. The Last Battle was also hard for me, but as I grew, it became one of my most favorite ones. So yeah, I'm definitely giving my son the books in the publishing order - and maybe waite a little before The Magician's Nephew. Thanks. Liked and subscribed :)
Surprised that he didn't mention it, but I remember discovering that "The Horse and his Boy" is literally the story told to one group of children around a camp fire in (I'm pretty sure) Prince Caspian.
If he doesn’t read the magicians nephew he won’t know how the wardrobe to Narnia the professor or any of it came to be . Start with magicians nephew - that is the first book in the series . Might as well start Harry Potter on book 2 Or starting the lord of the rings with the two towers . Yea still enjoyable - but no idea what is happening besides immediate story . Really what would be the point in that ?
1) Lucy and Tumnus are meant to be our introduction to Narnia and it makes it more interesting if you don't know who Professor Kirke is. 2). The lamppost is less magical if you put it in chronological order.
Agreed! When I got to the Magician’s Nephew, I remember getting so pumped when it explained the lamppost, white witch, and the professor I about fell out of my chair. That was my first Easter egg. I loved it.
I couldn't agree more. The reveal of who Professor Kirke was in the Magician's Nephew blew my 12 year old mind. I can't imagine having that spoiled right from the start.
Yeah it's not that big a deal. What you have when you read chronologically is a bigger perspective of the world and its players. Honestly, when I read publication order, Magician felt like a tacked on prequel. It didn't have to exist in my opinion. Chronologically order handled all of that
That's a great reveal. But the real reveal of the book is that SPOILERS... Aslan IS actually Jesus Christ from the human world, not merely an extension or allegory. That is central to the entire series and the question really hinges on whether the reader would be better served learning that early and seeing the whole series in that light or having it revealed at the end.
I read my Brother's copy of the Magician's Nephew during 2021 during a bad case of the Covid blues because I was missing the books that I had to leave with my dad back in 2019. this might sound a bit silly to the person reading this. I read the book again last year after my Grandma had passed away back during the Queen's 70th event. surprisingly the part where Digby helps his mum out with the apple that he brought back from Narnia felt very similar to how I helped my Grandma finish reading the new book that my brother had brought for her. by reading it aloud during her final sickness. she couldn't read it herself as there was no power left in her arms.
I was randomly gifted Prince Caspian for a birthday as a child, not knowing anything of Narnia, so that was my first entry. I then read LW&W. I really enjoyed that order as Narnian history was even more of a mystery, and the book opens with Prince Caspian being told tales and myths about the "old Narnia". So I was prepped to discover more. And though the Pevensies had been there before, this was now a different Narnia centuries later so they too were pining for the old Narnia. It made it all beautifully nostalgic. And I discovered Narnia through Prince Caspian's eyes, as he discovers the true Narnia. The ending where all the trees come alive and Aslan appears and the jubilant romp through the streets was so beautifully impactful.
I prefer to read them chronologically, but I _ALWAYS_ recommend new readers start with *The Lion, The Witch, & the Wardrobe* until they feel comfortable reading the other stories. Then, I suggest they go back and read them chronologically. It's like when I introduce people to video games, books, anime, movies, or music. As much as I want to get them into the classics, I want them to enjoy them on a "surface level," first, things they're more likely to enjoy,, so it's more welcoming to those not familiar with the medium. If you START with the really "geeky" stuff, newcomers are either bored or intimidated.
I first read the books in publication order. Years later I read them in the order of timeline. I really prefer the publication order. There’s a satisfaction of revisiting Jadis after The Silver Chair. Also, the pleasure of seeing the beginning of Narnia, right before the ending of the Narnia that we thought we knew.
Some people think the Lady of the Green Kirtle is Jadis but I don't think that's what you are referring to. You meant The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, not The Silver Chair, didn't you?
@@roberthofmann8403 I did mean The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Rather, I meant that following after The Silver Chair, it was great to revisit Jadis. The Lady of the Green Kirtle is a fantastic villain, but she still doesn’t compare to the White Witch.
The Lady of the Green Kirtle is Jadis's decendant... I think. I can't remember her backstory very well, if I'm not just making it up in my head, that is. Either way, Jadis is the White Witch.
@@braydengraves4655 There's not much back story given for the Lady of the Green Kirtle, except that she's a "Northern witch," and she k!lled Rilian's mother, then when he went looking for revenge, she bewitched and kidnapped him. There is a lot of speculation that she's related to Jadis, and the fan theory is that she's some kind of water spirit gone bad (because of her proximity to water), but there's not a lot of canon back story about her.
Having seen the Narnia movies so many times as a child, I read the books for the first time last year in chronological order and I felt like it was perfect that way for someone who already “knew” the story!🦁
Having already read the story is one thing. This isn't about re-reading, but first time reading. I read LWW first when I was a kid, and then Magician's Nephew second, and then from that point chronologically. I think the only reading list should be Lion first, and then any order one chooses after that. Reading Magician first messes with the experience because of Lion easter eggs Lewis puts in at the end of Magician. But the other books don't really have the same kind of connections. In fact, if one has already read The Horse and His Boy before one gets to The Silver Chair, it's a better experience. Even though Lewis wrote Chair first, he puts in a line, 'If you have read a book called 'The Horse and His Boy'" and if one has it gives one a good feeling.
@@michaelkelleypoetry I see that. This was my first time reading the books, I had only seen the movies. Maybe I’ll try reading them again this year in publication order
I read them in publication order and stand strongly by that. The wonder of Narnia opened up before me, in a way that the chronological order can't duplicate.
@@kennethlau8990 but, wasn't order of publication the way they were presented to readers in the first place, and doesn't it make sense that they all have a special attachment to the way in which Narnia was revealed to them?
I think the argument is kind of silly, honestly. There are probably "wrong" reading orders for the Narnia novels, but neither publication order nor chronological order is that. They're both great ways to experience Narnia.
Did you watch the video? That's why I said the "BEST way to experience Narnia for the first time.". I do believe one is better than the other in this case.
For first time readers, yes the reading order matters. Since I've read the entire series dozens of times, the reading order doesn't matter much to me. I read whichever book I'm in the mood for. However, if I'm talking to someone who has never read the books, I always recommend starting with The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, then Prince Caspian, The Dawn Treader, and The Silver Chair. Then only read the other three if they are interested in more of the series.
I fell in love with them, reading them for the first time in the chronological order. Honestly Magician's nephew is my favorite, I actually cried whilst reading it.
I bought the books as a set and they are in chronological order. I became aware of the controversy shortly after I bought them and created a list of the published order so I would know how to read them. It made sense to start that way but now it really doesn't matter to me. My husband read the series in chronological order and prefers it that way. To each his own, I guess. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, always appreciate your insight.
The 7 stories are all compiled in one, thick book for me. As a kid I couldn't even think of cheating with the reading order. I agree The Magician Nephew should be read near the end since it reveals who Jadis, Aslan and the professor are, and introduces us not only to the creation of Narnia but also to the existence of other worlds. I discovered Chronicles of Narnia with The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe first so thankfully I wasn't spoiled.
I was blessed to be old enough to read the books in publication order. The big change to the order came when I was 12 years old, so I already had a boxed set of the books that numbered them in that order. The set shown at 3:08 look exactly like the ones I had. Sadly, paperbacks don't last forever, especially when owned by a young kid who reads and rereads them constantly, as I did, so that set fell apart before I finished high school. My current copy is a single-volume, omnibus edition that is unfortunately ordered in the "new" way. That said, I have my own reading order: I start with "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", then read "The Magician's Nephew", "Prince Caspian", "The Voyage of the 'Dawn Treader'", and the beginning of "The Silver Chair" until the point that Jill and Eustace, as guests at Caer Paravel, hear the tale told of "The Horse and his Boy", switch to that book and read it all the way through, go back and finish the rest of "The Silver Chair", and finish off with "The Last Battle".
Couldn’t agree more. Just finished reading the series to my children, in publication order, and they were blown away by all the reveals in Magicians Nephew.
Great video...I would agree that the publication order is the best way to go. But the Magician's Nephew is a great way to go back and start over with. It really ties so much together. Thank you for the video!
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 That's the order they were published and that's the way I read them for the first time 31 years ago. I think that was before someone put them in chronological order. I always figured he just wrote them in the order he thought of them.
The Magician's Nephew The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe The Horse and His Boy Prince Caspian The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader The Silver Chair The Last battle
Highly impressive. Arguably the definitive study of the much debated reading order. This is my order : LWW MN LWW HB PC DT SC and LB. ( Yes, LWW twice so we don't miss the magical moment when Lucy steps through the wardrobe into Narnia - one of the greatest moments in literature.) Congratulations to Stuart and the team.
I tried starting with The Magicians Nephew as a child and never finished the book or went on with the series. Now I am planning to revisit them as an adult and read them out loud to my children. We will definitely be following publication order. Thank you!
I first read them as a kid in publishing order (the 70s) and when I started giving them to my nephew I kept to the same order. I honestly hadn't given much thought to which way is 'better' but you've made some very good points.
I read them for the first time in ‘98 and my set started with The Magician’s Nephew. I only recently found out there are different ways to read them. Glad to randomly find this channel!
Thank you! I have been debating the order in my head, but what you said makes perfect sense, so I will continue to read the books in the "right" order as I did the first time 50 years ago.
@@kennethlau8990, only if one is so mentally challenged that they can’t comprehend the long-standing literary concepts of foreshadowing and flashbacks! (Of course we can always make allowances for those who are too slow.)
I will always be a publication order for Lewis and Tolkien, and I recommended it that way to my new readers. Even with the movies. And that quote about how he wrote each book without knowing if another would follow is the way it should be. It led to a complete story in each book, and not wasting space to a future book that just drags a story out.
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe definitely needs to be read first. Overall, I would agree with publication order for the first time. Afterwards, I like chronological order.
ABSOLUTELY beautiful! 😇I loved how you explained that. 🥰 Now, I have been a Narnian for quite some time and have read these books multiple times before, but after hearing about the BEST way to read them, I started to reread them, and boy, a BRAND NEW perspective and appreciation for them has lifted for me. Thanks again, my fellow Narnian!
Interesting topic. I'm usually someone who likes reading things in chronological order. For example, I'm reading the Hobit before the Lord of the Rings. But actually, I watched the Lord of the Rings before the Hobit, and my first interaction with Narnia ever was watching The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (the old BBC version because the modern ones hadn't come out just yet). I actually now think it makes more sense to read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardobe first, before the Magician's nephew. I listened to the Magician's nephew on audiobook (Focus on the Family dramatized version which is amazing btw), and I started connecting all these dots and it was much cooler to find out the origins for Narnia once I already knew what Narnia was. And the Lion is a much better first introduction to Narnia because you really don't know anything about it. You're learning just as the kids are and it feels like you're going through it with them. Aslan is a mystery, the white witch is a mystery, the origins of Narnia are a mystery. When I have kids I'm gonna introduce them to the Lion the witch and the wardrobe first.
When it comes to LOTR and The Hobbit, it's at all analogous to the Narniad. The Hobbit was published in the late 1930s and LOTR was published in the early 1950s, so for The Hobbit/LOTR publication order and chronological order are the same, though admittedly Tolkien made significant revisions to the Hobbit after LOTR came out to reconcile contradictory elements of their plots (in particular the chapter Riddles in the Dark was almost entirely rewritten).
I'm loving these videos! I just was cast as Edmund in a stage adaptation of LWW. I'm rereading the books and watching your videos to refresh my knowledge of the lore! It's been awesome!
I’ve only seen the movies and I forget which one this is in but I love when Aslan breathes one the kids and tells them of someone like him who exists in their (our) world and time.
That's from "Voyage of the Dawn Treader". Here's how it reads in the book: “You are too old, children,” said Aslan, “and you must begin to come close to your own world now.” “It isn’t Narnia, you know,” sobbed Lucy. “It’s you. We shan’t meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?” “But you shall meet me, dear one,” said Aslan. “Are-are you there too, Sir?” said Edmund. “I am,” said Aslan. “But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”
I agree that publication order is the best way to read the books. Although it was over 40 years ago, I still remember how exciting and magical it was to discover the origins of a world I had already fallen in love with.
Thanks for saying so well what I have been saying for years! All the mysterious and fantastic reveals are destroyed if you go in the new order. I first read them in the publication order and I can't imagine my introduction into that world not having the mystery of a wardrobe and lamp post and snow and aslan and everything going on as it was shown there. But now I want to read them again!
Great video Stuart! Being new to the books I'm glad I've read them in the publication order as it's helped me to better understand and appreciate the stories. Keep up the great work!
This was my favorite book series as a kid. I wore out some of the books from reading them so often. Can’t believe I found a whole channel devoted to this series! ❤😊
I fully agree with your reasoning here. As a kid my fist introduction to Narnia was through Magicians Nephew and I remember that once I got to Lion, With and the Wardrobe I remember being kind of disappointed. Everything there reads like the first introduction to Narnia but I didn't feel the sense of mystery and joyful discovery what the book clearly tried to achieve. It really was mostly through the first film that I rediscovered the feeling.
I completely agree that for someone discovering Narnia for the first time, the publication order is best. But as a long time lover of Narnia, when I go back, I love reading the story in chronological order.
Fantastic video!!! I remember picking up a copy of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe off the floor in my older brother's room and have fallen in love with these books ever since. Sad thing was we didn't have Prince Caspian until I got the collection of all 7 books for the Promotion of 2005's LWW. Ultimately, publication order is the best for new readers, but I would encourage for returning readers to read them "Chronologically" at least once.
Not necessarily - they can be, but don’t have to be. I know someone who read through them for the first time chronologically I loved them, while also not being lost.
I read them starting with the Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe. My set didn't even come with the Magician's Nephew & knew nothing about it. So it wasn't until I introduced My children to Narnia in the 90's that I read it myself. It just put all the missing pieces in place for me. So when my 8 & 6 year olds read them. I reread them myself. I was so tickled to listen to their thoughts & understand of Narnia & Aslan I was so impressed with their questions & their personal explanations of it all. And I definitely knew which of my children had a greater grasp on their personal relationship with their maker & which one 100% thought it was all a marvelous fantasy with no hidden meaning behind it all. It was not as I would originally have expected. Who knew you could learn so much reading the classic's along side your children! Still one of my all time favorite stories that I will buy for each of my grand children as they turn about 8. Only one has reached that age so far. So excited for it to all be read again ♡
I only just got around to watching this and I grew up with the original order and I wanted to thank you because the publication order is definitely better for first timers, I've had multiple friends only be able to manage to get into the books by following my advice to start with the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
When I first read The Chronicles of Narnia, it was in publication order. And I would recommend that order for anyone reading for the first time. But I have also enjoyed reading them in chronological order, sometimes even reading A Horse and His Boy before the closing chapter of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
I have read the books many times and will do so many more times. To me, The best/only way that really seems to makes sense, is to read them the same order as C.S. Lewis imagined, composed and released/published them. The way that he revealed details and gave us things to wonder about are best learned as he saw them, wrote about them and revealed them to us in that order. I feel that something magical is😢 lost otherwise.💗
I agree completely with your arguments for the publication reading order! As it happens I read "The Magician's Nephew" first, but purely by accident. This was around 1970 --- I came across it in my school library and I didn't know about any of the other books. It wasn't until later that I got the complete set, and I found that much was explained that had been confusing about "The Magician's Nephew" the first time around.
Another amazing video, Stuart! I personally read the chronicals of Narnia for the first time last summer but in chronological order. Therefore I'm very thankful for this video cause without it I probably never would have considered reading it in the order it was published 🌟
I have read the series many many times, and I have read them in all three orders. I agree with you 100%. Reading them in the publication is absolutely the best way to read them.
No anger here, but I shall continue to fully believe that the original order is best for reading. I didn't read the series until high school, when a pastor's wife suggested it. When I came to the Magician's Nephew, I was introduced to the back story in way that gave me such great insight and made the allegory all the more powerful. The sense of wonder and discovery one gets when one reads the Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe first is fully paid off when one gets to the Magician's Nephew.
This is the one and only order! My husband just recently decided to read them to my kiddos. He has only ever read Lion witch & wardrobe before. I told him firmly that publication order would be the only allowed way to introduce our children to Narnia. I will hide Magicians Nephew if I have to. Reading that first would take all the fun out of the book, and you will miss the join of freaking out when you feel all cool knowing things. I have to admit watching my whole family discover my beloved world of Narnia has been so fun and I’m excited for them to explore it even more. ( They are finishing the last chapter of Prince Caspian as I type)
Just found your channel. I believe that I first saw the series on television. Then a substitute teacher read (Lion, witch and the wardrobe) and I was hooked to reading. I then got the whole series and read them 1-7 first then did I discover 1 and 3. These were my first real books I read and I couldn’t stop after that.
This is an ongoing conversation I have with anyone who listens. I even took my box-set and renumbered it to the "correct" order. Still trying to get my kids to enjoy them as much as I did growing up. Excellent vid!
My gateway into The Chronicles of Narnia was the Disney. Years later I found out about the books and check them out. I actually checked them out in the wrong order. I started with a Chronicles of Narnia first I didn't know that the magician's nephew was first. I actually had to look it up to find the right order.📚
I remember reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe first after borrowing a copy from the library. Sometime after that I got a box set of the whole series for Christmas and ended up reading the rest in chronological order. It wasn't until years later that I discovered the original order
Thank you! Finally I heard someone explaining so very well all the objections I have to the chronological reading order, and the beautiful crafting of the saga in the publication order. I was horrified the first time I saw the Narnia books on shelves in the bookstores with the numbers in chronological order. And it kept going for years and years with nobody fixing the obvious mistake. Thank you thank you for making this video. I'll be sharing it a lot!
I had read the books in publication order and then in chronological order. I have enjoyed reading them regardless of which way to read them. Lewis has been there for me since I was about 6 years old when I was first introduced to the series when the BBC series came out on PBS and then when I grew older I read the books. I love how you explain the order of the books and Lewis's explanation. It's an interesting take on how to read books. Keep up the good work, my fellow Narnian! 😃🦁
I read the books for the first time all the way through this year and read them in publication order instead of chronological order. It was a really cool experience. I got them for Christmas in a box set and they started with The Magician’s Nephew so I switched them around to fit the publications order.
For me (and many others, I think) Wardrobe was my introduction to the series-book, tv, movies. It’s hard to hold on to the magic when it’s done a million times. It becomes-“Well, in this version they changed this,but did a pretty good job with that”. With the others, my imagination and the talent of the narrators of the HC audiobook series made them so much better. It makes sense to me to read/listen to them in the order that they happened in Narnia
Your channel has been very enjoyable and useful since I stumbled upon it a few months ago, so thank you. Besides a reminder of the Chronicles’ details and a nostalgic reminder of my childhood 25 years ago, your videos also make me happily anticipate reading them again with my own children in a few years. Discussing these books’ subtle (okay, kid-level subtle) theological lessons with my children will be an intelligent gateway into the next level of understanding Christian virtues and actions.
I read the series mostly in the published order. I started with Wardrobe and went from there skipping the horse and his boy until I read the silver chair and realized the horse and his boy happened between Wardrobe and Caspian. I found that I liked the horse and his boy best out of all seven books. I read the magicians nephew next and lastly the last battle. As this channel points out, I loved putting all the pieces together after I read the magicians nephew after having read the other books before it.
In the great scheme of things, it doesn't matter if you go by chronological or publication order. The important thing is the books are read. Sometimes I dip into the series randomly. The pleasure is always there!
I read them in the most random order, but luckily I started with The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe. After that, I read them as an English teacher of mine lent me copies of the different installments. The second book I read was The Magician's Nephew, followed by The Horse and his Boy, The Silver Chair, and finally The Last Battle. I don't think I read Prince Caspian or The Voyage of the Dawn Treader until last year, (when I was in the midst of reading them in publication order for the first time), and when I did I absolutely loved them!
This! I have spent the last decades skulking around eBay, and used bookstores/flea markets/yard sales picking up the original order collections for the kids in my life-and keep a few on hand for emergencies.
I got both versions. The Publishing Order was the one I was gifted as a pubescent child. Later, when looking for a newer set I found the Chronological Order set. Matter of fact, just recently got my hands on the 50th anniversary hardback.
See i read the magicians nephew first and still found the riddle of the lion the witch and wardrobe intact and the rest of the books made beautiful sense to me, being able to see the beginning of Narnia and the end, it all made sense to me and i never felt lost and enjoyed it and appreciated it
Yes! I read chronologically my first time as well, and I also enjoyed it. Still, I think the pleasure of the surprise connections in MN would have been even greater if I had read the publication order, don't you agree?
I first experienced narnia through the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe in fifth grade as a read along. I got a giant compilation with the white witch from the movie with the 'chronological order for Christmas as a child shortly after.I read through it in early high school after I felt I could tackle it. The way it was ordered made it something to trudge through rather than fully enjoy. A couple years ago I received a box set from the 70's for my birthday. It was heavily used but I found the publication order to be much more enjoyable. My favorites are the lion the witch and the wardrobe, voyage of the dawn treader, and the silver chair. I finished my read of that set early last year and came away far more satisfied. It's truly a beautiful series and I'm glad I walked through the wardrobe again. '
This is the best presentation of this topic that I’ve seen. Most articles, although agreeing with the conclusion, emphasise only reason 3, that “some lines don’t make sense chronologically”, which is by far the weakest reason in my opinion.
My first copies of the novels were those I purchased in England in 1971 when I was 12. They were presented in published order (no numbers on the spine but a statement on a page before the title page). Your argument is spot on.
@@IntotheWardrobe I had to replace PC and TLB some years back after loaning them to a friend who didn't care for them as I did, and the replacements are from Penguin Books as well to maintain the authenticity ;).
This was the first book series I read as a young boy some 40 plus years ago now. I got a new box set for Christmas, and it was in Chronological order. I began with the Magicians Nephew, but did not finish it. Now I have the read order, as it was when I was a kid. Thanks !!
My first book of the series was the voyage of the dawn trader, and it remains my favorite of the series to this day. The world of Narnia is one of my favorite in all of fiction for how magical and imaginative it is.
I inherited the set of Narnia books my grandfather read to my mother so when I was read them as a kid I was introduced to Narnia through the original publication order and truthfully it makes the most sense to me both as an adult and most importantly as a child who was being read to
There does need to be more Narnia because just through the books already written there are so many more stories to tell the one I'm most interested in is how the white witch returned and took over Narnia after her exile. I'm working on fan fictioning this story so far IV called it Winter of the witch
OMG, THANK YOU! I hated, hated, HATED the short-sighted and ignorant decision to re-order this series. You elegantly articulated all of my objections with this - including the loss of "wonder" by putting Naria in chronological order. We recently found a copy of the series at my mom's house. I re-ordered it before giving it to my niece.
Reading Magician's Nephew 2nd to last is SO magical it has forever changed the way I read Genesis! As they flew over the world and saw places where history hadn't happened yet but yet we knew - we have foreknowledge - of what is to come! I imagine that as God sees our modern continents arise from the waters of the flood, he sees the small ledge of passageway where the Battle of Thermopile will be fought. He sees Europe and its history. Where China will arise and the path Marco Polo will take. I never would've had that perspective without encountering Narnia the way we encounter our world. We're born here, and live a lot of our childhood before we ever consider how it began. And then, to have MN right before The Last Battle! Just amazing to see Genesis to Revelation so close together! I imagine that to God, our Genesis and our Revelation will occur in just a few minutes. Without reading them in publication order, I would've never learned so much about OUR world.
You are exactly right! I was raised on renumbered books, and have taught my kids that the publication order is the only way to read them (currently on Voyage with my 3rd ❤️). It is a hill I will die on!
I actually prefer the chronological order, but I already knew a lot of the plot points from most of the books so nothing was really spoiled for me. If it's your first time with zero knowledge about the story then the publication order is good, but I don't think the chronological order should be completely dismissed.
The first two books I ever read, when I was in kindergarten, where Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I still have them. many years later. I didn't even know there were more Narnia books until 6th grade when I stumbled on the rest. This was back in the 70s, so I read them the old-fashioned way. Thanks for all the content on one of my favorite worlds.
Hey dude, I’ve been looking for this video, once I realised it wasn’t already made I began waiting for it. Glad it’s finally out. Thank you for this channel. Big props to you ❤
I get more enjoyment and understanding from chronological order. I like the future mysteries explained when I get to them. Very concrete thinker here, who prefers everything to make sense logically. I have been through the books both ways.
I always start with the Magicians Nephew. I really enjoyed knowing the things the children didn’t, such as why the white witch was who and how she was, or how come Lamppost glade exists. Yes, there’s bits where the narrator expects the reader not to know bits, but overall it helped me appreciate the other books more. But as a reader who likes ‘the horse and his boy’ best, I’m likely to be in a minority here 🤷♀️
I strongly feel that publication order is best for first time readers. I first read Wardrobe when I was 15 in 1968. I loved it and read it several times before I discovered there were more books that followed! I acquired and tore through the entire series, then pieced together a chronology and thereafter read the series in that order. I was quite pleased when later editions were published with chronological numbering! However, looking back, I remember my wonder and interest in trying to piece together the puzzle of Narnia, the thrill of discovery when a new piece connected to what I knew. New readers should have that same thrill. They can read it chronologically when they are familiar with the entire arc and wish to examine it in its entirety!
I originally read the books in publication order, as we had the older set (I read them in 89/90 the first time) and I agree. I reread them in either order, but I advocate for the publishing order, or at least first, for new readers. I find this true for many non-chronological series, for just the reasons you describe. In publishing order, you discover the world alongside the author, in the order they discovered it. Later readings aren't as dependent on order because it is a review, not a first introduction.
I prefer the chronological order. Magician's Nephew is one of the best prologues in a series so I like reading it first before LWW. I might skip Horse and his Boy if I am short on time. But even though it isn't a direct tie in, it references things and sets up Prince Caspian a bit.
The very _first_ time I read them to my son, I read LWW first, then PC, VTD, SC & LB, with MN being _last,_ to tell him how it all began. Ever since then, we read them _chronologically._ We alway skip H&HB, because we both hate it; I tried reading it to my son, but didn't even get halfway through before he begged me to stop & skip ahead to PC. So, for us, our _current_ reading order is: *1. 'The Magician’s Nephew'.* *2. 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe'.* *3. 'Prince Caspian'.* *4. 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'.* *5. 'The Silver Chair'.* *6. 'The Last Battle'.*
I have the set shown with Lion as book one. After reading it in that order, on my own I figured out the chronological order and read it that way. I don't really care what order people read them in. I just love them.
The white-covered boxed set is what my brother-in-law bought me for Christmas (when I was in fourth or fifth grade). I’ve read both the publication order and the chronological order. I’ll always prefer the former. Even knowing all the twists and reveals… I would never watch the last few minutes of a twist-ending movie to better understand the plot.
I tend to find with stories that skip around chronologically (Narnia, Middle Earth, or even Star Wars) the publication order is best for new audiences. Experiencing the story as it unfolded, sometimes out of order, recreates the experience that fans experienced.
We read LWW first as part of a book club, then as soon as we were done we found the BBCs Focus on the Family version of MN, then straight through from HB to LB in the traditionally numbered order. We loved doing them like this because it made the discovery of Professor Kirke and the lamppost and even Jadis seem exciting. Because HB was also audio book, it went quickly and we were back with the Pevensies quickly. Infact LWW was theonly one we originally read, all the rest was audio book. Now this year, because my children loved Narnia so much we are doing the Narnia curriculum Further Up Further In. The curriculum creator recommended reading all the books in traditional order not the publishing order and she does discuss the alternate possibilities. If you homeschool and love Narnia, I couldn't recommend this curriculum more. Also, I want to recommend a much more recent book A Place To Hang the Moon, it's a Narnia inspired fanfiction about Evacuees. It makes an excellent companion book. Just subscribed to your channel. I really love it. Thank you for your hard work and inspiration 😊
Lion witch and wardrobe is a loving fantasy to a niece. I'm not dissing the other books, just highlighting the care in which it was written. The mysteries were there to enthral the reader. The other books were mostly an explanation to those who were interested, and further fan fiction. Lion is a stand alone book. Read that on its own and you'll do just fine without reading the others. I never even considered reading them chronologically and am surprised people do
I do kinda agree with this, I didn’t read the books right away, I watched the movies when I was a kid. And when I finally picked up the books I read the magicians nephew (I know I didn’t read lion, witch, wardrobe first I knew the story) And it explained everything from the first movie, I was blown away I immediately went through the other books
This series was first introduced to me back when the movies came out and I was hooked. I loved the first film, saw a bit of the second, and saw the all of the third. Sadly, I didn't know that there were books until I heard about the magicians nephew on youtube. I looked it up but the audio readings weren't complete. Later on I found and read a copy of dawn treader on my mission. Anyway, thanks to this video I think I can finally read and finish off this series.
I had the old order growing up and that is the best way to read them in, my opinion, except for the Horse and His Boy, which I feel is pretty standalone and can easily be inserted anywhere into the order. The Horse and His Boy is by far my favorite.
I agree with publication order. I used to drive my wife mad when I would rearrange our box set into publishing order. But it all goes back to finding an old box set my brother had with them in publishing order long before I ever read the books. I only knew a few bits about the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Yet that chance encounter with my brother’s books led me years later to read them in publishing order despite those nice and tempting numbers on the set I was reading. It leaves the world in a place of utter discovery because you are simply thrown into it and left with questions that must be answered.
I have listened to the dramatized versions and audio book versions so many times I have lost count. I might be a little obsessed. I have tinnitus and listening to something as I go to sleep sees to help. It also helps that I really like the stories.
Wow, I was just thinking about introducing The Chronicles of Narnia to my 9yo son, and I was thinking that starting it with The Magician's Nephew wouldn't work too well - and then I see this video of yours!
Myself, I remember getting these books gradually, and I definitely read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe first. Then I think I got the sequels to it. The "prequel" (The Magician's Nephew) and the "spin-off" (The Horse and His Boy) were harder for me to read and like. I missed the Pevensie children. But I was already enchanted by Narnia, so I read these too after all. The Last Battle was also hard for me, but as I grew, it became one of my most favorite ones.
So yeah, I'm definitely giving my son the books in the publishing order - and maybe waite a little before The Magician's Nephew. Thanks. Liked and subscribed :)
Everyone I know who read the Magician's Nephew first also stopped there. Kind of sad, really, that the number leads people to start there.
Surprised that he didn't mention it, but I remember discovering that "The Horse and his Boy" is literally the story told to one group of children around a camp fire in (I'm pretty sure) Prince Caspian.
@@marblemunkey Wow, I didn't know that.
@@marblemunkey I think it's in the Silver Chair, but I'll have to check.
If he doesn’t read the magicians nephew he won’t know how the wardrobe to Narnia the professor or any of it came to be .
Start with magicians nephew - that is the first book in the series .
Might as well start Harry Potter on book 2
Or starting the lord of the rings with the two towers .
Yea still enjoyable - but no idea what is happening besides immediate story .
Really what would be the point in that ?
1) Lucy and Tumnus are meant to be our introduction to Narnia and it makes it more interesting if you don't know
who Professor Kirke is. 2). The lamppost is less magical if you put it in chronological order.
Spot on.
Truth.
And Lucy and Tumnus meeting again in Aslan’s Country is a far more satisfying ending if the story begins with them meeting under the lamppost.
@@anonymoussaga8723 Amen! 😃
Agreed! When I got to the Magician’s Nephew, I remember getting so pumped when it explained the lamppost, white witch, and the professor I about fell out of my chair. That was my first Easter egg. I loved it.
I couldn't agree more. The reveal of who Professor Kirke was in the Magician's Nephew blew my 12 year old mind. I can't imagine having that spoiled right from the start.
Not really ... Just like how Bilbo Baggins is an old hobbit in LOTR
Yeah it's not that big a deal. What you have when you read chronologically is a bigger perspective of the world and its players. Honestly, when I read publication order, Magician felt like a tacked on prequel. It didn't have to exist in my opinion. Chronologically order handled all of that
That's a great reveal. But the real reveal of the book is that SPOILERS...
Aslan IS actually Jesus Christ from the human world, not merely an extension or allegory. That is central to the entire series and the question really hinges on whether the reader would be better served learning that early and seeing the whole series in that light or having it revealed at the end.
@@Psychohistorian303 Yes, I know, Mr Obvious.
I read my Brother's copy of the Magician's Nephew during 2021 during a bad case of the Covid blues because I was missing the books that I had to leave with my dad back in 2019. this might sound a bit silly to the person reading this.
I read the book again last year after my Grandma had passed away back during the Queen's 70th event.
surprisingly the part where Digby helps his mum out with the apple that he brought back from Narnia felt very similar to how I helped my
Grandma finish reading the new book that my brother had brought for her. by reading it aloud during her final sickness. she couldn't read it herself as there was no power left in her arms.
I was randomly gifted Prince Caspian for a birthday as a child, not knowing anything of Narnia, so that was my first entry. I then read LW&W. I really enjoyed that order as Narnian history was even more of a mystery, and the book opens with Prince Caspian being told tales and myths about the "old Narnia". So I was prepped to discover more. And though the Pevensies had been there before, this was now a different Narnia centuries later so they too were pining for the old Narnia. It made it all beautifully nostalgic. And I discovered Narnia through Prince Caspian's eyes, as he discovers the true Narnia. The ending where all the trees come alive and Aslan appears and the jubilant romp through the streets was so beautifully impactful.
This sounds SO COOL
Yes, I can see how this would be a wonderful read.
It was the same for me!
@@leimikaelson oh wow!
I prefer to read them chronologically, but I _ALWAYS_ recommend new readers start with *The Lion, The Witch, & the Wardrobe* until they feel comfortable reading the other stories. Then, I suggest they go back and read them chronologically. It's like when I introduce people to video games, books, anime, movies, or music. As much as I want to get them into the classics, I want them to enjoy them on a "surface level," first, things they're more likely to enjoy,, so it's more welcoming to those not familiar with the medium. If you START with the really "geeky" stuff, newcomers are either bored or intimidated.
I first read the books in publication order. Years later I read them in the order of timeline. I really prefer the publication order. There’s a satisfaction of revisiting Jadis after The Silver Chair. Also, the pleasure of seeing the beginning of Narnia, right before the ending of the Narnia that we thought we knew.
Some people think the Lady of the Green Kirtle is Jadis but I don't think that's what you are referring to. You meant The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, not The Silver Chair, didn't you?
@@roberthofmann8403 I did mean The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Rather, I meant that following after The Silver Chair, it was great to revisit Jadis. The Lady of the Green Kirtle is a fantastic villain, but she still doesn’t compare to the White Witch.
The Lady of the Green Kirtle is Jadis's decendant... I think. I can't remember her backstory very well, if I'm not just making it up in my head, that is. Either way, Jadis is the White Witch.
@@braydengraves4655 There's not much back story given for the Lady of the Green Kirtle, except that she's a "Northern witch," and she k!lled Rilian's mother, then when he went looking for revenge, she bewitched and kidnapped him. There is a lot of speculation that she's related to Jadis, and the fan theory is that she's some kind of water spirit gone bad (because of her proximity to water), but there's not a lot of canon back story about her.
@@selenedm999 That would explain why I don't remember much.
Having seen the Narnia movies so many times as a child, I read the books for the first time last year in chronological order and I felt like it was perfect that way for someone who already “knew” the story!🦁
Having already read the story is one thing. This isn't about re-reading, but first time reading. I read LWW first when I was a kid, and then Magician's Nephew second, and then from that point chronologically. I think the only reading list should be Lion first, and then any order one chooses after that. Reading Magician first messes with the experience because of Lion easter eggs Lewis puts in at the end of Magician. But the other books don't really have the same kind of connections. In fact, if one has already read The Horse and His Boy before one gets to The Silver Chair, it's a better experience. Even though Lewis wrote Chair first, he puts in a line, 'If you have read a book called 'The Horse and His Boy'" and if one has it gives one a good feeling.
@@michaelkelleypoetry I see that. This was my first time reading the books, I had only seen the movies. Maybe I’ll try reading them again this year in publication order
I read them in publication order and stand strongly by that. The wonder of Narnia opened up before me, in a way that the chronological order can't duplicate.
Nah! It literally stated that Professor Lewis prefers chronological.
@@kennethlau8990 but, wasn't order of publication the way they were presented to readers in the first place, and doesn't it make sense that they all have a special attachment to the way in which Narnia was revealed to them?
@@liljade53 Depend on what you mean by "special attachment": 'cause some folks like me do chronologically.
I think the argument is kind of silly, honestly. There are probably "wrong" reading orders for the Narnia novels, but neither publication order nor chronological order is that. They're both great ways to experience Narnia.
Did you watch the video? That's why I said the "BEST way to experience Narnia for the first time.". I do believe one is better than the other in this case.
For first time readers, yes the reading order matters. Since I've read the entire series dozens of times, the reading order doesn't matter much to me. I read whichever book I'm in the mood for. However, if I'm talking to someone who has never read the books, I always recommend starting with The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, then Prince Caspian, The Dawn Treader, and The Silver Chair. Then only read the other three if they are interested in more of the series.
I fell in love with them, reading them for the first time in the chronological order. Honestly Magician's nephew is my favorite, I actually cried whilst reading it.
That's beautiful. You might appreciate my video on the life of Digory! th-cam.com/video/4fSAoydlFJs/w-d-xo.html
I'm glad I'm not the only middle-aged man who still loves hearing about these books. Great channel!
I bought the books as a set and they are in chronological order. I became aware of the controversy shortly after I bought them and created a list of the published order so I would know how to read them. It made sense to start that way but now it really doesn't matter to me. My husband read the series in chronological order and prefers it that way. To each his own, I guess. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, always appreciate your insight.
The 7 stories are all compiled in one, thick book for me. As a kid I couldn't even think of cheating with the reading order.
I agree The Magician Nephew should be read near the end since it reveals who Jadis, Aslan and the professor are, and introduces us not only to the creation of Narnia but also to the existence of other worlds. I discovered Chronicles of Narnia with The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe first so thankfully I wasn't spoiled.
I was blessed to be old enough to read the books in publication order. The big change to the order came when I was 12 years old, so I already had a boxed set of the books that numbered them in that order. The set shown at 3:08 look exactly like the ones I had. Sadly, paperbacks don't last forever, especially when owned by a young kid who reads and rereads them constantly, as I did, so that set fell apart before I finished high school. My current copy is a single-volume, omnibus edition that is unfortunately ordered in the "new" way. That said, I have my own reading order: I start with "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", then read "The Magician's Nephew", "Prince Caspian", "The Voyage of the 'Dawn Treader'", and the beginning of "The Silver Chair" until the point that Jill and Eustace, as guests at Caer Paravel, hear the tale told of "The Horse and his Boy", switch to that book and read it all the way through, go back and finish the rest of "The Silver Chair", and finish off with "The Last Battle".
Couldn’t agree more. Just finished reading the series to my children, in publication order, and they were blown away by all the reveals in Magicians Nephew.
Great video...I would agree that the publication order is the best way to go. But the Magician's Nephew is a great way to go back and start over with. It really ties so much together. Thank you for the video!
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
That's the order they were published and that's the way I read them for the first time 31 years ago. I think that was before someone put them in chronological order. I always figured he just wrote them in the order he thought of them.
The Magician's Nephew
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
The Horse and His Boy
Prince Caspian
The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Last battle
Highly impressive.
Arguably the definitive study of the much debated reading order.
This is my order : LWW MN LWW HB PC DT SC and LB. ( Yes, LWW twice so we don't miss the magical moment when Lucy steps through the wardrobe into Narnia - one of the greatest moments in literature.)
Congratulations to Stuart and the team.
I tried starting with The Magicians Nephew as a child and never finished the book or went on with the series. Now I am planning to revisit them as an adult and read them out loud to my children. We will definitely be following publication order. Thank you!
I first read them as a kid in publishing order (the 70s) and when I started giving them to my nephew I kept to the same order. I honestly hadn't given much thought to which way is 'better' but you've made some very good points.
I read them for the first time in ‘98 and my set started with The Magician’s Nephew. I only recently found out there are different ways to read them. Glad to randomly find this channel!
I bought my set pre-1995 and I'm proud to say they're in the original publication order 👍
Thank you! I have been debating the order in my head, but what you said makes perfect sense, so I will continue to read the books in the "right" order as I did the first time 50 years ago.
The right order is chronological.
@@kennethlau8990, only if one is so mentally challenged that they can’t comprehend the long-standing literary concepts of foreshadowing and flashbacks! (Of course we can always make allowances for those who are too slow.)
@@HJohn-xn9ub Excuse me? Are just trying to be an a-hole?
I will always be a publication order for Lewis and Tolkien, and I recommended it that way to my new readers. Even with the movies.
And that quote about how he wrote each book without knowing if another would follow is the way it should be. It led to a complete story in each book, and not wasting space to a future book that just drags a story out.
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe definitely needs to be read first. Overall, I would agree with publication order for the first time. Afterwards, I like chronological order.
ABSOLUTELY beautiful! 😇I loved how you explained that. 🥰 Now, I have been a Narnian for quite some time and have read these books multiple times before, but after hearing about the BEST way to read them, I started to reread them, and boy, a BRAND NEW perspective and appreciation for them has lifted for me. Thanks again, my fellow Narnian!
Interesting topic. I'm usually someone who likes reading things in chronological order. For example, I'm reading the Hobit before the Lord of the Rings. But actually, I watched the Lord of the Rings before the Hobit, and my first interaction with Narnia ever was watching The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (the old BBC version because the modern ones hadn't come out just yet). I actually now think it makes more sense to read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardobe first, before the Magician's nephew. I listened to the Magician's nephew on audiobook (Focus on the Family dramatized version which is amazing btw), and I started connecting all these dots and it was much cooler to find out the origins for Narnia once I already knew what Narnia was. And the Lion is a much better first introduction to Narnia because you really don't know anything about it. You're learning just as the kids are and it feels like you're going through it with them. Aslan is a mystery, the white witch is a mystery, the origins of Narnia are a mystery. When I have kids I'm gonna introduce them to the Lion the witch and the wardrobe first.
When it comes to LOTR and The Hobbit, it's at all analogous to the Narniad. The Hobbit was published in the late 1930s and LOTR was published in the early 1950s, so for The Hobbit/LOTR publication order and chronological order are the same, though admittedly Tolkien made significant revisions to the Hobbit after LOTR came out to reconcile contradictory elements of their plots (in particular the chapter Riddles in the Dark was almost entirely rewritten).
I'm loving these videos! I just was cast as Edmund in a stage adaptation of LWW. I'm rereading the books and watching your videos to refresh my knowledge of the lore! It's been awesome!
I’ve only seen the movies and I forget which one this is in but I love when Aslan breathes one the kids and tells them of someone like him who exists in their (our) world and time.
That's from "Voyage of the Dawn Treader". Here's how it reads in the book:
“You are too old, children,” said Aslan, “and you must begin to come close to your own world now.”
“It isn’t Narnia, you know,” sobbed Lucy. “It’s you. We shan’t meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?”
“But you shall meet me, dear one,” said Aslan.
“Are-are you there too, Sir?” said Edmund.
“I am,” said Aslan. “But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.”
@@heyrob-netI love this quote and like the way The BBC adaptation has this as it's written in the books.
I love this quote!
I agree that publication order is the best way to read the books. Although it was over 40 years ago, I still remember how exciting and magical it was to discover the origins of a world I had already fallen in love with.
Thanks for saying so well what I have been saying for years! All the mysterious and fantastic reveals are destroyed if you go in the new order. I first read them in the publication order and I can't imagine my introduction into that world not having the mystery of a wardrobe and lamp post and snow and aslan and everything going on as it was shown there. But now I want to read them again!
Great video Stuart! Being new to the books I'm glad I've read them in the publication order as it's helped me to better understand and appreciate the stories. Keep up the great work!
Welcome to the team, Andrew! Glad you have you aboard!
This was my favorite book series as a kid. I wore out some of the books from reading them so often. Can’t believe I found a whole channel devoted to this series! ❤😊
I fully agree with your reasoning here. As a kid my fist introduction to Narnia was through Magicians Nephew and I remember that once I got to Lion, With and the Wardrobe I remember being kind of disappointed. Everything there reads like the first introduction to Narnia but I didn't feel the sense of mystery and joyful discovery what the book clearly tried to achieve. It really was mostly through the first film that I rediscovered the feeling.
I completely agree that for someone discovering Narnia for the first time, the publication order is best. But as a long time lover of Narnia, when I go back, I love reading the story in chronological order.
Fantastic video!!! I remember picking up a copy of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe off the floor in my older brother's room and have fallen in love with these books ever since. Sad thing was we didn't have Prince Caspian until I got the collection of all 7 books for the Promotion of 2005's LWW. Ultimately, publication order is the best for new readers, but I would encourage for returning readers to read them "Chronologically" at least once.
It's clearly meant to be read in release order.
Not necessarily - they can be, but don’t have to be. I know someone who read through them for the first time chronologically I loved them, while also not being lost.
I read them starting with the Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe. My set didn't even come with the Magician's Nephew & knew nothing about it. So it wasn't until I introduced My children to Narnia in the 90's that I read it myself. It just put all the missing pieces in place for me. So when my 8 & 6 year olds read them. I reread them myself. I was so tickled to listen to their thoughts & understand of Narnia & Aslan I was so impressed with their questions & their personal explanations of it all. And I definitely knew which of my children had a greater grasp on their personal relationship with their maker & which one 100% thought it was all a marvelous fantasy with no hidden meaning behind it all. It was not as I would originally have expected. Who knew you could learn so much reading the classic's along side your children!
Still one of my all time favorite stories that I will buy for each of my grand children as they turn about 8. Only one has reached that age so far. So excited for it to all be read again ♡
I only just got around to watching this and I grew up with the original order and I wanted to thank you because the publication order is definitely better for first timers, I've had multiple friends only be able to manage to get into the books by following my advice to start with the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
When I first read The Chronicles of Narnia, it was in publication order. And I would recommend that order for anyone reading for the first time. But I have also enjoyed reading them in chronological order, sometimes even reading A Horse and His Boy before the closing chapter of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
I am so glad I'm not the only one who reads Horse and His Boy before the closing chapter of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
I have read the books many times and will do so many more times. To me,
The best/only way that really seems to makes sense, is to read them the same order as C.S. Lewis imagined, composed and released/published them. The way that he revealed details and gave us things to wonder about are best learned as he saw them, wrote about them and revealed them to us in that order. I feel that something magical is😢 lost otherwise.💗
I agree completely with your arguments for the publication reading order! As it happens I read "The Magician's Nephew" first, but purely by accident. This was around 1970 --- I came across it in my school library and I didn't know about any of the other books. It wasn't until later that I got the complete set, and I found that much was explained that had been confusing about "The Magician's Nephew" the first time around.
Another amazing video, Stuart! I personally read the chronicals of Narnia for the first time last summer but in chronological order. Therefore I'm very thankful for this video cause without it I probably never would have considered reading it in the order it was published 🌟
My first read was Chronological too. :-) I still loved it, by the way!
@@IntotheWardrobe oh really? I loved it too and I'm sure I'll read them many times :)
I have read the series many many times, and I have read them in all three orders. I agree with you 100%. Reading them in the publication is absolutely the best way to read them.
No anger here, but I shall continue to fully believe that the original order is best for reading. I didn't read the series until high school, when a pastor's wife suggested it. When I came to the Magician's Nephew, I was introduced to the back story in way that gave me such great insight and made the allegory all the more powerful. The sense of wonder and discovery one gets when one reads the Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe first is fully paid off when one gets to the Magician's Nephew.
Stuart's work is the most impressive, comprehensive, thoroughly researched, insightful, on the on the world beyond the Wardrobe.
This is the one and only order! My husband just recently decided to read them to my kiddos. He has only ever read Lion witch & wardrobe before. I told him firmly that publication order would be the only allowed way to introduce our children to Narnia. I will hide Magicians Nephew if I have to. Reading that first would take all the fun out of the book, and you will miss the join of freaking out when you feel all cool knowing things. I have to admit watching my whole family discover my beloved world of Narnia has been so fun and I’m excited for them to explore it even more. ( They are finishing the last chapter of Prince Caspian as I type)
Just found your channel. I believe that I first saw the series on television. Then a substitute teacher read (Lion, witch and the wardrobe) and I was hooked to reading. I then got the whole series and read them 1-7 first then did I discover 1 and 3. These were my first real books I read and I couldn’t stop after that.
This is an ongoing conversation I have with anyone who listens. I even took my box-set and renumbered it to the "correct" order. Still trying to get my kids to enjoy them as much as I did growing up. Excellent vid!
Congratulations, you've made Lewis spin in his grave! Just kidding, but in all honesty, just please let the kids read in chronological order, OK?
@@kennethlau8990 no. Because I’m not insane. But thanks for your input. 😉😂
@@jasonrodgers880 I didn't say you were insane.
@@kennethlau8990 I know. I was joking.
My gateway into The Chronicles of Narnia was the Disney. Years later I found out about the books and check them out. I actually checked them out in the wrong order. I started with a Chronicles of Narnia first I didn't know that the magician's nephew was first. I actually had to look it up to find the right order.📚
I remember reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe first after borrowing a copy from the library. Sometime after that I got a box set of the whole series for Christmas and ended up reading the rest in chronological order. It wasn't until years later that I discovered the original order
Thank you! Finally I heard someone explaining so very well all the objections I have to the chronological reading order, and the beautiful crafting of the saga in the publication order. I was horrified the first time I saw the Narnia books on shelves in the bookstores with the numbers in chronological order. And it kept going for years and years with nobody fixing the obvious mistake. Thank you thank you for making this video. I'll be sharing it a lot!
I had read the books in publication order and then in chronological order. I have enjoyed reading them regardless of which way to read them. Lewis has been there for me since I was about 6 years old when I was first introduced to the series when the BBC series came out on PBS and then when I grew older I read the books. I love how you explain the order of the books and Lewis's explanation. It's an interesting take on how to read books. Keep up the good work, my fellow Narnian! 😃🦁
I read the books for the first time all the way through this year and read them in publication order instead of chronological order. It was a really cool experience. I got them for Christmas in a box set and they started with The Magician’s Nephew so I switched them around to fit the publications order.
For me (and many others, I think) Wardrobe was my introduction to the series-book, tv, movies. It’s hard to hold on to the magic when it’s done a million times. It becomes-“Well, in this version they changed this,but did a pretty good job with that”. With the others, my imagination and the talent of the narrators of the HC audiobook series made them so much better. It makes sense to me to read/listen to them in the order that they happened in Narnia
Your channel has been very enjoyable and useful since I stumbled upon it a few months ago, so thank you. Besides a reminder of the Chronicles’ details and a nostalgic reminder of my childhood 25 years ago, your videos also make me happily anticipate reading them again with my own children in a few years. Discussing these books’ subtle (okay, kid-level subtle) theological lessons with my children will be an intelligent gateway into the next level of understanding Christian virtues and actions.
I read the series mostly in the published order.
I started with Wardrobe and went from there skipping the horse and his boy until I read the silver chair and realized the horse and his boy happened between Wardrobe and Caspian. I found that I liked the horse and his boy best out of all seven books. I read the magicians nephew next and lastly the last battle.
As this channel points out, I loved putting all the pieces together after I read the magicians nephew after having read the other books before it.
In the great scheme of things, it doesn't matter if you go by chronological or publication order. The important thing is the books are read. Sometimes I dip into the series randomly. The pleasure is always there!
I read them in the most random order, but luckily I started with The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe. After that, I read them as an English teacher of mine lent me copies of the different installments. The second book I read was The Magician's Nephew, followed by The Horse and his Boy, The Silver Chair, and finally The Last Battle. I don't think I read Prince Caspian or The Voyage of the Dawn Treader until last year, (when I was in the midst of reading them in publication order for the first time), and when I did I absolutely loved them!
This!
I have spent the last decades skulking around eBay, and used bookstores/flea markets/yard sales picking up the original order collections for the kids in my life-and keep a few on hand for emergencies.
I got both versions. The Publishing Order was the one I was gifted as a pubescent child. Later, when looking for a newer set I found the Chronological Order set.
Matter of fact, just recently got my hands on the 50th anniversary hardback.
See i read the magicians nephew first and still found the riddle of the lion the witch and wardrobe intact and the rest of the books made beautiful sense to me, being able to see the beginning of Narnia and the end, it all made sense to me and i never felt lost and enjoyed it and appreciated it
Yes! I read chronologically my first time as well, and I also enjoyed it. Still, I think the pleasure of the surprise connections in MN would have been even greater if I had read the publication order, don't you agree?
I first experienced narnia through the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe in fifth grade as a read along. I got a giant compilation with the white witch from the movie with the 'chronological order for Christmas as a child shortly after.I read through it in early high school after I felt I could tackle it. The way it was ordered made it something to trudge through rather than fully enjoy. A couple years ago I received a box set from the 70's for my birthday. It was heavily used but I found the publication order to be much more enjoyable. My favorites are the lion the witch and the wardrobe, voyage of the dawn treader, and the silver chair. I finished my read of that set early last year and came away far more satisfied. It's truly a beautiful series and I'm glad I walked through the wardrobe again.
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This is the best presentation of this topic that I’ve seen. Most articles, although agreeing with the conclusion, emphasise only reason 3, that “some lines don’t make sense chronologically”, which is by far the weakest reason in my opinion.
My first copies of the novels were those I purchased in England in 1971 when I was 12. They were presented in published order (no numbers on the spine but a statement on a page before the title page). Your argument is spot on.
Amazing. Do you still have those copies?
@@IntotheWardrobe I had to replace PC and TLB some years back after loaning them to a friend who didn't care for them as I did, and the replacements are from Penguin Books as well to maintain the authenticity ;).
This was the first book series I read as a young boy some 40 plus years ago now. I got a new box set for Christmas, and it was in Chronological order. I began with the Magicians Nephew, but did not finish it. Now I have the read order, as it was when I was a kid. Thanks !!
My first book of the series was the voyage of the dawn trader, and it remains my favorite of the series to this day. The world of Narnia is one of my favorite in all of fiction for how magical and imaginative it is.
I inherited the set of Narnia books my grandfather read to my mother so when I was read them as a kid I was introduced to Narnia through the original publication order and truthfully it makes the most sense to me both as an adult and most importantly as a child who was being read to
There does need to be more Narnia because just through the books already written there are so many more stories to tell the one I'm most interested in is how the white witch returned and took over Narnia after her exile. I'm working on fan fictioning this story so far IV called it Winter of the witch
OMG, THANK YOU! I hated, hated, HATED the short-sighted and ignorant decision to re-order this series. You elegantly articulated all of my objections with this - including the loss of "wonder" by putting Naria in chronological order.
We recently found a copy of the series at my mom's house. I re-ordered it before giving it to my niece.
Reading Magician's Nephew 2nd to last is SO magical it has forever changed the way I read Genesis! As they flew over the world and saw places where history hadn't happened yet but yet we knew - we have foreknowledge - of what is to come! I imagine that as God sees our modern continents arise from the waters of the flood, he sees the small ledge of passageway where the Battle of Thermopile will be fought. He sees Europe and its history. Where China will arise and the path Marco Polo will take. I never would've had that perspective without encountering Narnia the way we encounter our world. We're born here, and live a lot of our childhood before we ever consider how it began. And then, to have MN right before The Last Battle! Just amazing to see Genesis to Revelation so close together! I imagine that to God, our Genesis and our Revelation will occur in just a few minutes. Without reading them in publication order, I would've never learned so much about OUR world.
You are exactly right! I was raised on renumbered books, and have taught my kids that the publication order is the only way to read them (currently on Voyage with my 3rd ❤️). It is a hill I will die on!
I actually read them in the chronological order because it’s better I actually like the horse and his boy best
I actually prefer the chronological order, but I already knew a lot of the plot points from most of the books so nothing was really spoiled for me. If it's your first time with zero knowledge about the story then the publication order is good, but I don't think the chronological order should be completely dismissed.
The first two books I ever read, when I was in kindergarten, where Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I still have them. many years later. I didn't even know there were more Narnia books until 6th grade when I stumbled on the rest. This was back in the 70s, so I read them the old-fashioned way. Thanks for all the content on one of my favorite worlds.
Those are both heavy reads for a kindergartner! You obviously developed a love for reading at a very early age!
Hey dude, I’ve been looking for this video, once I realised it wasn’t already made I began waiting for it. Glad it’s finally out. Thank you for this channel. Big props to you ❤
I get more enjoyment and understanding from chronological order. I like the future mysteries explained when I get to them. Very concrete thinker here, who prefers everything to make sense logically. I have been through the books both ways.
I always start with the Magicians Nephew. I really enjoyed knowing the things the children didn’t, such as why the white witch was who and how she was, or how come Lamppost glade exists. Yes, there’s bits where the narrator expects the reader not to know bits, but overall it helped me appreciate the other books more. But as a reader who likes ‘the horse and his boy’ best, I’m likely to be in a minority here 🤷♀️
I love your reviews about all the Narnia books learning about the world,characters.
I strongly feel that publication order is best for first time readers. I first read Wardrobe when I was 15 in 1968. I loved it and read it several times before I discovered there were more books that followed! I acquired and tore through the entire series, then pieced together a chronology and thereafter read the series in that order. I was quite pleased when later editions were published with chronological numbering! However, looking back, I remember my wonder and interest in trying to piece together the puzzle of Narnia, the thrill of discovery when a new piece connected to what I knew. New readers should have that same thrill. They can read it chronologically when they are familiar with the entire arc and wish to examine it in its entirety!
I originally read the books in publication order, as we had the older set (I read them in 89/90 the first time) and I agree. I reread them in either order, but I advocate for the publishing order, or at least first, for new readers. I find this true for many non-chronological series, for just the reasons you describe. In publishing order, you discover the world alongside the author, in the order they discovered it. Later readings aren't as dependent on order because it is a review, not a first introduction.
maybe about the different times between narnia and the world of man
I prefer the chronological order. Magician's Nephew is one of the best prologues in a series so I like reading it first before LWW. I might skip Horse and his Boy if I am short on time. But even though it isn't a direct tie in, it references things and sets up Prince Caspian a bit.
I read them in mostly chronological order. I switch around the magicians nephew and the lion the witch and the wardrobe
The very _first_ time I read them to my son, I read LWW first, then PC, VTD, SC & LB, with MN being _last,_ to tell him how it all began.
Ever since then, we read them _chronologically._
We alway skip H&HB, because we both hate it; I tried reading it to my son, but didn't even get halfway through before he begged me to stop & skip ahead to PC. So, for us, our _current_ reading order is:
*1. 'The Magician’s Nephew'.*
*2. 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe'.*
*3. 'Prince Caspian'.*
*4. 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'.*
*5. 'The Silver Chair'.*
*6. 'The Last Battle'.*
I have the set shown with Lion as book one. After reading it in that order, on my own I figured out the chronological order and read it that way.
I don't really care what order people read them in. I just love them.
The white-covered boxed set is what my brother-in-law bought me for Christmas (when I was in fourth or fifth grade). I’ve read both the publication order and the chronological order. I’ll always prefer the former. Even knowing all the twists and reveals…
I would never watch the last few minutes of a twist-ending movie to better understand the plot.
I'd love to get my hands on that set. The artwork is so wonderful!
I tend to find with stories that skip around chronologically (Narnia, Middle Earth, or even Star Wars) the publication order is best for new audiences. Experiencing the story as it unfolded, sometimes out of order, recreates the experience that fans experienced.
We read LWW first as part of a book club, then as soon as we were done we found the BBCs Focus on the Family version of MN, then straight through from HB to LB in the traditionally numbered order.
We loved doing them like this because it made the discovery of Professor Kirke and the lamppost and even Jadis seem exciting.
Because HB was also audio book, it went quickly and we were back with the Pevensies quickly. Infact LWW was theonly one we originally read, all the rest was audio book.
Now this year, because my children loved Narnia so much we are doing the Narnia curriculum Further Up Further In. The curriculum creator recommended reading all the books in traditional order not the publishing order and she does discuss the alternate possibilities.
If you homeschool and love Narnia, I couldn't recommend this curriculum more. Also, I want to recommend a much more recent book A Place To Hang the Moon, it's a Narnia inspired fanfiction about Evacuees. It makes an excellent companion book.
Just subscribed to your channel. I really love it. Thank you for your hard work and inspiration 😊
The lion the witch and the wardrobe was my only introduction to the series for years. I am still working my way through the books for the first time.
Lion witch and wardrobe is a loving fantasy to a niece. I'm not dissing the other books, just highlighting the care in which it was written. The mysteries were there to enthral the reader. The other books were mostly an explanation to those who were interested, and further fan fiction. Lion is a stand alone book. Read that on its own and you'll do just fine without reading the others. I never even considered reading them chronologically and am surprised people do
I do kinda agree with this, I didn’t read the books right away, I watched the movies when I was a kid. And when I finally picked up the books I read the magicians nephew (I know I didn’t read lion, witch, wardrobe first I knew the story) And it explained everything from the first movie, I was blown away I immediately went through the other books
Same, except I forgot all the characters previously, so any shocking reveals in Nephew was lost to me 😅
Great Video! You're the first on TH-cam to really clear this up!
Glad it was helpful!
This series was first introduced to me back when the movies came out and I was hooked. I loved the first film, saw a bit of the second, and saw the all of the third. Sadly, I didn't know that there were books until I heard about the magicians nephew on youtube. I looked it up but the audio readings weren't complete. Later on I found and read a copy of dawn treader on my mission. Anyway, thanks to this video I think I can finally read and finish off this series.
I had the old order growing up and that is the best way to read them in, my opinion, except for the Horse and His Boy, which I feel is pretty standalone and can easily be inserted anywhere into the order. The Horse and His Boy is by far my favorite.
I agree with publication order. I used to drive my wife mad when I would rearrange our box set into publishing order. But it all goes back to finding an old box set my brother had with them in publishing order long before I ever read the books. I only knew a few bits about the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Yet that chance encounter with my brother’s books led me years later to read them in publishing order despite those nice and tempting numbers on the set I was reading. It leaves the world in a place of utter discovery because you are simply thrown into it and left with questions that must be answered.
The magicians nephew was actually my favourite of the series and I’m positive it was my favourite only BECAUSE I had read all the other ones before it
I have listened to the dramatized versions and audio book versions so many times I have lost count. I might be a little obsessed. I have tinnitus and listening to something as I go to sleep sees to help. It also helps that I really like the stories.
I have been doing this on and off for over 20 years.
I am soo agree with you. I always started with publication order. I have always loved it better that way.
I love reading all the books and listening to all the books and learning about life and characters,world. This amazing,interesting.