The Magician's Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia) [Mass Market Paperback]

C. S. Lewis (Author), Pauline Baynes (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: March 5, 2002 | Age Range: 8 and up

The adventure begins

Narnia ... where Talking Beasts walk ... where a witch waits ... where a new world is about to be born.

On a daring quest to save a life, two friends are hurled into another world, where an evil sorceress seeks to enslave them. But then the lion Aslan's song weaves itself into the fabric of a new land, a land that will be known as Narnia. And in Narnia, all things are possible ...

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This large, deluxe hardcover edition of the first title in the classic Chronicles of Narnia series, The Magician's Nephew, is a gorgeous introduction to the magical land of Narnia. The many readers who discovered C.S. Lewis's Chronicles through The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe will be delighted to find that the next volume in the series is actually the first in the sequence--and a step back in time. In this unforgettable story, British schoolchildren Polly and Digory inadvertently tumble into the Wood Between the Worlds, where they meet the evil Queen Jadis and, ultimately, the great, mysterious King Aslan. We witness the birth of Narnia and discover the legendary source of all the adventures that are to follow in the seven books that comprise the series.

Rich, heavy pages, a gold-embossed cover, and Pauline Baynes's original illustrations (hand-colored by the illustrator herself 40 years later) make this special edition of a classic a bona fide treasure. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"The magic of C.S. Lewis's parallel universe never fades." The Times "When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness." C S Lewis --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 221 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; Reprint edition (March 5, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064471101
• ISBN-13: 978-0064471107
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (463 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#89 Overall (See top 100 authors)

#2 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

#12 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

#19 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Classics

#58 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction

#82 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

#2 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

#12 in Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality

#19 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Classics

#58 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction

#82 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

169 of 176 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars In the beginning.... July 31, 2004

By Amanda Richards HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Whether you read these books chronologically (Narnian time):

The Magicians 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

or in the order they were published:

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)

Prince Caspian (1951)

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)

The Silver Chair (1953)

The Horse and His Boy (1954)

The Magicians Nephew (1955)

The Last Battle (1956)

is entirely up to you.

Beginning at the beginning has always sounded like a good approach to me, hence this first review of the Narnia series.

Though written in simple style to be appreciated by young scholars, this book seems to echo with subtle and not so subtle references to the bible. A background check on the late great C. S. Lewis will reveal that he became a theist in 1929, a Christian in 1931, and later was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity by the University of St. Andrews in 1946.

His belief in the existence of one God, viewed as the creative source of man and the world, who transcends yet is immanent in the world, provides the foundation for the series, especially in this book and the magnificent classic "The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe." (Note: definition courtesy of Merriam-Webster)

"The Magician's Nephew" tells of the creation of Narnia by the great and powerful Aslan, and the temptation of a son of Adam, by a deceiver, with an apple from a forbidden tree....

This is the story of Digory and Polly, two friends who, upon an accidental meeting with Magician wanna-be Uncle Andrew, find themselves in a head spinning adventure involving other worlds, magical rings, an evil sorceress, a cabby and his horse, talking animals, and a collection of fauns, satyrs, dwarves and naiads.

We learn about the first King and Queen of Narnia, a heroic quest, a miraculous cure, and the planting of a tree and a lamp post, both of which we will need to move on with the series.

Even though a slim volume, The Magician's Nephew is deceptively deep and compelling.

WARNING: Reading this book leads to the compulsive reading of at least six other books.

Amanda Richards August 1, 2004 Read more ›

48 of 52 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars How It All Began October 21, 2003

By Mark Baker HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Digory and Polly are exploring a passageway between their houses one summer morning when they stumble into Digory's uncle's study. Uncle Andrew dapples in magic, and tricks Polly into taking one of his magic rings. Digory goes after her, and they find themselves in a magic wood, a passageway to different worlds. Exploring further, they find evil as well as a land about to be created.

This is a different story in the Narnia tales. First, we don't arrive at Narnia until after half way through the book. Second, this is the only book where actions in the fantasy worlds have direct impact on events in our world. For these reasons, it's a fun change in the series. The story in Narnia is simpler then the others, but it makes watching a new world take shape no less thrilling. And there are some important lessons on doing the right thing at the right time and getting out of life exactly what you expect.

There is quite a debate about the order this book should be read in. While it was published sixth, the events place it first. When I read these books back in third grade, I read them in publication order, and I enjoyed that because there are some surprises in here that explain a couple scenes in the first book. Admittedly biased, I think that reading them in publication order would make for the most enjoyment. However, the issues involved are very minor and any of the books can really be read in any order without spoiling anything important.

No matter what order you choose to read the books in, make sure you do. These are classic children's fantasy for a reason; they are fun stories that can be enjoyed by kids of all ages.

39 of 48 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars NOT Book One September 30, 2000

By Cyberlucy

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I am not going to dispute that this is a great book because it is, but it is NOT Book One of the Chronicles of Narnia. Reading this First SPOILS the mystery of the Wardrobe in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". If you want to read the books in the correct order it is as follows:

1.The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

2.Prince Caspian

3.The Voyage of the Dawn Dreader

4.The Silver Chair

5.The Horse and His Boy

6.The Magician's Nephew

7.The Last Battle

DO Read this book, just please read it at the right time.

32 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Beginning of the Adventure February 17, 2000

By S.Watkins

Format:Mass Market Paperback

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis is a wonderful beginning to The Chronicles of Narnia. Two children, Digory and Polly, are given a great gift by Digory's uncle. He gives them rings which give them the power to travel to different worlds and travel home again. They travel to many different worlds and have many different adventures. I one of the worlds they find an evil queenwho follows them back home. Polly and Digory take the the queen to a different world where they meet a kion called Aslan and many different talking animals. Digory takes a silver apple back home to his dying mother. When Digory gives the apple to his mother and she is miraculously cured. Digory plants the apple core and magic rings in his backyard. You will have to read the rest of this magical adventure to find out where the magic appears next. This book is one of the most wonderful and magical books I have ever read. Lewis's imagination really keeps the books alive. It makes you feel you are sharing the adventures right along with the characters. I would recommend this book to anybody because it is so fascinating. This adventure-fantasy is for people of all ages. It makes you want to keep on reading to find out what happens to the characters. There is a lot of suspense and it is very absorbing. I love the way it leads into the next book of The Chronicles. It makes you want to read all the other books that follow.