Status
Available
Genres
Publication
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (2010), Edition: 1st, 208 pages
Description
Millions of readers have been captivated by C. S. Lewis's famed Chronicles of Narnia, but why? What is it about these seven books that makes them so appealing? For more than half a century, scholars have attempted to find the organizing key--the "secret code"--to the beloved series, but it has remained a mystery. Until now. In The Narnia Code, Michael Ward takes the reader through each of the seven Narnia books and reveals how each story embodies and expresses the characteristics of one of the seven planets of medieval cosmology--Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Luna, Mercury, Venus and Saturn--planets which Lewis described as "spiritual symbols of permanent value." How does medieval cosmology relate to the Christian underpinnings of the series? How did it impact Lewis's depiction of Aslan, the Christlike character at the heart of the books? And why did Lewis keep this planetary inspiration a secret? Originally a ground-breaking scholarly work called Planet Narnia, this more accessible adaptation will answer all the questions.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member bobhayton
Do you remember when you first read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis? Many people, like me, trace their love of fantasy fiction back to that moment. As I gobbled up each of the seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia series, I entered a world of knights, chivalry, valor, magic and
As I went on to other fantasy tales, largely by Christian authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien and Stephen Lawhead, I encountered more intricate worlds and elaborate tales than what I found in Narnia. But the overt symbolism in the first Narnian tale, hinted at so much more beneath the surface of the Narnia tales. Reading Lewis’ space trilogy I once again encountered symbolism that I couldn’t quite grasp, but that was alluring and powerful nonetheless.
So a few years ago, when I learned of a new book by Michael Ward entitled Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis, I was captivated and just had to get it. That scholarly tome, whose hardback edition boasted 347 pages and almost 60 pages of endnotes, was a delight to work through. Bit by bit, Ward shared the thrill of his discovery — the long sought after, unifying key to the Narnia stories. It was a bit of a chore to go through all the scholarly citations, but along the way I learned a great deal about all of Lewis’ works, not just the Narnian chronicles.
Now, however, the fruit of Ward’s scholarly research is available for a wider, general market audience. Based on an earlier documentary/DVD, Tyndale House has published an accessible paperback entitled The Narnia Code: C. S. Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens.
I was able to pick up this smaller book from Tyndale. It’s only 191 pages with an easy to read font. To be sure, some of the finer points from Planet Narnia don’t find their way into the condensed edition. Still, one will find all the joy (and significance) of Ward’s discovery, a fascinating explanation of the pre-Copernican planetary model, and a detailed exposition of each Narnian chronicle according to the new insights gained from Ward’s study. The interested reader could certainly move on from The Narnia Code to Planet Narnia if he or she so chose, but most will be satisfied by the tale as told in the smaller work.
I don’t want to ruin the book by explaining in detail all of Ward’s discoveries. I will just note that he finds a planetary connection between Lewis the scholar’s appreciation for the pre-Copernican view of the planets as influencing mankind in various ways, and Lewis the author’s intricate method of creating a unique atmosphere that permeates each of his seven Narnian tales.
I can say this, however, you will be convinced by Ward’s discovery. And it will give new life to the Chronicles of Narnia. You’ll never read them the same way again. And Christ’s glory will be seen anew in all its wonder, illuminated in many small yet wonderful ways by Lewis’ intricate crafting of these wildly popular stories.
An expanded version of this review, with additional content and resources, is available at CrossFocusedReviews.com.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by Tyndale House Publishers for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
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wonder — that awakened in me a fresh wonder at the divine influence in all of life.As I went on to other fantasy tales, largely by Christian authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien and Stephen Lawhead, I encountered more intricate worlds and elaborate tales than what I found in Narnia. But the overt symbolism in the first Narnian tale, hinted at so much more beneath the surface of the Narnia tales. Reading Lewis’ space trilogy I once again encountered symbolism that I couldn’t quite grasp, but that was alluring and powerful nonetheless.
So a few years ago, when I learned of a new book by Michael Ward entitled Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis, I was captivated and just had to get it. That scholarly tome, whose hardback edition boasted 347 pages and almost 60 pages of endnotes, was a delight to work through. Bit by bit, Ward shared the thrill of his discovery — the long sought after, unifying key to the Narnia stories. It was a bit of a chore to go through all the scholarly citations, but along the way I learned a great deal about all of Lewis’ works, not just the Narnian chronicles.
Now, however, the fruit of Ward’s scholarly research is available for a wider, general market audience. Based on an earlier documentary/DVD, Tyndale House has published an accessible paperback entitled The Narnia Code: C. S. Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens.
I was able to pick up this smaller book from Tyndale. It’s only 191 pages with an easy to read font. To be sure, some of the finer points from Planet Narnia don’t find their way into the condensed edition. Still, one will find all the joy (and significance) of Ward’s discovery, a fascinating explanation of the pre-Copernican planetary model, and a detailed exposition of each Narnian chronicle according to the new insights gained from Ward’s study. The interested reader could certainly move on from The Narnia Code to Planet Narnia if he or she so chose, but most will be satisfied by the tale as told in the smaller work.
I don’t want to ruin the book by explaining in detail all of Ward’s discoveries. I will just note that he finds a planetary connection between Lewis the scholar’s appreciation for the pre-Copernican view of the planets as influencing mankind in various ways, and Lewis the author’s intricate method of creating a unique atmosphere that permeates each of his seven Narnian tales.
I can say this, however, you will be convinced by Ward’s discovery. And it will give new life to the Chronicles of Narnia. You’ll never read them the same way again. And Christ’s glory will be seen anew in all its wonder, illuminated in many small yet wonderful ways by Lewis’ intricate crafting of these wildly popular stories.
An expanded version of this review, with additional content and resources, is available at CrossFocusedReviews.com.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by Tyndale House Publishers for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
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LibraryThing member wilsonknut
Ward's insights into the Chronicles of Narnia are considerable. As Ward tells us, the roots of the word "consider" mean "with stars," and the stars are at the heart of THE NARNIA CODE. The Chronicles of Narnia have always been a favorite of mine from childhood, and I enjoyed Ward's examination of
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the books and their meaning. Show Less
LibraryThing member yvonne.sevignykaiser
Interesting look at the meaning of each of the books in the Narnia series. Fans of Lewis will enjoy the authors interpretations.
LibraryThing member BenKline
Picked this up at the Hershey library while kind of just snorting and browsing around, more or less on a whim. I have always loved CS Lewis's work (even from a non-theological perspective) and I am currently in the midst of reading the Chronicles [of Narnia] to my daughters (currently working on
While it is interesting, and gives a new perspective on the novels..... I'm not sure it wholly "changed" my viewing of the novels/and his works. It is all very interesting his idea and views and takes on how and (MAYBE why) CS Lewis constructed the Chronicles the way he did, and why he left things in like Father Christmas/Bacchus/Father Time, etc. I...... just don't 100% percent buy into the idea of it all. I take a look at stuff of this sort (the inclusion of all kinds of tropes and mythologies, even modern culturalisms like Father Christmas/Santa) in the same vein that Tolkien did when reading his friends works -- CS Lewis wanted to lean/borrow as heavily as he could from all genres, mythologies, and cultures -- a) because he loved all of these aspects of these various groups, and b) to be as inclusive as he can be. To reach as far of a 'market' (for lack of better term) as he could to try and spread the word of Jesus/Christ and the Bible.
This thesis definitely gives an interesting addendum to ways of looking at Narnia, and as I read The Horse and His Boy to my daughters tonight I will be looking for/at the ways mentioned in this thesis.... I just don't think I fully buy into it all.
(Apparently, at looking at the overall Goodreads reviews on this, it's very heavily loved, and Ward is very loved, especially by the religious and those who really love CS Lewis. So perhaps he is really onto something and I just don't see it, or perhaps I don't have the theological aspect/bent that the rest do. I will say the thesis is written well, though the connections at times are a bit loose, and with CS Lewis dead, and there never being a REAL way of knowing for sure if this is true or not, it has that 'conspiracy' theory it was kind of aiming at - especially after The Da Vinci Code, which I think this was hoping to piggyback on with the title a bit.)
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The Horse and His Boy), so this piqued my interest enough to pick up and read.While it is interesting, and gives a new perspective on the novels..... I'm not sure it wholly "changed" my viewing of the novels/and his works. It is all very interesting his idea and views and takes on how and (MAYBE why) CS Lewis constructed the Chronicles the way he did, and why he left things in like Father Christmas/Bacchus/Father Time, etc. I...... just don't 100% percent buy into the idea of it all. I take a look at stuff of this sort (the inclusion of all kinds of tropes and mythologies, even modern culturalisms like Father Christmas/Santa) in the same vein that Tolkien did when reading his friends works -- CS Lewis wanted to lean/borrow as heavily as he could from all genres, mythologies, and cultures -- a) because he loved all of these aspects of these various groups, and b) to be as inclusive as he can be. To reach as far of a 'market' (for lack of better term) as he could to try and spread the word of Jesus/Christ and the Bible.
This thesis definitely gives an interesting addendum to ways of looking at Narnia, and as I read The Horse and His Boy to my daughters tonight I will be looking for/at the ways mentioned in this thesis.... I just don't think I fully buy into it all.
(Apparently, at looking at the overall Goodreads reviews on this, it's very heavily loved, and Ward is very loved, especially by the religious and those who really love CS Lewis. So perhaps he is really onto something and I just don't see it, or perhaps I don't have the theological aspect/bent that the rest do. I will say the thesis is written well, though the connections at times are a bit loose, and with CS Lewis dead, and there never being a REAL way of knowing for sure if this is true or not, it has that 'conspiracy' theory it was kind of aiming at - especially after The Da Vinci Code, which I think this was hoping to piggyback on with the title a bit.)
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Language
Physical description
208 p.; 5.5 x 0.5 inches
ISBN
1414339658 / 9781414339658