Did the last battle freak you out to?
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Lunis
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I concur with Inkspot. It was very great of you to share that with us, Nick. My Uncle had the same experience in his college years. Both Tolkien and C.S. Lewis's works convinced him there was a God and Saviour. 
I wonder if these men knew how greatly they'd be used through their writings...
It's an encouragement to those of us who love to write; somehow God comes into most everything I think up, (whether it be stories, plays, songs, poems, etc). Hmm, I still need to read all of "Mere Christianity;" I'm excited that I may have time this summer.
(*Thia Lewis (aka~Lunis)
I wonder if these men knew how greatly they'd be used through their writings...It's an encouragement to those of us who love to write; somehow God comes into most everything I think up, (whether it be stories, plays, songs, poems, etc). Hmm, I still need to read all of "Mere Christianity;" I'm excited that I may have time this summer.
(*Thia Lewis (aka~Lunis)
I don't think it really freaked me out... but I didn't get freaked out about Revelation either. *laughs* I guess it just gets me all excited... just the reminder that God does have something more for us. It makes me want to keep searching- to keep digging for more truths about Christ. It truly makes me want to go further in and higher up!
-Tae
-Tae
Plz help
I like the book. It didnt freak me out. but i am writing a review of a nother book, but need to compare it to another adventure story. PLZ PLZ PLZ help. the chapter summaries on this website arent working. could someone plzzzzzzzzzzzzzz refresh my memory on what happens. plzzzzzzzzzzzz
I like the book. It didnt freak me out. but i am writing a review of a nother book, but need to compare it to another adventure story. PLZ PLZ PLZ help. the chapter summaries on this website arent working. could someone plzzzzzzzzzzzzzz refresh my memory on what happens. plzzzzzzzzzzzz
You need to know what happens in The Last Battle?
*** TLB Spoilers!!! ***
1.Way up in a pool by Lantern Waste, a mean monkey named Shift finds a lion skin and forces his dumb donkey friend Puzzle to wear it -- he convinces Puzzle that Aslan wants Puzzle to pretend to be Aslan so more people will believe in Aslan, but what the monkey really wants is for everyone to serve him.
2. The last king of Narnia, Tirian and his best friend a unicorn named Jewel, are alerted that things have gone wrong up near Lantern Waste and rush there to find the forests are being cut down and the wood sent to Calormen, and the animals are being sent as slaves to Calormen, all on Aslan's orders (they don't know it is Puzzle imitating Aslan, after dark, by a fire, with the monkey speaking for him). Tirian and Jewel attack a Calormen party and are arrested.
3. Tirian prays for help, and Eustace and Jill from "The Silver Chair" are sent to help him. They discover Puzzle and want to let everyone know it was a false Aslan, but the monkey beats them to it and announces Aslan is so angry about a donkey dressing up like him, he will no longer show himself, even in the dark. By now the Calormens have got control of the monkey and all Narnia. While many animals rally to Tirian, Eustace and Jill, the dwarves refuse to help anyone but themselves.
4. In a final horrible battle, the Calormens drive Tirian and his forces up against the stable where Puzzle used to live -- the Calormen monster-god Tash is within, and they think he is gobbling people up when they force them inside. But as the last of the Narnians is driven into the stable, they find themselves in Aslan's country, and Kings Peter and Edmund and Queen Lucy are already there. (The dwarves are also in Aslan's country, but because they don't believe in Aslan and are only out for themselves, they think they are just stuck in a smelly stable.)
5. Aslan closes time on Narnia, and it is destroyed as the children watch through the stable door, but then they find the "true Narnia" has been waiting for them inside the stable -- not only that, but they discover their parents are across the way in the perfected "true Britain," apparently the whole family was killed in a train crash and now is in heaven.
Does this ring any bells?
*** TLB Spoilers!!! ***
1.Way up in a pool by Lantern Waste, a mean monkey named Shift finds a lion skin and forces his dumb donkey friend Puzzle to wear it -- he convinces Puzzle that Aslan wants Puzzle to pretend to be Aslan so more people will believe in Aslan, but what the monkey really wants is for everyone to serve him.
2. The last king of Narnia, Tirian and his best friend a unicorn named Jewel, are alerted that things have gone wrong up near Lantern Waste and rush there to find the forests are being cut down and the wood sent to Calormen, and the animals are being sent as slaves to Calormen, all on Aslan's orders (they don't know it is Puzzle imitating Aslan, after dark, by a fire, with the monkey speaking for him). Tirian and Jewel attack a Calormen party and are arrested.
3. Tirian prays for help, and Eustace and Jill from "The Silver Chair" are sent to help him. They discover Puzzle and want to let everyone know it was a false Aslan, but the monkey beats them to it and announces Aslan is so angry about a donkey dressing up like him, he will no longer show himself, even in the dark. By now the Calormens have got control of the monkey and all Narnia. While many animals rally to Tirian, Eustace and Jill, the dwarves refuse to help anyone but themselves.
4. In a final horrible battle, the Calormens drive Tirian and his forces up against the stable where Puzzle used to live -- the Calormen monster-god Tash is within, and they think he is gobbling people up when they force them inside. But as the last of the Narnians is driven into the stable, they find themselves in Aslan's country, and Kings Peter and Edmund and Queen Lucy are already there. (The dwarves are also in Aslan's country, but because they don't believe in Aslan and are only out for themselves, they think they are just stuck in a smelly stable.)
5. Aslan closes time on Narnia, and it is destroyed as the children watch through the stable door, but then they find the "true Narnia" has been waiting for them inside the stable -- not only that, but they discover their parents are across the way in the perfected "true Britain," apparently the whole family was killed in a train crash and now is in heaven.
Does this ring any bells?
Johan 72109
New member
TLB has to be my favourite of the Chronicles. You get such a whirlwind of emotions reading it... I was so horrified and outraged at the dwarves and Calormenes, Tash scared the pants off me, and the final chapters... I was so happy reading them, I actually laughed. I feel similar when I read Revelation. The final chapter of Revelation has to be one of the most inspiring books I've ever read, especially when you're feeling low.
Brilliant.
Brilliant.
Narnian Jedi
New member
Wow, TLB was, I think, one of the most difficult stories to pull off for Lewis. Although he says CoN isn't an allegory of God's Word, it still echoes Biblical events and truths. If one knows his or her Bible well, especially the book of Revelations and other passages about the end times, the feeling should be one of admiration for this writer for putting such complex events into a well-written story for children (in addition to other feelings posted earlier). Great book. My kids haven't gotten this far in the CoN yet (we're only on the HHB) but that should make for some interesting discussions when we do read TLB.
I agree, Jedi, and further ...
Even if you are not religious and do not see the parallels with Revelations/Bible prophecy, you can still see some universal truths in the book:
* Deception and manipulation of emotions can ruin not just individual lives, but whole cultures.
* Refusing to help your fellow man (as the dwarves did) not only injures the people you refuse to help, but injures you, too -- it cuts you off from the brotherhood of humanity and leaves you helpless in selfishness.
* Death is not the end -- and to die among friends, in a battle for truth and righteousness, is not a tragedy. (We see this also in Tolkien's Return of the King when Gimli says he never envisioned his death fighting side by side with an elf, and Legolas asks, "What about side by side with a friend?" Aye, Gimli says, that he could do.)
And of course, because Lewis did belive in the life beyond this one, TLB was a great way to cap the series, by showing children that God can snatch victory even from the most overwhelming defeat, and that heaven, when attained, is too beautiful for description ...
It's a wonderful book.
Even if you are not religious and do not see the parallels with Revelations/Bible prophecy, you can still see some universal truths in the book:
* Deception and manipulation of emotions can ruin not just individual lives, but whole cultures.
* Refusing to help your fellow man (as the dwarves did) not only injures the people you refuse to help, but injures you, too -- it cuts you off from the brotherhood of humanity and leaves you helpless in selfishness.
* Death is not the end -- and to die among friends, in a battle for truth and righteousness, is not a tragedy. (We see this also in Tolkien's Return of the King when Gimli says he never envisioned his death fighting side by side with an elf, and Legolas asks, "What about side by side with a friend?" Aye, Gimli says, that he could do.)
And of course, because Lewis did belive in the life beyond this one, TLB was a great way to cap the series, by showing children that God can snatch victory even from the most overwhelming defeat, and that heaven, when attained, is too beautiful for description ...
It's a wonderful book.
Narnian Jedi
New member
This is true Inkspot. That's a great POV regarding this book. I'll definitely incorporate your points when we start discussing TLB.
Tarkheena_Finduilas22
New member
It's such an emotional book! I laughed one minute, and the next I was crying! It was a... well, yes it is kinda interesting. It "Creeped me out" in a Biblical way I guess you could say. The discription of heaven, Oh, I couldn't get over that! It was the best part.
Lord of Light
New member
The LB didn't even come close to freaking me out, but when I read about Tash, for some reason, I ended up going and getting my Bible and cross referencing him with the beast in Revelations.
Sforzando77
Active member
I'd have to say that I was far from "freaked out" by The Last Battle. In a strange way, I actually felt very reassured about my beliefs about where we go after death. When I finished, I felt a sense of finality and I was extremely happy, but in a bittersweet sort of way, if that makes sense. I just felt very good about a lot of things, and now it is one of my favorite books from the series.
Elentari
New member
I love TLB! While I was upset at the dwarves, especially when they began shooting at the Horses, I was in no way "freaked" or "traumatized". (I first read it in middle school, then countless times since.) Some of my other thoughts:
1. While much of the imagery does remind readers, esp. Christians, of Revelation, TLB is not allegory it is "suppositional". This means that Lewis was writing books about characters "supposing" they went through similar events/trials to what we go through in life. While LWW has strong religious themes and TLB has strong religious themes, neither are meant to be direct representations, so Tash does not NECESSARILY represent Satan, Shift does not NECESSARILY represent the Antichrist, etc.
2. It IS interesting that Eustace is not mentioned meeting Caspian again, however we can assume it happened later, as we can also assume ALL the "good guys" are there (including Cor and Aravis, Bree and Hwin, etc.). Lewis probably didn't want to list EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER in Aslan's Country!
3. Tash never scared me for some reason. None of the evil characters scared me, even as a child (though I did not read the books till I was 10-12).
4. While I did feel let down that Lewis does not continue describing Aslan's Country at the end, I did understand that Lewis wanted to leave that up to OUR imaginations. I also enjoy thinking of Heaven as being like Aslan's Country--bigger and better than this world, but yet still recognizable. I also loved the fact that the "Britain" section was connected--through the Mountain--to the "Narnia" section...I guess it is that idea of "other worlds".
"Further Up and Further In!"
1. While much of the imagery does remind readers, esp. Christians, of Revelation, TLB is not allegory it is "suppositional". This means that Lewis was writing books about characters "supposing" they went through similar events/trials to what we go through in life. While LWW has strong religious themes and TLB has strong religious themes, neither are meant to be direct representations, so Tash does not NECESSARILY represent Satan, Shift does not NECESSARILY represent the Antichrist, etc.
2. It IS interesting that Eustace is not mentioned meeting Caspian again, however we can assume it happened later, as we can also assume ALL the "good guys" are there (including Cor and Aravis, Bree and Hwin, etc.). Lewis probably didn't want to list EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER in Aslan's Country!
3. Tash never scared me for some reason. None of the evil characters scared me, even as a child (though I did not read the books till I was 10-12).
4. While I did feel let down that Lewis does not continue describing Aslan's Country at the end, I did understand that Lewis wanted to leave that up to OUR imaginations. I also enjoy thinking of Heaven as being like Aslan's Country--bigger and better than this world, but yet still recognizable. I also loved the fact that the "Britain" section was connected--through the Mountain--to the "Narnia" section...I guess it is that idea of "other worlds".
"Further Up and Further In!"
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Actually this is my favorite book of the entire series. As a pastor and former Bible College teacher, I have taught Bible Prophecy for many, many years. I am fascinated by the subject. I see many parallels between "The Last Battle" and Biblical End-time prophecies. So actually every time I read "The Last Battle", I feel excited and blessed and look forward to heaven more each day as I think Mr. Lewis gives us a very interesting and perhaps a prophetic look into heaven. "further in and further up".
Dragonchild
New member
TLB is my favorite, too, and has been so from the beginning on. But I can recall that I WAS afraid of Tash when I first read it (must have been around 13, 24 years old). I am reading this thread and up pops the picture of Tash with his many arms and veiled, somehow, in stench and darkness as he appears in my almost-read-to-pieces-Paperback edition.
When I first read TLB I knew nothing about Christ, at least nothing good, and I remember I was disappointed when it says in the end that Aslan didn't appear to them as a lion any more. I thought: Drat it! Now he probably turns into a lamb or into that guy with the long hair and the sandals. Pity, a lion is much more picturesque than a 30-year old jewish carpenter.
Over the years I got to know this jewish carpenter more and more (as he had been knowing me all along) and when I read the book now this sentence is one of my favorite. For, of course, I know that Aslan did not redeem us but I also know that Mr. Lewis and I share the same hope and Aslan was born out of this hope so he's kind of real, too, and I so like that thought.
All the best,
Dragonchild
When I first read TLB I knew nothing about Christ, at least nothing good, and I remember I was disappointed when it says in the end that Aslan didn't appear to them as a lion any more. I thought: Drat it! Now he probably turns into a lamb or into that guy with the long hair and the sandals. Pity, a lion is much more picturesque than a 30-year old jewish carpenter.
Over the years I got to know this jewish carpenter more and more (as he had been knowing me all along) and when I read the book now this sentence is one of my favorite. For, of course, I know that Aslan did not redeem us but I also know that Mr. Lewis and I share the same hope and Aslan was born out of this hope so he's kind of real, too, and I so like that thought.
All the best,
Dragonchild
queenaravis707
New member
I read it when I was 10 and I was kind of creeped out by it. I was also creeped out by the book of Revelations and the Left Behind series for kids... I don't know, but I think I took it all too literally and back then, I wasn't really a Christian, so it was kind of scary. Tash for me was the creepiest part of the Last Battle.