Which order do you think the books should be read in?

What order?

  • Written (LWW, PC, VoDT...)

    Votes: 87 46.0%

  • Chronological (MN, LWW, HHB...)

    Votes: 89 47.1%

  • Other (Please specify)

    Votes: 13 6.9%
  • Total voters
    189
I think they should be read in order of Narnian Age; The Magician's Nephew and the last being the Last Battle, because it helps you understand things better....
 
If I had to choose just between chronological vs. published, I would say published every time.

However, I only have certain suggestions to those who want to read the septulogy. Read LWW first and TLB last. Read the "Caspian Trilogy" (PC, VotDT, TSC) as a group. The other two (H&HB, MN) can float anywhere.

MrBob
 
I used to be a "Chronilogical" adherent. However, now that my eldest daughter is taking an interest in the Narnia books I'm changing my tune a bit. It seems MN shouldn't be the first book read. HAHB shouldn't come right after LWW. It flows better by the way they were released IMHO.
 
I've read them in the chronological order, the publication order and the order in which they were written.
Very interesting how the story shifts with each new view.
This was all before I was eight year old.
::Yes, I was a huge Chronicles of Narnia nerd as a child ;)::

-Austin
 
I don't like the chronological order. I just hate having to leave LWW in the middle of the last chapter, reading HHB, and then picking up LWW again. :D

Seriously, though, I have my own descending scale: You MUST read LWW first. That kicks off the whole series. I highly recommend that you read PC second, and VoDT third. It's kinda nice to read SC next. HHB and MN you can read in the middle sometime. Finally, you MUST read LB last.*

_______________
*Note: Please realize that these 'must' and 'highly recommended' things are only suggestions. I'm not trying to force anybody here. :) ;)
 
Hum... I honestly think they can be read in almost any order. I myself have read them for the first time in a really non-sense order, starting from The Silver Chair, because I didn't know there was a series with an order to follow. But I agree that the best one to start with would be The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, because it has a 'welcome' feel. Still, one could start with any order, because when reading the books again (it has to happen!) all will fall into place and make sense.

Stated that, I have to add that there's not a better book to end Narnia than The Last Battle, and it requires some knowledge of all previous books to be fully comprehended - and has the *best* ending. :D
 
I voted for order of Publication.
I personally love that order of reading the books, Thats the order that i first read the books in and i absolutely love this order. I'm not as fond of the chronilogical order as much just because i'm not as fond of MN but it does make sense in a sense that since it is the first times in Narnia then it should be first, but the publication is the order love best and read my fave books in.
 
Here here! I've only read them in the order that they were written; that's the best way! I think I'll try Chronilogically over break, just to see what it's like....:)
 
Did I not post in this thread yet? Well, okay. I think it's more interesting to read them in the publication order first because you can kind of see how they develop as a series. But for myself I first read them completely in the wrong order. I remember reading LWW first; that was okay, but after that I read VoDT next. (I think that's because my sister was obsessed with PC at the time and probably was hogging it all to herself.) I remember thinking at the beginning, "Who on earth is this Caspian dude?" LOL. I was probably seven at the time.
 
I agree with this statment:

"I have to say that I think the original order is the best way to read them. TLWW in my opinion is the best introduction to Narnia, and I think starting with TMN takes away from some of the mystery of the later books."

But also I would like to add that I enjoyed reading the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe first and then going back and reading them chronilogically. I dont know why.... I'm just glad that I did. Just like the example of star wars. It's great to watch 4-6 first and then 1-3. First off, you get the suspense of wondering who Darth Vader is then you learn that Darth Vader is Luke's father then you learn that Darth Vader is Anakin. It's really just however you prefer. But back to the subject. I think you should read them in the order that they were written.

God Bless!
 
You just HAVE to read LWW first and then MN - it adds so much more wonder. CS L wasn't THINKING when he wrote that line in his letter, or he didn't realise the powerful impact of going back and finding out how it all happened. I guess it was the first time i had read two books in conjunction that were so cleverly linked and i can still remember the 'wow' factor that created, it was just so powerful. Reading them the other way, well you kinda know it all before you begin, which I suppose is cool too but doesn't hit you like a bolt of lightning.
 
Sorry to post 2 in a row but I just went back and read this whole thread and can I just say...
Inked- LOVED your rant, it cracked me totally
Gymfan - i had NO IDEA Mag Nep was to be read 2nd last, thanks for enlightening me, i can see how powerful and yes nostalgic (who said that?) it would be to read that way and i can see the whole, 'we're nearly at the end, so let me tell you how it REALLY began' would work so well.
Pip - now that you've pointed it out its obvious that LWW was written as a stand alone novel that the others grew from, and I believe this is the "Organic Argument" for reading in published order! when something 'justs grows up' to misquote Tom Sawyer there is magic in the natural way it evolves.
Oh, Orangethingy - that pic of Tumnus and Lucy is the most gorgeous thing i have ever seen, i've printed it for my workstation (oh yeah, work, that's right, i'm meant to be doing it....)
Finally, i embarrassed to ask but presume CS Lewis is deceased???? (and no doubt has taken his place as God's right hand man...)
 
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