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Favorite Book (and book rankings)

The cultures, creatures, geography — anything about the books!

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Which of these awesome books is just a bit more awesome than the rest?

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (LWW)
21
11%
Prince Caspian (PC)
8
4%
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (VDT)
44
24%
The Silver Chair (SC)
26
14%
The Horse and His Boy (HHB)
37
20%
The Magician's Nephew (MN)
22
12%
The Last Battle (LB)
27
15%
 
Total votes : 185

Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby Purpleotter » Nov 27, 2012 9:00 am

1. LWW (OK, so this is my first favorite in the series but I love all three movies)
2. PC (Close second)
3.VDT (I love the plots with Repicheep and the voyage that everyone takes
4.THAHB (The horses are cool)
5.TMN (I liked to see how the wardrobe started)
6. TSC (The plot was kind of dull but some parts of it were good.)

As for The last Battle, I don't know yet because I'm still on the start of it.
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby jillpole1 » Dec 07, 2012 1:20 pm

1. The Silver Chair
2. The Magicians nephew
3. The Last Battle
4.The Horse and his Boy
5. Prince Caspian
6. The Lion the With and the Wardrobe
7. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

I honestly don't have anything against VDT, I just couldn't decide which to put where, they're all so good. :P
The Silver Chair just really sucked me in, I can't explain why I liked it so much above the rest, I just absolutely adore it.
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby Purpleotter » Dec 31, 2012 6:07 pm

The Silver Chair was okay during the first few chapters. After that the plot became dull in my opinion.
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby The Tear Of The Lion » Jan 24, 2013 5:14 am

My favourite is The Magician's Nephew, I don't really know why, I just totally love it. I can say, I have a relationship with that book.

Then...
The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe
The Horse And His Boy
The Silver Chair
The Voyage Of The Dawn Threader
Prince Caspian
The Last Battle

But I totally love all of the books. It's easy to choose a favourite, but almost impossible to choose a least favourite...
You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.
- C. S. Lewis
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby Aslanisthebest » Jan 24, 2013 7:39 pm

We seem to have a lot in common, the Tear of the Lion! My favourites are pretty much in the same order that you listed. I really, really like The Magician's Nephew, too. There's something about it that's so... well, of course, it's hard to put into words. It's so different from the normal flow of the series, character-wise, time-setting-wise, etc, but it just strikes a familiar note. :) I also am quite fond of The Horse and His Boy and The Silver Chair and have hard time picking between the three when choosing a favourite. :)
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby The Tear Of The Lion » Jan 25, 2013 3:51 am

I absolutely agree. The Magician's Nephew was the first Narnia book I read and it took me. It's still my favourite book of all time and I absolutely love Digory and Polly. :) The Horse And His Boy is great too. I love horses and animals in general, and I simply love the title (the horse owning the boy) and the whole journey. It's perhaps the book with the biggest message. Personally, I like The Lion, The Witch, And the Wardrobe very much too. It's so full of the narnian magic. But I love all of the books. Really. Many (fantasy) books have magic in the story. But you can feel the magic of Narnia, just when you hold the book in your hands.
You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.
- C. S. Lewis
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby PhelanVelvel » Jan 28, 2013 9:33 pm

This is incredibly difficult.

1.) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. (I considered MN or HHB over this one, but I just couldn't. When I read this for the first time, I was going mad over the idea of getting to see what was at the much-hinted at Eastern End of the World. And each island had some twist, some turn, so that I was not disappointed. This theme of the unknown, going somewhere no one has ever been, it really speaks to me, as it speaks to Digory Kirke. That would make my top two choices seem rather obvious, but I love the series altogether and it was hard to choose.)

2.) The Magician's Nephew. (Narrowly beat out HHB because of the complete feeling of wonder and mystery I get every single time in The Wood between the Worlds and the desolate world of Charn. It's so real in my mind I feel I can reach out and touch it. And it is so tantalising, so torturous, to think that those rings lie buried in the front garden and they never take them for a joy-ride to explore other worlds ever again. More self-control than I think I would have. All those pools...that notion fills this book in a very subtle way, at least for me.)

3.) The Horse and His Boy. (This only JUST lost to The Magician's Nephew. By the slightest margin. Because I adore HHB, absolutely. The story taking place in Calormen was awesome, as was Aravis being a GOOD Calormene, finally some redemption for those poor people. People with dark skin and dark hair can be heroes, too. Got sick of hearing about "fair-haired, fair-skinned".)

4.) The Silver Chair. (Oh, how I love this one. The top four were just too hard to choose. I swear I get tears in my eyes every time Puddleglum says that famous line: "I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia." I am an absolute child.)

5.) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. (What! How could this rank so low? Still an amazing book, Tumnus is one of the greatest Narnian characters, but it falls just short for me because, as with PC, it was less about exploring and discovering the unknown places of Narnia, and more about rescuing it so all those stories could be set up.)

6.) Prince Caspian. (I love Caspian, this is still a great book, but I'm a sucker for the exploration-oriented stories, and this one didn't feel as "exotic", I suppose.)

7.) The Last Battle. (The ending felt too abrupt and I didn't like how heavy-handed Lewis got with his metaphor. I felt that the old Narnia was the real Narnia, and his idea of paradise did not feel like paradise to me. I liked the old friends all coming together, I didn't like the idea of them all never having adventures ever again because they'd be too busy being happy. Still liked the book as a whole, though, had some really nice moments.)
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby I Know His Name Here » Apr 29, 2013 5:20 am

Picking a favorite Narnia book is like trying to pick a favorite child! Impossible!! But if I *had* to rank them in the order that I personally enjoy reading them, I would say:

The Horse and His Boy - Aravis and Shasta/Cor are my favorite Narnia characters, and Lasaraleen cracks me up.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - Respect for the book that started it all.
The Magician's Nephew - This book full of so many surprises and "Ah-Ha! So that's why!" moments.
The Last Battle - "Further Up & Further In!"
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - I love the transformation of Eustace in this book. Also, my favorite quote is in this book. (I Know His Name Here ;) )
Prince Caspian - The Romp with Bacchus is one of my favorite parts of the Narnia books.
The Silver Chair - Puddleglum is an amazing character. His dry wit and ability to know what is right despite any reservation he might have produce some of the most memorable quotes in the series.
“But there I have another name.You must learn to know me by that name.This was the very reason you were brought to Narnia,that by knowing me here for a little,you may know me better there.”Aslan~VDT
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby Impending Doom » Nov 17, 2013 5:39 pm

This list was not surprisingly incredibly hard to choose.

1. SC
2. HHB
3. VDT
4. MN
5. PC
6. LWW
7. LB

IMO The Last Battle is still a great read but it's a weak finish to the series. Narnia is a world with histories, civilisations, wars, and vast territories. There are so many stories and adventures and we only got a few. This is why the 'Real Narnia' feels like a mistake. That place can never be Narnia for me, without conflict or danger. Without any of these things you can't have a story. And without a stories there is no Narnia.

SC is my favourite book because of its rich characters and a beautifully structured plot. I can relate to Jill struggle, with being bullied and having a difficult time trusting anyone because of the fear of being betrayed. Then there is Puddleglum... Enough Said.
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby jewel » Feb 08, 2014 8:51 pm

The Last Battle. The story moves swiftly, and has a lot of Revelations to it. So here.
LB.
LWW
VDT
PC
SC
HHB
MN

Here for ya. ;)
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby Narnian1993 » Apr 27, 2014 6:23 pm

1. VDT
2. LWW
3. SC
4. LB
5. HHB
6. PC
7. MN

(Side note, I haven't been on this site in a long time, but I'm looking forward to coming back and entering the discussions again! I missed this so, so much!)
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby PhelanVelvel » Apr 27, 2014 8:52 pm

I find it interesting that many people, like me, ranked The Last Battle as, well...last. Or second to last. The Susan thing always bothered me, but I believe that she lives her life as a good person and makes it to Narnia in the end.

I also find it interesting that so many people ranked Prince Caspian on the low side. I gave it sixth on my list, but I honestly did still like it. Other people seem to think it was very slow and bland, but it didn't feel that way to me. I liked the flashback where we're introduced to Caspian, but I have to agree with what Josh said about the partying on page four of this thread. I liked the bit with Bacchus and the liberation of the good people in Beruna, but I didn't like that Susan and Lucy, for the second book in a row, got left out of the action and went off to frolic.

In LWW they ride off with Aslan to free the statues, which was pretty cool--but they do miss the battle. In PC, once again, they ride off with Aslan to free people and Peter, Caspian, and Edmund must sort the ugly stuff out. It started looking like a pattern as to what girls were allowed to do in Narnia, so that threw me off. Tsk tsk. If they had gotten to contribute to things in the Howe in some way (as they did in the film!), I would have a different feeling about the book, I think.
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby Aslans Daughter » May 23, 2014 10:10 pm

My favourite book from the Chronicles is LWW. I like that they Pevensie's are entering a new land and discovering new things. The rest of the rankings are as follows...
2.VDT
3.PC
4.SC
5.LB
6.MN
7.HHB
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby Ryadian » Jul 12, 2014 12:02 pm

1. The Horse and His Boy--I think how much I like this book is influenced by the fact that, unlike the first four books, I didn't have the BBC versions to watch over and over when I was too young to read the book for myself. ;)) So, the first time I remember hearing the story, I was old enough to actually understand it, without remembering anything about the ending. I also love this book for the characters (Shasta and Aravis are among my favorite characters in the entire series), the ability to see more of the Narnian world--especially from the perspective of those who actually lives there!--and because my favorite passage in the series is when Aslan describes to Shasta why he is not "unfortunate". :) I love, love this book.

2. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader--as will become apparent, I love the chance to explore the Narnian world, and VDT has this in abundance. :P :) I enjoy the unique adventures and places that our characters visit (and, contrary to what some people may say, I don't need some kind of "saving the world" quest to justify it ;) ), especially since, twice, we get a few more tantalizing details about one of my favorite Narnian mysteries--the nature of stars in the Narnian world. Besides that, Lucy and Edmund are my favorite of the Pevensies, and I love Eustace's character arc, so a book that focuses on them is a very good thing.

3. The Magician's Nephew--Honestly, I'm not entirely sure why this book ranks so highly on my list, especially considering how relatively little of it takes place in Narnia itself. I think, again, it has to do with the fact that I actually remember understanding this story for the first time, as well as the chance to explore more of the Narnian world. Besides that, it seems like you so rarely get a story about a world's beginning, especially one with so many beautiful descriptions that make you feel like you're there, experiencing the wonder and peace of watching a world being born.

4. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe--When I was younger, this book probably would have rated higher on the list. I think the fact that I have seen this story so many times that... well, it hasn't lost its magic, but I've already explored so much of it throughout my childhood. Nonetheless, I still love the story, and it will always have the benefit of being my first adventure in this amazing world. :)

5. The Silver Chair--I like Jill, Eustace, and Puddleglum, but aside from that, I think the story crawls along a bit too much. The parts where they're wandering, seemingly aimlessly and off of the path Aslan gave them, seem to be twice as long as they really are. But, this book has grown on me since I was younger, and perhaps it will continue to do so as I get older. :) And having Puddleglum certainly helps its position. ;)

6. The Last Battle--for a long time, this book would have been last on the list. While it does end joyously, it's still hard to forget how much of this book revolves around a hopeless future for Narnia, with all the characters either deceived or utterly outmatched. But, as I've gotten older, I've gotten more adjusted to the fact that, while what happens in the "shadow world" of Narnia is awful, the hope at the ending wins out. :) Besides, this book has Jewel and Poggin, which automatically makes it better. ;)

7. Prince Caspian--It doesn't help that in this book, the only place we see is Narnia itself, and the story revolves around taking Narnia back again. It almost feels like a re-tread of LWW, just with mildly different circumstances and new characters. Also, I enjoy the portrayals of Caspian and Reepicheep more in VDT than in this book. That is not to say that I don't like PC--I still love characters like Trufflehunter and Trumpkin, and the story is still engaging. It's only last on the list because the other books have something in them that I enjoy more.
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby Future Narnian » Sep 07, 2014 10:49 pm

I feel like I SHOULD say LWW is my favorite and it is for endings, followed by The Last Battle and The Silver Chair. But as far as the books in their entirety...

7) I know Horse & His Boy is my least favorite. I just find the Tashbaan stuff too draggy.

6) The Last Battle - I love the ending, but most of it is simply too sad and dark.

5) Prince Caspian - only because I don't like the long shift to Cadpian and away from the Pevensies. I like the way they alternated on the movie better. And the hag/werewolf scene was just too gross.

After that I think I'm going to have to read them again to decide!
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Re: Favorite Book (and book rankings)

Postby Golg » Sep 10, 2014 10:06 pm

This is going to be hard...

1) HHB: I just love the characters and settings of this book!
2) MN:Extremely close second. The mysteries behind Charn, the Wood, and even Mrs Lefay just make me love this. And Jadis's brief conquest of London was hysterical. =))
3-4) VDT: tied with LWW, I love sailing stories, and Eustace was just plane awesome.
3-4) LWW it has become a Winter tradition for me to read this by an open window covered in blankets. Don't judge...
5) SC: Puddleglum is awesome. Rilian is awesome. Green Lady is awesome. Just keep in mind, all of these books are VERY CLOSE on my list.
6) PC: I still love it, I have no real criticism with it, just not as much the others.
7) LB: A very good book with stunning apocalyptic visuals. But that ape... and that... that...
train-wreck. :((
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