The Chronicles of Narnia are the seven timeless stories of the fantastic land of Narnia, its inhabitants and the many visitors who encounter its wonders. The first installment, The Magician’s Nephew, recounts the creation of Narnia through the eyes of its first two visitors from our world: Diggory Kirk and Polly Kettle. Digory has lived for quite a time with his ailing mother, wealthy aunt and highly eccentric Uncle Andrew (who fancies himself an amateur magician). When Digory meets Polly, they are thrust into a series of dangerous adventures at the hands of Uncle Andrew, which eventually land them in the world of Narnia at the dawn of its creation. The book follows a Creation-story arc as the ideal paradise of Narnia is created by the lion Aslan and evil enters by the hand of the witch Jadis. Digory and Polly embark on a journey to find a magical apple that, when planted, will keep the witch at bay for many years.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe occurs many years later when Digory (now “the Professor) is grown. Four children named Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie are sent to live with him in the countryside due to the air raids of WWII. While there, they discover a certain magical wardrobe hidden in a spare room that they soon come to realize functions as a doorway into Narnia. The land of snow-ridden and has been so for a hundred years, ever since it came under the rule of the White Witch Jadis, Queen of Narnia. The children learn of an ancient prophesy that tells of two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve arriving in Narnia to defeat the White Witch, and the return of the Lion Aslan. Through sacrifice, courage and love, the children are able to defeat the White Witch and restore peace to Narnia alongside Aslan.

 

The Horse and His Boy is a story that occurs simultaneously with the final chapter of the previous book, during the long reign of the Pevensies after vanquishing the White Witch. This book follows the story of Shasta, a boy living in the lands south of Narnia, and his horse Bree. Desperate to be free of the tyrannical Calormen people, they set off in search of the land of Narnia. Their fantastic adventures eventually intersect with those of the Pevensies, and they uncover a terrible Calormen plot to capture Narnia in its Golden Age.

Prince Caspian occurs thousands of years after the Golden Age of Narnia. The Pevensies have returned to our world, finding that mere seconds had passed in the time that they had been gone. Several months after returning home from the Professor’s house, they stumble into Narnia once again while on the way to boarding school. They were summoned by the young Prince Caspian, rightful ruler of Narnia and a boy who is desperate for talking beasts, dryads, nymphs and others to live freely once again. Together, they must fight for this land and its people while learning hard lessons of trust and bravery.

Following Prince Caspian, Edmund and Lucy return to Narnia once again along with their awful cousin Eustace Scrubb in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. They find themselves onboard Caspian’s magnificent ship the Dawn Treader as the now-King of Narnia and his companions set out in search of the seven lost Lords of Narnia. Their adventures take them to many islands off the coast of Narnia where they encounter slave traders, dragons, enchanted waters, strange one-footed beings called dufflepuds and incredible tests of character.

The Silver Chair features the Pevensies’ cousin Eustace once again, who is now changed due to his experiences in Narnia. While at school, he and his friend Jill Pole are whisked off to a Narnia that has aged since the previous story. Caspian is now an old man, and his son Prince Rillian has gone missing. At Aslan’s bidding, Eustace and Jill must travel to the far northern regions of Narnia to find the prince and bring him home safely. But with their dreary companion Puddleglum the Marshwiggle, man-eating giants, an evil witch and an unforeseen journey to the Underworld, there journey will be a greater challenge than they perceived.

The epic conclusion to the Chronicles is The Last Battle, which is a story of the end of time. Evil pervades the once-ideal land of Narnia, and the few remaining talking beasts must rally alongside King Tirian of Narnia to fight back one last time to reclaim their world for Aslan. The remaining faithful friends of Narnia from our world (Digory, Polly, Peter, Edmund, Lucy, Eustace and Jill) are called back once more to fight this last battle against evil, which brings them at last to the end of time when they are called home to Aslan’s Country.