The correct order to read the Narnia books, according to CS Lewis

Navigating the Reading Order of the Chronicles of Narnia

Embarking on the beloved series, the Chronicles of Narnia, can present a dilemma for new readers: Should you follow the publication order or the chronological order of events within Narnia? Debate persists among fans regarding the ideal sequence, as the release dates of the books differ from the timeline of Narnian history. While The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was the first Narnia book published and gained immense popularity, The Magician’s Nephew, released five years later, actually precedes it in the chronological order.

Recent editions have adopted the chronological approach, exemplified by HarperCollins’s numbered editions which position The Magician’s Nephew as the first book and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as second in the series order. Despite this, many readers still favor the original publication order.

Author’s Perspective on Narnia Reading Order

The question of reading order even reached author C.S. Lewis himself. In 1957, a young reader wrote to Lewis after a disagreement with his mother. The fan wished to reread the stories in chronological order, but his mother insisted on adhering to the publication order.

In his response, Lewis stated, “I think I agree with your order for reading the books more than with your mother’s. The series was not planned beforehand as she thinks. When I wrote The Lion I did not know I was going to write any more.”

He continued, “Then I wrote P. Caspian as a sequel and still didn’t think there would be any more, and when I had done The Voyage I felt quite sure it would be the last. But I found as I was wrong. So perhaps it does not matter very much in which order anyone read them.”

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Douglas Gresham’s Insight on Chronological Sequence

Similarly, Lewis’s stepson, Douglas Gresham, recounted his discussion with HarperCollins about the series order: “HarperCollins asked, ‘What order do you think we ought to do them in?’”

“And I said, ‘Well … I actually asked Jack himself what order he preferred and thought they should be read in. And he said he thought they should be read in the order of Narnian chronology.’ So I said, ‘Why don’t you go with what Jack himself wanted?’ So, it’s my fault basically—the order of Narnian chronology. And I’m not the least bit ashamed of it.”

Fan Disagreement and Scholarly Views

Despite these insights from Lewis and Gresham, debates persist among Chronicles of Narnia enthusiasts. NarniaWeb has observed that these pronouncements have not resolved the disagreements among readers. Furthermore, on the C. S. Lewis website, Dr. Charlie W. Starr noted, “Lewis scholars almost universally agree that we should disagree with what Lewis said about the order of publication.”

Dr. Starr elaborated, “The Magician’s Nephew doesn’t captivate new readers as well as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe does. I’ve heard stories of people reading Nephew and quitting the rest of the series! Wardrobe grabs readers more powerfully on a first reading.”

Narnia Book Orders: Publication vs. Chronological

Publication Order:

1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)
2. Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (1951)
3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
4. The Silver Chair (1953)
5. The Horse and His Boy (1954)
6. The Magician’s Nephew (1955)
7. The Last Battle (1956)

Chronological Order:

1. The Magician’s Nephew
2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3. The Horse and His Boy
4. Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
6. The Silver Chair
7. The Last Battle