The Narnia Code by Michael Ward Review

Millions of readers have been captivated by C. S. Lewis’s famed Chronicles of Narnia, but why? What is it about these seven books that makes them so appealing? For more than half a century, scholars have attempted to find the organizing key—the “secret code”—to the beloved series, but it has remained a mystery. Until now.
In The Narnia Code, Michael Ward takes the reader through each of the seven Narnia books and reveals how each story embodies and expresses the characteristics of one of the seven planets of medieval cosmology—Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Luna, Mercury, Venus and Saturn—planets which Lewis described as “spiritual symbols of permanent value.”
How does medieval cosmology relate to the Christian underpinnings of the series? How did it impact Lewis’s depiction of Aslan, the Christlike character at the heart of the books? And why did Lewis keep this planetary inspiration a secret? Originally a ground-breaking scholarly work called Planet Narnia, this more accessible adaptation will answer all the questions.

REVIEW:

I was a little bit leery about reading this book at first. I mean books like this can go overboard one way or the other when they are trying to explain symbolism in stories like The Chronicles of Narnia. However, as I began to read I found that the author was very well versed in Lewis’s background and did his research. I enjoyed this book and a look behind the symbolism of Narnia, not that I needed to know this to love the stories that Lewis wrote. This just added to the stories for me. Mr.. Ward writes in a way that keeps your attention. He is not so wordy or intellectual that you don’t understand what he is saying, which is something I have found too often from other authors. The book is a great informational tool for those who want to learn more about the connection between Narnia and the Christian faith.

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for sending me this complimentary copy of the book to review.

To find out how to purchase this book you can click on the cover image above.