The Last Battle - C.S. Lewis

Advantages: Exciting story, gives closure to the series, thought-provoking Christian analogies
Disadvantages: Mild violence, a bit complex for younger children

...carrying for him. On the day when the story starts, Shift has seen something moving in a deep and rather chilly pool, and tells Puzzle to go and get it. The item turns out to be a lion-skin, and Shift has the sneaky idea of dressing Puzzle up in this skin, then telling everyone that Aslan has returned. Aslan the Lion is the absolute King - the God figure - of all Narnia, although it's been a long time since he's appeared to anyone. Puzzle is sure ...
...but is over-ruled by the quick-thinking Shift. The scene changes to King Tirian, who we are told is the last king of Narnia. He's peacefully chatting with his closest friend, the unicorn Jewel, a few weeks after the events of the first chapter, when bad news arrives: the talking trees are being cut down, animals are being enslaved, disaster has come to Narnia. Worse still, this is not due to an invasion from enemies, but is apparently happening ... Read review

Advantages: The first half holds up well compared to the best of the series...
Disadvantages: ... but the second half is too slow and loses the narrative drive...

The Last Battle is the last book in the famous Chronicles of Narnia series of novels by C S Lewis. Eustace and Jill are again the children called from Earth into the realm of Narnia, a land of talking beasts and magic, not totally unlike our own planet but not altogether like it either. Foul play is afoot - the main culprit at first being an ugly but intelligent ape called "Shift", who gets a donkey called Puzzle (not very bright but a heart of gold) ...
...something very evil (imitating Aslan, the great lion who symbolises God in the Narnia books), but poor old Puzzle doesn't realise what the significance of this is… Eustace and Jill are to save the day, but strange things are happening. Many of the others who've been to Narnia before seem to be almost making contact with them. No-one can understand what is happening or what this means… Furthermore, faith in the great Lion Aslan has waned to a great ... Read review

Advantages: Intricate plot, great thought-provoking images, a great way to end
Disadvantages: Possible hard to follow for the younger reader

The Last Battle is the seventh and final in the series of books which make up the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. It is different in style to those which precede it, and brings the world of Narnia to an end and opens of new chapter to an even better world beyond. In The Last Battle, Lewis brings The Chronicles of Narnia to an end. The book deals with the end of time in the old Narnia and sums up the series by linking the experience of the human ...
...SUMMARY King Tirian is the latest in a long line of kings in the line of King Caspian, since whose reign Narnia has known nothing but prosperity and peace. However, that is all about to change, as the stars foretell such awful times as have never been seen before in Narnia. However, there is a rumour that Aslan has returned, although in truth this is nothing but a simple, but good-natured donkey who has been talked into wearing the skin of a dead ... Read review

Advantages: One of the best in the nania series
Disadvantages: Doesn't flow well if you havn't read the other books in the series

...one of my favorites in the Nania series (The chronicals of Narnia). It has an intresting story line, a good flowing tale and finishes the series with no loose ends. I enjoyed this book from the begining. As I sat and read this tale it felt as if it was playing on a screen infront of my eyes. You just sat there willing Nania's king, King Tirian, to defeat Shift the ape and for the Nanian creatures to realise that the animal posing as the great Azlan ...
...Nania hope is regained and the children and Tirian set about on a journey along with Jewel the unicorn. This journey ends with the Final battle in Nania as we know it and where a new story begins. I highly recommend this book for the 10+ age range. Though it is sutible to be read to younger childern. However I do recommend that anyone who wants to read this book read the others in the series first ('The magician's nephew', 'The Lion, the Witch and ... Read review