If you’ve never read The Chronicles of Narnia books, you’re missing out on a world of adventure. Of course, fantasy book series can be extremely long. Luckily, there aren’t too many Narnia books.
There are a total of 13 Narnia books published by C.S. Lewis. The Chronicles of Narnia series contains seven books, and The World of Narnia illustrated series includes six books.
Read on to learn more about the Narnia book series and the order of books within each series. Please note that the following article may contain story spoilers!
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Chronicles of Narnia are seven fiction books. The books follow four siblings, Lucy, Peter, Edmund, and Susan Pevensie, as they explore the fantastical world of Narnia. Lewis published all seven books in the series between 1950 and 1956.
The Chronicles of Narnia is geared toward young adults, but people of all ages have fallen in love with C.S. Lewis’ world and its memorable characters. C.S. Lewis claims to have been inspired by stories of children fleeing World War II.
Through his books, Lewis gave children an escape into Narnia, a country filled with mythical creatures, magicians, kings, and queens. Narnia is a popular book series among Christian circles, but it is not an explicitly Christian franchise.
The death and later resurrection of Aslan, the lion, is said by some to be a nod toward the resurrection of Jesus Christ. C.S. Lewis has published many other Christianity-centered books, including Mere Christianity, Surprised by Joy, and The Screwtape Letters.
Fans of The Chronicles of Narnia often disagree about how readers should read the books. In this article, they will be listed by their publishing date, but some choose to read them based on the chronological storyline.
Book 1: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe was C.S. Lewis’ first published book within The Chronicles of Narnia. It was completed in 1949 and published in 1950.
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe follows the Pevensie children as they discover a secret portal through professor Digory Kirk’s wardrobe. In this book, the children meet Aslan, a noble lion who is “King above all High Kings” of Narnia.
The evil White Witch has ruled over Narnia with a hundred years of frozen winter. The children and Aslan must work together to save Narnia and return Aslan to his rightful rule.
Book 2: Prince Caspian
Prince Caspian was completed at the end of 1949 and published in 1951. After returning to their everyday lives back in England for a year, the children are summoned again to Narnia. This time, Prince Caspian needs their help.
A year on Earth has translated to nearly 1,300 years in Narnia, and the world of Narnia as they knew it lies in ruins. Caspian’s evil uncle Miraz has stolen the throne, and the children must save the creatures of Narnia who are oppressed under his rule.
Book 3: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Written in 1950 and published in 1952, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader does not include Peter or Susan, as they are now too old to return to Narnia three years later.
Instead, Edmund, Lucy, and their cousin, Eustace, go to Narnia to join Prince Caspian’s search for seven banished lords. On Caspian’s ship, The Dawn Treader, the children visit many bizarre places and have adventurous encounters.
Book 4: The Silver Chair
Originally titled Night under Narnia, The Silver Chair was completed in 1951 and published in 1953. This book does not follow any of the Pevensie children but focuses on their cousin Eustace and his classmate Jill.
Fifty years in Narnia have passed since The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and the children now search for Prince Caspian’s missing son, Rillian. Rillian went missing on a quest to avenge his mother’s death, but Caspian is now an old man who needs his son to claim the throne.
Book 5: The Horse and His Boy
Finished in 1950 and published in 1954, The Horse and His Boy returns to the time of the Pevensie children at the end of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. The book’s last chapter briefly describes Pevensie’s reign over Narnia.
However, the main characters of the story are Shasta, a boy, and Bree, his talking horse. Both characters flee from Calormen to Narnia in search of freedom.
Book 6: The Magician’s Nephew
The Magician’s Nephew was completed in 1954 and published in 1955. This book is a prequel to The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. The creation of Narnia and Aslan’s battles with evil are this book’s primary focus.
12-year-old Digory Kirke (the eventual owner of the wardrobe) and his friend Polly explore many worlds like Narnia. These parallel universes are affected by one another, and Digory and Polly accidentally create the White Witch in Narnia.
Book 7: The Last Battle
The youngest book in the series, The Last Battle, was completed in 1953 and published in 1956. In this book, Narnia as we know it comes to an end. Jill and Eustace return to Narnia once more, where a great war has unfolded between the Calormenes and King Tirian.
Some Narnians are fooled into worshiping a “false” Aslan, and they join forces with the Calormenes. Narnia is effectively destroyed in the battle, but Aslan the lion shows Eustace and Jill the “true” Narnia before ending the universe.
The World of Narnia Books
The World of Narnia books are retellings of The Chronicles of Narnia series. These are paperback books filled with rich and elaborate illustrations by Deborah Maze.
- Lucy Steps through the Wardrobe: This re-telling follows Lucy as she stumbles into the world of Narnia. There she meets Tumnus, the faun, who tells her about the White Witch and the century of winter.
- Edmund and the White Witch: In this book, Edmund encounters the White Witch, who rules over Narnia with the threat of eternal winter. The White Witch tempts Edmund with sweet Turkish delights and makes him promise to return to Narnia with his siblings.
- Aslan: All four siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, enter the world of Narnia, where they meet Aslan, the lion. They learn about the evil White Witch who rules over Narnia.
- Aslan’s Triumph: The four Pevensie siblings and Aslan the lion explore the magical world of Narnia and battle the White Witch to save Narnia from eternal winter.
- The Wood Between the Worlds: Polly and Digory discover magical rings that allow them to travel to different worlds. They discover Narnia, and the adventure begins.
- Uncle Andrew’s Troubles: This book follows a similar storyline to The Magician’s Nephew. Digory and Polly explore hidden worlds and encounter the evil Queen of Charn before the birth of Narnia.
Final Thoughts
The Chronicles of Narnia has been an incredibly popular series for over sixty years. C.S. Lewis creates a captivating universe with multi-faceted characters that will make you believe in Narnia too.
