The Last Battle - CS Lewis
Published in an omnibus edition with the full Chronicles of Narnia series: "The Magician's Nephew"; "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe"; "The Horse and His Boy"; "Prince Caspian"; "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader"; "The Silver Chair"; "The Last Battle", by Harper Collins Publishers: Hammersmith, London, 2010. Originally published 1956.
The final book in the Narnia series, The Last Battle appropriates covers the events leading up to and surrounding the end of Narnia itself. The last king of Narnia, Tirian, and his close friend, the unicorn Jewel, enlist the help of Eustace and Jill to do battle against a "false Aslan" and an army of Calormenes. The book is different from the remainder of the Narnia series (aside from The Horse and His Boy) in that it begins in Narnia, following Narnians, with no one from 'our' world arriving until quite a way in to the book. Even when they do arrive, the book continues to come back to Tirian's perspective, allowing us to see the English children through the eyes of a native Narnian - as figures from the distant past, myths and legends.
The book is a little 'heavier' in patches, dealing as it does with allegories for the end of the world, including numerous deaths and even an appearance by a demonic figure, the false god Tash, which is slightly more intense than other villains from the Narnian series. Yet, the book is still aimed at children, and a lot of comic relief is to be had as well, particularly in scenes featuring talking dogs. It also works well as the end of the Narnia series, with characters from previous novels making return appearances, meaning that it works the best after having read the rest.
In terms of allegory, The Last Battle contains some of the clearest parallels to Christianity outside of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. There is a judgment, an ending of the world and the creation of a new one, and the book begins to make far stronger connections between the Narnian world and our own, with the fate of our various English protagonists being determined as well as that of the Narnians. There is a subplot involving dwarfs that speaks to those who close their minds to the gospel, a reference to someone having "lost their faith" and even a section where the question of those who "seek God with all their hearts" but who have never had the chance to encounter Him during their life time is raised. Here theologians may agree or disagree with the stance Lewis takes, but as an allegorical children's story there are numerous levels that work, and could be debated as families discuss their faith after reading the book.
Over all, this is a book for Narnia fans, a little heavier and different than the majority, yet well worth a read.
Completed with Elise, 16 July 2020.
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