Narnia Watch Order (also Read/Listen Order)
TomH1138 (all lists)  
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Modified at: 2024-10-26 3:38pm

As usual, the best place to start is the books. I'm listing this as an overall recommendation, and then I'll list the individual items in order of reading preference.

Modern publishers put this book second in order because of the series' internal chronology, but chronological order spoils many of the series' surprises. Published order is much better for the most rewarding reading experience. There's a reason why adaptations have until now started with this story.

Alas, there hasn't been a very good filmed adaptation of the Chronicles to date. This handsomely produced and well-acted audio drama series from Focus on the Family Radio Theater is your best bet for an adaptation. Highly recommended! This is a slightly different order than mentioned above - closer to chronological, but "Lion" still comes first to preserve some surprises.

The good casting and impressive visuals make this series of movies arguably the most accessible of the filmed adaptations for newcomers, but the screenwriters frequently roll their eyes at Lewis' creative decisions and often miss his thematic points as well.

To date, this is the only filmed adaptation of this book, with Tom Baker of "Doctor Who" playing a pivotal role. This 1980s BBC television adaptation (one of a series) boasts greater fidelity to the source material, but unfortunately is hampered by its budget.

This is the series mentioned above, which also includes adaptations of the first 3 books (published). I would have listed it before the previous entry, but at this point you've already seen adaptations of those, while "Silver Chair" is more unique.

Here's a fun oddity: The Christian pop band 2nd Chapter of Acts released an album that adapts the story almost as though it were a stage musical (although it was never produced that way).

I didn't care for this version back in the day. Watching it at the height of the Disney Renassiance, I was hoping for something much more epic. Re-watching it this year with adjusted expectations, though, I could appreciate it more. The movie's animation is limited and charming, and guided by the same director who gave us all the "Peanuts" specials back in the day.

Normally, "inspired by" pop albums tied to a movie are a waste of time, but there are some quality tracks here, largely because they're actually based on the story rather than being a quick cash-in. tobyMac's hip-hop "New World" works surprisingly well. My favorite is probably Steven Curtis Chapman's "Remembering You."

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