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November 19, 2008. I've read these books a zillion and one times and surely I shall read them a zillion more. Because every single time, I realize new truths and find more honor in their pages.

Today, I've read a passage that I find disturbing and quite out of character for CS Lewis:

p.72 "Shall we go farther up for you, up to the crags? There's an Ogre or two and a Hag that we could introduce you to, up there." "Certainly not," said Caspian. "I should think not, indeed," said Trufflehunter. "We want none of that sort on our side."

Seems a bit racist, if you ask me. It really makes me wonder exactly what CS Lewis is getting at here. It's totally the opposite of what happens in The Last Battle when Aslan sorts the good guys from the bad guys by whether they're good oir evil in their hearts. So anyway, it seems weird and I don't like it. The Hag does ends up being a bad guy in the end, but still... I dunno.

I'll keep reading and blame the racism on the 1950s for now.

Oh yeah, as a side note, whenever I read British literature, I talk to myself in a British accent and rhythm for a while afterward. It's so dorky!!!

Later...
I've read a bit more now. The race issue didn't come up again.

The battle scenes are not the same as you might see these days. There's something more frank and quick about them. Lewis doesn't explain every little move and maneuver, so in fact, if you're reading too fast, you might even miss a fight going on. Here's an example of a battle overview without much in the way of specifics:
P. 187
But the new bout went well. Peter now seemed to be able to make some use of his shield, and he certainly made good use of his feet. He was almost playing Tig with Miraz now, keeping out of range shifting his ground, making the enemy work.

I think if this book had been written today by a different author, it might be about 500 pages of battle scenes. I'm glad its not. Instead, the book is more about people standing on the side of good. Here's a passage that I just love which describes Edmund who may be a boy, but is also a king:
P.174An hour later two great lords in the army of Miraz, the Lord Glozelle and the Lord Sopespian, strolling along their lines and picking their teeth after breakfast, looked up and saw coming down to them from the wood the Centaur and Giant Wembleweather, whom they had seen before in battle, and between them a figure they could not recognise. Nor indeed would the other boys at Edmund's school have recognised him if they could have seen him at that moment. For Aslan had breathed on him at their meeting and a kind of greatness hung about him.

Ahhhhh... See? For Narnia and the North!


Also, you Tolkien fans will recognize the onslaught of trees which comes in at the end of the battle--Two Towers--and the river emerging (with the help of Bacchus and his grapevines) to take out the bridge and thwart the enemy in its path--Fellowship. Who came up with it first, I wonder... :)



Later still...
As I finish reading this lovely little novel, allow me to drop off to sleep with feet towards the fire and good friends on either side... Thank you, Mr. Lewis. I have had a time.