This is a dark age for Narnia. The
years in which Peter, Susan,
Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie ruled as kings and queens in Narnia are just
a memory of a distant, golden age. Aslan, the Great Lion, has not
been seen walking in Narnia for many years and is spoken of as a
myth. The talking animals, walking trees, naiads and dryads have
gone into hiding. The land is ruled by Telmarines, led by cruel
Miraz, who killed his brother the
king and usurped the throne.
This, the fourth chronicle of Narnia, is the
story of how Prince
Caspian, true king of Narnia, flees his murderous uncle Miraz and
rouses
old Narnia to reclaim the
country from the Telmarines.
Caspian has been well prepared. His half-dwarf tutor, Doctor
Cornelius, has taught him the history and customs of Narnia over the
years, so that Caspian understands how Aslan expects his country of
Narnia to be governed. Caspian is prepared to deal equitably with
the talking bears and badgers and squirrels, fauns and dwarfs and
giants.
Caspian gains some desperately-needed help when the ancient kings and
queens are pulled back into Narnia by a blast from Queen Susan’s
Horn. One moment, the Pevensie children are sitting on a station
platform waiting for the train to take them back to school, and the
next they are in the apple groves at their old palace, Cair
Paravel. Further help soon arrives in Narnia when Aslan himself
returns.
This is a tale of battles and heroism, treachery and greed. The
Old Narnians are engaging creatures, particularly Reepicheep the Mouse,
whose tiny body holds the
courage of a lion. The author has much
to say about loyalty, courage, and especially doing the right thing,
even in the face of ridicule when it is
necessary to act alone.
There are many incidents in this tale which hearken back to earlier
stories of Narnia. While it is not necessary to have read the
previous three books to enjoy this one, the reader will enjoy the
nuances of the story more if he has done so.
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