"the narnia code" by michael ward

I grew up loving C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia. As I got older, I also read some of his other works, including The Space Trilogy, Mere Christianity, and Till We Have Faces. I even took a class on Lewis in college. I’ve long listed Lewis as one of my favorite authors, so I jumped at the chance to review Michael Ward’s The Narnia Code: C.S. Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens. I’m so glad I did.

An adaptation of Ward’s own Planet Narnia, The Narnia Code shows how Lewis based each of the Narnia chronicles on one of the seven planets (as they were known in medieval times). In defending his theories, Ward draws not only from the Chronicles themselves but also from Lewis’s other writings (making me very glad I’d previously read The Space Trilogy!), other scholars’ writings about Lewis, and Roman mythology. Though I never would have made these connections on my own, they are quite apparent when the evidence is laid out by Ward.

The Narnia Code is easy to read and understand, and it gives great insight into the beloved Chronicles. I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s ever read the Narnia books; it will deepen your appreciation for Lewis and give you a longing to read the books again in light of this new information!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."