Prince Caspian

Summary: After spending a year back in their own country, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy again find themselves in another world. They are not sure that they are in Narnia until, after spending a day on an unpopulated and unfamiliar island surrounded by the ruins of a castle, they discover an underground treasure chamber - the same underground treasure chamber, in fact, that was theirs when they ruled as kings and queens in Narnia. They then discover that many hundreds of years have past in Narnia since they were last there and that many changes have occured. Calmorians have overtaken Narnia and have driven out - or so they thought - all original Narnians, such as talking animals, dwarfs, etc. However, there is an underground army of native Narnians forming under the leadership of Prince Caspian, a Calmorian himself, who escaped his uncle, the ruling king of Narnia, when the king tried to have him murdered. Peter and Edmund help Caspian arrange to challenge the king to a personal dual between himself and Peter to try to prevent a battle between the two armies. The king accepts but, when he looses, one of his treacherous noblemen spurs his army into a fight anyway. During the dual, however, Aslan arrives and takes Susan and Lucy to gather up an army to join with Caspian's army. Because of this, the true Narnians win and retake control over Narnia. As Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy prepare to return to their own country, Asland tells Peter and Susan that they will never return to Narnia.

Comments:
This book is the shortest of the series and is one of my favorites for a single reason. Near the end, Aslan returns to Narnia and walks through the capitol city. As he walks the streets, he takes note of the oppressed, hurting, sick, and weak. These he sets free, heals, and stregthens and then they in turn drop everything they have and follow him into battle against the Calmorians - their own people. It is a beautiful picture of how God chooses his people; He truly has come to save the weak and the sick. As Aslan heals and frees, the intense thankfulness and instant change of alliegence is a perfect thing to behold. This scene is one of my two favorites in the whole series. The other doesn't come until The Last Battle.

Also, this is the book that introduces Reepicheep, everyone's favorite talking mouse. We see an interesting conflict in a character who is extremely proud but who loves Aslan more than anything else. The picture here, too, is clear: what is the point of a human who is proud? For, in ourselves, we are no better than an insignificant mouse. However, through the work of God in our lives, we can be mighty warriors but must never forget where our might comes from.

When the children first realize they are in Narnia and receive word by Trumpkin, a dwarf, that they are needed to help Caspian, they must make a long journey to where the prince is hiding. Along the way, Lucy sees Aslan and realizes that he is leading them a different way. However, when the others do not see her, they presure her to go along their original path and she follows. Disaster occurs. Only then do the others realize that they should have listened to Lucy and they go back the way she originally told them to. However, when Lucy sees Aslan after this, he reprimands her for not simply choosing to follow him alone when the others decided to go their own way. He reminds her that even if no one is is choosing to obey him, she must obey herself and that her wrong actions are not cancelled out because they were accompanied by others' wrong actions. This is a good reminder to us all.

Edmund, who in the first book was the brother that betrayed them all to the White Witch and was then redeemed when Aslan gave his life for him, was the only one who voted to follow Aslan with Lucy, even though he himself did not see Aslan. His reason for doing so was clear: the last time they were in Narnia, he did not believe his sister when she told of Aslan and everything bad happened because of it. Therefore, even though he didn't see Aslan, he was willing to obey anyway. It is a great picture of the truly repentent. Edmund's character is a wonderful example to us all of one who has tasted great sin and even greater forgiveness and chooses to honor his savior as best he can in all situations.