Reviews
Read what the critics are saying about Planet Narnia
"[Planet Narnia] is, to all appearances, a gamble of presumptuous proportions; but it pays off powerfully and persuasively . . . [Ward] makes a marvellous case . . . profound . . . striking . . . brilliant."
The Independent on Sunday
Click here to read the full review in The Independent on Sunday by Murrough O'Brien
"An argument which is at once subtle and sensible, a combination not often found in modern academic writing . . . This is an outstanding guide not only to Narnia, but also to Lewis's thinking as a whole, and to the 'genial' medieval world-view which he so much loved and wished to restore, not in fact but through fantasy."
Books & Culture
Click here to read the full review in Books & Culture by Tom Shippey
"Planet Narnia is one of the most creative works of scholarship I have read . . . Ward has made a brilliant discovery . . . [B]y thinking seriously about Lewis's life-long interest in the medieval imagination, Ward has uncovered a symbolic structure in the seven books that deepens both their literary and theological significance. He also reveals Lewis to be a better writer than we knew . . . [A]n important work of scholarship . . . absorbing . . . serious . . . rich . . . a brilliant work to be savoured, read often and kept at hand when re-reading Lewis's novels."
The Catholic Register
Click here to read the full review on The Catholic Register website by Dorothy Cummings
"This feat of scholarly detective work will absorb your attention from start to finish. Michael Ward proposes a heretofore unnoticed structure that unifies the Chronicles of Narnia, based on Lewis's lifelong engagement with medieval astrology . . . The result is both surpris ing and persuasive."
Christianity Today
Click here to see the full review on the Christianity Today website by John Wilson
"Ward builds up a painstaking case based on Lewis's other writings, particularly his works on the medieval world-view and his "planetary" trilogy. And a compelling case it is, too, built on exhaustive evidence of the way in which Lewis the Christian convert still found the imaginative universe of paganism and medieval astrology rich and allusive . . . Ward's painstaking scholarship should help dispel two critical stereotypes: Lewis the unsubtle Christian propagandist, and Lewis the literary Reliant Robin parked next to the Rolls-Royce that is J.R.R. Tolkien."
Church Times
Click here to read the full review in the Church Times by Mike Starkey
"Compelling. . . . Michael Ward’s stunning work of scholarship has shone a celestial light on the Chronicles of Narnia, and it will undoubtedly send many old friends of Narnia back through the wardrobe to explore the land again with new eyes."
The Church of England Newspaper
(The above is excerpted from a review in The Church of England Newspaper, Friday 9 May 2008, by Dr Andrew Starkie.)
"Hold the phone: this is simply one of the greatest literary discoveries of our time, and it cannot fail to resound for decades and forever alter how Lewis is regarded in the literary world and beyond. That Michael Ward has somehow found this Holy Grail of Lewis scholarship is very hard to believe - until one reads the book. Planet Narnia is a triumph and a cause for great celebration, not least because after fifty years, very few people still held out hope that this so-called 'imaginative key' to Lewis's Narnia books ever existed in the first place. But it does exist, it does exist - and here it is, for all to see. Well done, good and faithful scholar!"
Eric Metaxas, author of Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery
"Like the Gospels, this is a book that should be either banned or required reading, depending on one's theological point of view. Some will find it threatening, if not downright dangerous; others will embrace it as the key to a whole new vision of a cherished imaginative world. . . . Some may remain skeptical, unwilling to accept Ward's interpretive insight into the way in which C.S. Lewis structured his stories, in part because they fear that it will lessen their enjoyment of the stories themselves; more likely, because if they accept it, they may be obliged to view more than just the stories this way. Others, like this reviewer, will rejoice at not only a world, but a theology made new. Ward's contention, simply stated, is breathtakingly elegant."
Rachel Fulton, Professor of History, University of Chicago, and author of From Judgment to Passion: Devotion to Christ and the Virgin Mary, 800-1200. (The above is excerpted from Professor Fulton's forthcoming review of Planet Narnia in The Journal of Religion.)
"The sensible reader's first reaction to this revelation will be that it is, basically, nutty: Why has it taken someone fifty years to find this? And why didn't Lewis inform anyone of his secret? His friend J.R.R. Tolkien, like many others, had criticized Lewis for being a literary magpie, plucking elements from innumerable sources to create a slap-dash mythology for his fictional world. Who could imagine that a method, in fact, lay hidden in this madness? For that matter, why should we care? Most critics consider Lewis's fiction as, at best, an introduction to theology and literature.
"Michael Ward, however, dismantles our initial skepticism with great winsomeness, persistence, and lucidity. Making his way through each of the Chronicles, he analyzes the deployment of a particular planet's imagery and then assesses the theological messages expressed by that deployment. In the end, the reader is convinced, or at least intrigued - a major accomplishment given such a surprising beginning . . .
"If Ward is right, then C.S. Lewis's communication of medieval and renaissance literature to modern audiences, his interest in God's presence in creation, and his articulation of this theology in fiction make him an even more intriguing author and theologian than we thought."
First Things, The Journal of Religion, Culture, and Public Life. (The above is excerpted from Nathaniel Peters' review of Planet Narnia in the May 2008 number of First Things.)
"[Ward's] discovery is worthy of comparison with the deductive reasoning of Sherlock Holmes or the code-cracking wizardry of Robert Langdon. He writes from inside Lewis's head, quoting effortlessly from Lewis's oeuvre, tying together disparate elements with ease and grace. His memory is prodigious, his writing clear and organized, his interpretation of the Narniad lovely, plausible, scholarly and useful."
Stillpoint, The Magazine of Gordon College. (The above is excerpted from Sorina Higgins's review of Planet Narnia in the Spring 2008 number of Stillpoint. To read the full article, click here.)
"All Narnia specialists should read this book . . . the lengthy footnotes and interesting illustrations paralleling Pauline Baynes's artistry with classical pictures of the gods are further evidence of meticulous research. . . . Ward's discovery is crucial to our appreciation of Narnia."
Christian Librarian: The Journal of the Librarians' Christian Fellowship. (The above is excerpted from Jessica Yates's review in the Summer 2008, No. 41, edition of Christian Librarian.)
"Michael Ward makes the seemingly preposterous claim that 'Lewis secretly based the Chronicles of Narnia on the seven heavens of the medieval cosmos' . . . Does Ward pull it off? Against all odds, the emerging consensus seems to be yes . . . Ward's work is indeed a word in season."
Karl Johnson at Chesterton House, A Center for Christian Studies. (The above is excerpted from Karl Johnson's article about Planet Narnia, the full text of which can be read here.)
"A breathtaking hypothesis . . . remarkable . . . a compelling case."
Mars Hill Audio Journal. Click here and here for more.
"I cannot contain my admiration. No other book on Lewis has ever shown such comprehensive knowledge of his works and such depth of insight. This will make Michael Ward's name."
Walter Hooper, Literary Adviser to the Estate of C.S. Lewis, and author of C.S. Lewis, A Companion and Guide
"Noting Michael Ward's claim that he has discovered 'the secret imaginative key' to the Narnia books, the sensible reader responds by erecting a castle of scepticism. My own castle was gradually but utterly demolished as I read this thoughtful, scholarly, and vividly-written book. If Ward is wrong, his wrongness is cogent: it illuminates and delights. But I don't think he is wrong. And in revealing the role of the planets in the Chronicles, Ward also gives us the fullest understanding yet of just how deeply Lewis in his own fiction drew upon those medieval and renaissance writers he so loved."
Alan Jacobs, Professor of English, Wheaton College, and author of The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C.S. Lewis
"A tremendous breakthrough in understanding Lewis and his world . . . a brilliant book and a wonderful literary discovery which has deepened our reading of Lewis's work
immensely."
Grevel Lindop, author of the forthcoming Charles Williams: The Last Magician (Oxford University Press). For more information, see: www.grevel.co.uk
"Planet Narnia is a simply stellar work of scholarship which has not only impressed but converted me: I will never read the Chronicles the same way again. Ward is not merely being clever: he has a rock-solid case that grows more and more intriguing the further one delves into the details. The chapter on Jupiter alone was some of the best Lewisian scholarship I've ever read."
Sarah Arthur, author of The God-Hungry Imagination: The Art of Storytelling for Postmodern Youth Ministry
"Michael Ward presents an absorbing, learned analysis of C.S. Lewis's bestselling and beloved series, the Chronicles of Narnia. Readily accessible to the average reader, Ward's book reads so much like a detective story that it's difficult to put down."
Armand M. Nicholi, Jr., Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and author of The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud
"For fifty years scholars have wondered whether the seven [Chronicles of Narnia] represent the seven deadly sins, the seven Catholic sacraments, or even - heaven help us - the seven stages of Anglican commitment, whatever they are. Now we know the answer. Planet Narnia, by Michael Ward, shows how each book embodies a different characteristic of the seven medieval planets which fascinated Lewis. Thus The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is jovial, Prince Caspian is martial, The Horse and His Boy mercurial, and so on. Suddenly the series hangs together as a unified whole instead of a jumbled mish-mash.
"So why didn't the writer reveal this himself? Because Lewis loved the cryptic - the kappa element in literature, as he called it. 'As is proper in romance,' he wrote of another work, 'the inner meaning is carefully hidden.'"
Anne Atkins, broadcaster, columnist, and author of Split Image: Male and Female After God's Likeness
"All who have enjoyed the Chronicles of Narnia and indeed are interested in any aspect of Lewis's work should read Michael Ward's book. He argues convincingly for a hitherto unrecognised inner structure of the Chronicles, and gives excellent reasons for understanding why Lewis should have worked in such a mysterious way, his wonders to perform.
"Ward has an encyclopaedic knowledge of Lewis's writings and uses it to support his theory that each of the seven volumes of the Chronicles of Narnia is based on the classical, medieval and renaissance mythography of one of the then seven planets.
"Even those critics who dislike the Narnia books in principle because of their implicit Christianity must consider their planetary structure and its significance. Michael Ward has made an outstanding contribution to Lewis studies."
Derek Brewer, Emeritus Professor of English in the University of Cambridge, author of Symbolic Stories, and a pupil of C.S. Lewis, 1941-2, 1945-1947, at Magdalen College, Oxford
"Planet Narnia is stunning: a door to a hidden world of understanding has been opened. Ward puts the study of the Chronicles on a radically new foundation. In a volume that will set the tone and terms of scholarly debate for decades to come, Lewis's depth of learning and imagination in the Narnia series has finally received its due."
Wayne Martindale, Professor of English, Wheaton College, and author of Beyond the Shadowlands: C.S. Lewis on Heaven and Hell
"I devoured Michael Ward's remarkable new interpretation of the Chronicles. His argument in Planet Narnia is thoroughly convincing. It is also spiritually nourishing."
Philip Graham Ryken, author of Art for God's Sake: A Call to Recover the Arts
"A splendid work. Planet Narnia brings out the Transcendent and the Real and I'm thrilled with it and with Michael Ward's discovery of what Lewis, who was so focused on the heavens, kept secret. I'm leaping up and down. With joy, of course!"
Leanne Payne, author of Real Presence: The Christian Worldview of C.S. Lewis as Incarnational Reality
"Ward's thesis is controversial in some quarters because it presents a different view of C.S. Lewis's composing process than we are used to hearing about. It really is a ground-breaking scholarship in Lewis studies. What I think Professor Ward sets out to do, and succeeds in marvelously, is demonstrating once and for all that the Narnian stories were not slapdash productions - as his friend Tolkien seemed to think - but carefully planned and structured to reflect his love of the medieval worldview."
Bruce Edwards, author of A Rhetoric of Reading: C.S. Lewis's Defense of Western Literacy
"An exciting and persuasive new interpretation of the Chronicles in terms of planetary symbolism."
Sandra Miesel, co-author of The Da Vinci Hoax, numbering Planet Narnia among the best books she read in 2007. More.
"Planet Narnia really is a tour de force."
Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen, Professor of Psychology and Philosophy, Eastern University, Pennsylvania, and author of the forthcoming A Preference for People: C.S. Lewis, Dorothy L. Sayers, and the Psychology of Gender
"[An] acclaimed, landmark book . . . revolutionizing interest in Lewis and the Narnia series by revealing a profound, but heretofore unknown, literary secret embedded in the books, and a stunning level of intricacy and sophistication by Lewis."
David J. Theroux, President of The Independent Institute and Founder of the C.S. Lewis Society of California
* * * * * * *
Other online reviews of Planet Narnia:
"Mind-bogglingly good," - Douglas Wilson
"Absolutely amazing!" - Valerie at Facebook Visual Bookshelf
"Fascinating and convincing," - Susannah at Caves of Kôr
"Seminal . . . ground-breaking . . . highly recommended," - Johnny at The Hog's Head
"Fascinating . . . one of the best written books I've read all year," - Aghaveagh at The Moon by Night
"Compelling . . . a good read," - Jason Dietz at Non Modern
"Full of amazing insights," - Allison at Facebook Visual Bookshelf
"Halfway through chapter three, and I am totally convinced. You will not be able to talk intelligently about Narnia, or make satisfactory movies about Narnia, or ever hope to write something similar to Narnia, until you have read this book," - The Light Shineth in Darkness
"Marvellous. This book is a devotional experience. Ward's postulation that C.S. Lewis crafted the Narnia septet to show 7 aspects of God as the 7 planets from pre-copernican medieval mythology is in my humble estimation brilliant and enlightening. As an added bonus reading this tome is an instant SAT vocab review. After finishing this book I'm a re-devoted Lewis fan and have been inspired to add more of the classic canon to my reading list. . . . I could rave on and on . . . but if you have the stomach for 250 pages of dense literary analysis definitely attempt it, if not tuck away the title to "drop" the next time you feel out of your league at a party: anyone who has read it will have a new respect for you," - Snooley at HANDEL BÜCHER
"Clearly the most significant book written about Narnia . . . ever," - Michael at Facebook Visual Bookshelf
"If you like C.S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia, go and read Planet Narnia by Dr. Michael Ward. It is a very interesting 'unveiling' of Lewis's literary and theological intentions in the seven Narnia books," - Marvelous Light
"Unbelievable. I've been excited about this book and Ward's theory all month. Both a thorough academic treatment and a really fascinating read," - Rachael at Facebook Visual Bookshelf
"[T]his is turning out to be a seriously seriously good study of the Chronicles of Narnia . . . The combination of subject matter and scholarship is making this a truly wonderful book. As I say, go buy it. Now," - The Llama Butchers
And more from The Llama Butchers: "As for Planet Narnia, I am now well into Ward's discussion of the ways in which Mercury permeates The Horse and His Boy. Go . . . buy the book. Seriously. I have been so swept up with Ward's discussion of Lewis's Christianity, medieval and Renaissance scholarship and classical predilections that I have felt positively elevated."
"I admit initial scepticism, being adverse to revisionism in interpretation. However, I was wrong, and this book by Ward brings a new depth of understanding Lewis's vision and fiction, "baptizing our imaginations." This is a challenging work of amazing depth of scholarship," - Priest at Facebook Visual Bookshelf
"Michael Ward's gift for uncovering themes, tracing threads, and piecing together clues is unsurpassed. As a scholar, he's brilliant. But the brilliance extends to his writing as well, which contains a brightness, a lyrical buoyancy, and an incisive poeticism . . . don't miss it. Planet Narnia is a paradigm-shaping book and a high water mark in C.S. Lewis scholarship. I can't recommend it highly enough to the person looking for jaw-dropping insight into Lewis's writing. . . . Ward's book is qualitatively different from the average "guide to" Narnia," - A.J. Vanderhorst at Bittersweet Life
"I recently read a book called Planet Narnia by Dr Michael Ward, which I highly recommend. . . . It's great," - Jonathan Lowery
"I have to admit, I was skeptical about the premise of this work . . . I mean, how unlikely is it that Lewis used a thematic structure for the chronicles yet never told anyone, and how much more unlikely is it that no one would figure it out for 60 years? But then I read the book and heard Ward lecture. Then I saw all the other Lewis scholars nodding their heads in admiring wonder. The guy figured it out. It's like Darwin. It's this big fat simple idea staring everyone in the face until someone comes along, points to it, and we all say, "of course!" It's no hyperbole to say that this is probably the biggest discovery ever made - that likely will ever be made - in Lewis scholarship. It also happens to be a fascinating read. Ward is a first rate scholar, and his wealth of knowledge from the medieval era illumines Narnia in a way that makes you want to go back and read it again and again." - Stratton at Facebook Visual Bookshelf
"Enthralling. . . . I'd recommend it," - Chris at Wet Lenses
"Though I can't claim to have surveyed all the literature on C.S. Lewis, it's safe to say this volume from Oxford University Press based on the doctoral studies of Cambridge scholar/clergyman Michael Ward is one of the most important contributions to the corpus yet released. It ratchets up the whole level of scholarship on Lewis and his work by proposing a key to understanding not only the Chronicles of Narnia . . . but also most of Lewis's other major works. . . . Ward's case is impeccably argued and supported by internal evidences. Reading that case adds depth to everything Lewis wrote, and forever dispels the claim of J.R.R. Tolkien that "the Chronicles were carelessly assembled out of incompatible mythologies" and that the children's books have insufficient depth to inflame and occupy the imaginations of adult readers. Ward has given us a quantum leap to a higher rung of Lewis appreciation," - Jon Kennedy at Postcards from Nanty Glo
"Planet Narnia could prove to be the most important book thus far ever written on the Chronicles of Narnia. All the other books I know of are commentaries, attempts to enlarge upon religious and moral questions, allegorical interpretations, and so forth. But Ward has managed to discover for us more of the mind of Lewis himself which illumines the very foundation of the stories and becomes a necessary ingredient in all our subsequent considerations of the Chronicles," - David Beckmann at Amazon.com
"I just finished Planet Narnia by Michael Ward. In a word: amazing," - Kara Jenkins at MySpace
"[M]an, what a convincing argument! I recommend this book which shows a complexity to C.S. Lewis's "Chronicles of Narnia" series that will dispel the criticism from Tolkien to Pullman that Narnia is simplistic allegory!" - Steve at Facebook Visual Bookshelf
"A new book on C.S. Lewis's Narnia Chronicles has come out and, unlike previous books, it seems this one may actually have something new, interesting, profitable, and most importantly, correct, to say. Having read the Chronicles multiple times as well as being familiar with a large portion of Lewis's other works, I have to say that my first impression of this idea of the seven heavens corresponding to the seven books is that it is not only likely, but it would be just the sort of thing that Lewis would do," - Ply the Silent Planet
"Ward has discovered something amazing. Not only is his book authoritative and convincing, but Ward is himself a clear, entertaining writer," - Douglas R. Ten Napel at Amazon.com
"[B]rilliant, painstaking research that shows several things so clearly that it almost made me cry for joy. . . . A brief review simply cannot do Ward's book justice. It's rare that I find myself coming away from a book of literary scholarship profoundly moved on emotional and spiritual levels, as well as challenged to think more deeply. But that's the kind of book Planet Narnia is, and why it will long be remembered as one of the most important books on Lewis and Narnia scholarship ever written. . . . As the evidence mounts up, there's a lovely kind of logic . . . you find yourself wondering "why did I never notice that?" or "that seems so obvious!" Yet despite feeling "obvious," many of the things he points out have not been pointed out before, at least not in this fashion. It's as though Lewis's love of the symbolic richness of the planets is a kind of key that unlocks a door or un-shutters a window, and suddenly you find a new breeze blowing through the books. . . . [A]esthetically, it rings true and it works: it holds together and illuminates so much about the Narnia stories, even for someone who has read them again and again. . . . If you love Lewis and have any interest in seriously considering questions about the composition and lasting power of the Chronicles of Narnia, then you will want to read Planet Narnia. I read it slowly, studying and savoring it as I went, and it's a book I will return to again and again. There is much more to this delightful and challenging book than I can possibly even begin to recount here. If you take away one nugget, know this: Ward's scholarship helps to open up the Narnia stories, and Lewis's imaginative life, in provocative, beautiful and satisfying ways. I think Lewis would have loved that," - befus at Epinions
"This book is outstanding. A breakthrough. Real, and rare, Lewis scholarship," - Brad at Facebook Visual Bookshelf
"Ward's book is too readable: it pulled me through a couple hundred pages before I knew it. Planet Narnia is a great study of Lewis's most popular works. All good criticism draws you further in to the work being analyzed; it extends the work's own power of fascination. Bad criticism explains a book away, but good criticism explains a way into the book. Michael Ward's Planet Narnia is very good criticism . . . Ward's thesis doesn't strip away the mysteries, but draws the reader to re-experience them more fully," - The Scriptorium
"His case is bulletproof," - Andrew Faris at Christians in Context
"The mythology of the seven heavens was integral to medieval Christian faith—hence the church’s vehement rejection of the Copernican system—and Lewis harbored a secret love for this mythology over against the materialistic, scientistic conception of the heavens that now dominates the modern era. Ward brilliantly shows how each of the Narnia books corresponds with one of these heavenly bodies, and he builds his case not only on careful readings of the books, but also through analysis of Lewis’ more “academic” texts, such as The Discarded Image," - D.W. Congon at The Fire and the Rose
"I confess to a forehead-smacking, well-why-didn’t-I-think-of-that? moment. Once the planets and their personalities are explained, and their manifestations in the Chronicles revealed, Ward’s theory fits the series neatly together, and one wonders how this could have gone overlooked for so long . . . Solving this puzzle ought to please us, not for the sake of solving it, but because it inclines us, subtly and ultimately, to the knowledge and awe of God, who “walks everywhere incognito.” And is that not the beginning of wisdom?" - Megan J. Robinson
"A deeper hidden meaning behind Narnia? "Yeah, right." That's what I thought - until I read the book. . . . I decided I'd better start reading with my "skeptic's glasses" firmly in place. If I kept them on, I reasoned, and still came out the other end believing Ward's theory, there must be something to it. Well, my glasses came off about half way through Chapter 1. Even aside from the content, Ward's clear style, his sincere tone, his obvious love as well as deep knowledge of Lewis's work - all these contribute to making this fairly academic work very readable and (to me) incredibly interesting. Ward's work opened my eyes to a whole bunch of stuff I'd never noticed in the Chronicles before. Not to mention the Ransom Trilogy and other of Lewis's writings . . . [T]his book is one of the most exciting non-fiction works I've read in a long time," - Benjamin Hoyt at Amazon.com
"[T]he most persuasive reinterpretation of an author's work I've read - consistently adding to, rather than detracting from, both the stories and their Christian interpretation. If you're a friend of Narnia and want to delve beneath the level of the text, you'll find this a compelling read," - Philip Purser-Hallard at surefish
"Interesting, persuasive . . . Ward establishes his case thoroughly and entirely convincingly . . . the burden of proof is now firmly on anyone who seeks to argue against his thesis. I'm sure this book will increase people's appreciation for the Narnia books, as Ward provides many illuminating insights," - John at Facebook Visual Bookshelf
"This thorough work demonstrates clearly and convincingly the truly cohesive quality of the Narniad and shows how Christ is revealed in the "atmosphere" of each work in a way that is far from superficial or simple," - Paul C. Edgerton at Amazon.com
"I have been reading, in the evenings, Planet Narnia, and am thoroughly enjoying it. I find Michael Ward's arguments convincing, he writes really well (it is based on his PhD dissertation, but reads really well, so either he writes in a non-academic fashion always, or he did a lot of work on this before it was published), and it is getting me interested in C.S. Lewis all over again, which I find to be a pretty good way of judging whether or not the author does his task well when writing about someone else," - Stuart at Stoogle
"Not only does Ward present a staggering amount of evidence as proof that Lewis has 'translated planets into plots' with his seven Narnia books, but he also presents his findings in a graceful and captivating style that one rarely finds in other literary criticism. A great strength of the book is Ward's commanding grasp of all the works within Lewis's oeuvre. For young students of Lewis such as myself, Planet Narnia provides a taste of Lewis' less-often read essays, criticism, and poetry, as well as glimpses into the currents of thought that run through much of his work. Yet my favorite part of the book is Ward's assessment of the theological messages revealed in the planetary imagery. He succeeds in the same goal Lewis set out for himself in writing the Chronicles - to present the character of God to readers in reanimating and revelatory ways. Planet Narnia presents so strong an explanation of the Chronicles that I find it hard to imagine anyone finishing the book unconvinced of Lewis's enduring genius, and Ward's remarkable achievement," - C. Strecker at Amazon.com
"An astute piece of Lewis scholarship. . . . Thanks to Michael Ward's erudition, I am now beginning to appreciate [the Chronicles of Narnia] as works of profound subtlety and ambition," - Nate Bell at Conversant Life
"Although (and rightly) a scholarly book, which will best be appreciated by those who have some exposure to the same literature as Lewis or are prepared to go and look up references which they don't recognise, nevertheless this book can be read simply as an enlightening and enjoyable sketch of Lewis's major imaginative works - Narnia, the Cosmic Trilogy, some of his poetry. Highly recommended," - T. Cooke at Amazon.co.uk
"Wow! Absolutely earthshattering. I've read the Narniad almost every year since I was five. In one sense, Lewis's work has shaped both my imagination and my theology, but at that subconscious and poetic level. While this book has opened up some of the reason behind the work, it has in no sense diminished the mystery and wonder of the books. On the contrary, it has increased my appreciation for both their level of literary scholarship and their theology. And it has made me immensely happy for all those Tolkien enthusiasts who automatically denigrate Lewis's work as slipshod," - Melanie at Facebook Visual Bookshelf
"One reason I was so intrigued with Planet Narnia is that scholarly works on The Chronicles of Narnia are few and far between. Ever since Walden and Disney announced they were working on the movie The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, there has been no shortage of books written about Narnia, but few of them would qualify, in my estimation, as scholarly . . . Don't let Ward's "deepness" intimidate you, though . . . Having recently re-read the Chronicles myself, my reaction on page after page was 'Yes. I see. I understand exactly what you mean. That makes so much sense' . . . The other reason that the book intrigued me is that it included a part of Lewis's life we do not hear much about. There have been books after books written about C. S. Lewis's Christianity, but little about his great love of poetry and medieval literature. How Lewis imaginatively integrated this love for the medieval cosmic understanding with his Christian beliefs is nothing short of amazing. It gives me a sense of what a genius he really was," - Mark A. Sommer at Amazon.com
"One of the most fascinating books about Lewis . . . ever. . . . This is a must read for lovers of Lewisian literature," - Dennis at Facebook Visual Bookshelf
"Ward is a scholar who, through decades of love for the Narnia tales, first discerned an astonishing depth to Lewis's "children's" books. . . . [N]o one for fifty years had seen, before Dr. Ward, the manner in which a medieval conception of the cosmos as articulated in their astronomy - and taught by Lewis for decades as a scholar - made for that perfect number seven in Lewis's books. Nor had anyone seen the way in which the seven planets gave the very atmosphere of each of the Narnia books . . . [T]he author does a masterful job . . . By Jove!" - St. Nicodemus at All These Things
"Narnia lovers behold this book. Michael Ward's revelatory work is too edifying to ignore. For half a century we read (or had read to us) C.S. Lewis's magnificent Chronicles of Narnia. We love them because they captivate us. The series has a mystery, however. Disparateness clouds the atmosphere; a lack of thorough artistry found in Lewis's other fiction. Lewis's mind is consistently meticulous and lucid, a chief trait of the medieval authors he taught professionally, and therein lies the secret . . . Planet Narnia contends that Lewis made it so intentionally. Ward argues that each Chronicle corresponds to one of the seven planets of medieval astrology. As a whole, they (the Chronicles infused with the characteristic traits of the planets) create an atmosphere that is both honest to the human experience and consistent with the loveliness and sovereignty of Christ the Lord. The subtlety, an atmospheric quality, is consistent with Lewis's pneumatology, which maintains that unawareness of the Holy Spirit is a common condition in our human experience. Ward's case focuses on the peculiarities in the Chronicles, of which there are many, like the supposedly discordant appearance of St. Nicholas in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Suddenly they make sense - the jovial saint's laughter resonates like guilt forgiven," - David M. Talbot at Amazon.com
