Reading Order? (was:Disappointed with _Chronicles of Narnia_)

[ginny343]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, Dina Lerret <bunniqula at g...> 
wrote:
snip
> 
> 
> > I don't believe the books were written in chronological order.
> 
> They weren't.  The gal suggested I take the books in published 
order:
> The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
> Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
> The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
> The Silver Chair
> The Horse and His Boy
> The Magician's Nephew
> The Last Battle
> 
> But also said many prefer reading them in chronological order:
> The Magician's Nephew (read by Kenneth Branagh)
> The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Michael York)
> The Horse and His Boy (Alex Jennings)
> Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (Lynn Redgrave)
> The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Derek Jacobi)
> The Silver Chair (Jeremy Northam)
> The Last Battle (Patrick Stewart)
> 
> > > 
> Dina


   I am sorry that the audio books have given such a bad impression 
of this wonderful series.  I remember reading these books as a kid 
and loving them.  (Given, some are better than others.)  In the past 
few years, I have gone back to reread some of them.
   I want to comment on the reading order of the books.  I read them 
in the order they were published.  When I got to book 6, I had a 
great surprise.  It is the back story of Narnia and I loved it!  
However, I don't think I would have enjoyed it nearly so much if I 
had read it before all the other books.  There is just something 
magical in itself about feeling part of this world and then learning 
it's history.  Unfortunately, every time I see the series now, The 
Magician's Nephew (book 6) is put first, considered book 1, because 
of the chronological order.  This bothers me.  Whenever I have the 
chance, mostly with my students, I always suggest to read that book 
later, after some of the others.  (I mean, would the back story we 
get pieces of in HP be as interesting if they were all laid out for 
us in a book we read before SS/PS?  Well, maybe some would say 
yes.)  Anyway, I am interested to hear about this from another 
perspective.  If anyone has read these books in chronological order 
and feels that is the best way for them to be presented, I would be 
very interested to hear why.  

Ginny343