Least favorite Narnia book?

[throughlkglass]

I was reading Roger Lanceyln Green today, and was surprised to see him rate Prince Caspian as the least popular Narnian book. Would you agree with his rating? Taking into account that most of you (and certainly I) love all the Narnia books, which one is your least favorite and why? (Feel free to say your favorite as well).

Here's Green's quote:

"Judged simply as stories, for 'holding value', The Horse and His Boy seems to be the most popular (perhaps also as combining in a completely novel way many of the delights of the 'pony book'), with The Silver Chair and The Magician's Nephew as good seconds. Prince Caspian appears to be the least popular, largely on account of the construction which prevents the story getting under way for a third of the book" (Green, C.S. Lewis: A Walck Monograph, 60)

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

[john]

I'm going to guess that most people, if they choose a least favorite book, will choose The Horse and His Boy. Over the years that I've been involved in this project, that is the one book that keeps coming up in conversation. I must disagree, however. It is one of my favorites.

[Guest]

I didn't like Horse and His Boy. It's not as good as the other Narnia books. It has some interesting elements in it but should I read all the books again then I'd probably skip it.

[Alan]

I have huge problems with Horse and His Boy.

Prince Caspian on the other hand I find enchanting.

I have a feeling that Roger Lanceyln Green is not talking about a British audience in his speculation. I mean really - Prince Corin spends all of his formative years with a Calorman fisherman but still manages to speak as if he's been enclosed within the grounds of a minor public school in Berkshire all his life - 0/10 for credibility 10/10 for class snobbery.

[Guest]

[carol]

[Leslie]

[journey]

i don't dislike any of them, and i do like the way that The Horse and His Boy kind of backtrack and covers two stories at once, but (in my opinion) it dosen't have the same emotional impact that the others do. On the other hand Prince Caspian is probably my favorite book out of the bunch.

[Lady Rebecca]

The Magician's Nephew is definitely my least favorite. I've never made it through that one, which is quite strange. I always get caught in the chapter where one of the queens comes to life, get really bored with the story line and set the book down, disinterested.

[magpie]

[wood-maid]

I'm surprised at the response - The Horse and His Boy was my favorite, growing up.

My least favorite is The Magician's Nephew. It was always a bit strange to me and I didn't like the mix of worlds and magic.

[magpie]

This is verrrrry interesting. The Horse and His Boy seems to be coming up as either the least favorite or the most favorite. Anybody want to venture a guess what that means? :/

[throughlkglass]

Yes, I must say I was a bit surprised too. My favorite Narnia book changes from time to time, but most often my favorite is The Horse and His Boy. I love Aravis, find Lasaraleen outrageously funny, and have always liked Bree and Hwin. I also am a sucker for prophecies that come true no matter what one does to avert them, and I enjoyed all the places the characters travel. (I had never been to a desert or to the sea when I first heard the book; when I visit them now, I think of Narnia). I also enjoy food descriptions and recreating the meals characters eat, and I really liked all the Calormene proverbs/poetry. While the views of Calormene smack somewhat of Orientalism, I don't think that I've ever gotten the feeling that the Calormene people are considered inferior. And if Shasta speaks properly, so does Arsheesh, his fisherman foster-father. Shasta's attempt at "what he thought very grand and stiff manners" was enough verisimulitude for me, . . . "but as a fisherman's hut is not usually a good place for learning grand manners, the result was dreadful" (32). (And when I first heard the stories, I did not know what dialects and accents were).

Depending on the year though, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and occasionally The Last Battle vie for the spot of the favorite.

[A#minor]

My favorite is definitely Horse and His Boy! I can't believe some people don't like it!
Well, my least favorite is Last Battle. It's too sad and depressing all through, b/c it's a hopeless cause trying to save a Narnia that refuses to be saved; until Aslan comes along and everyone dies.