I agree, LB is a very powerful book. I remember when I first read it and though I never cry while I read, I almost did. Now whenever I read it my eyes cloud a bit and a smile crosses my face. The last paragraph is my favourite part of the entire series.

Yes, truly, LB is a top on my favorites list. I may have mentioned this before, but I read it the first time when I was a bit too young, and it was just too tragic and sad for me, and somehow the glory in it didn't stick. Later on, when I read it again, I was absolutely shocked at the new message that I got out of it, and the hope the flowed through the story at even the darkest moments. And then at the end, I really get emotional, and I have to stop reading for small moments just to let it all settle down. It makes me think of that a song with lyrics that were like, "It's not a dream......God will make, all things knew, that day." Wow, truly such a powerful book.

I always have difficulty reading certain parts of The Last Battle because of how dark the story gets, especially in the middle of the book. But when they cross through death into a new life, it always reminds me that, no matter how dark our temporary lives become, God has a wonderful conclusion planned for the people who love Him. The way the new world of Narnia and the new version our world connect at the end also reminds me that Lewis was doing more than telling wonderful stories. He was using Narnia to communicate God's love in a way that intersects meaningfully with our own world.

I don't remember my exact reaction to reading it the first time, but that ending section always gives me the shivers (in a good way). And the bits about the term ending and it being the holidays and all of life on earth being just the title page and intro and the real story starting after death, where every chapter is better than the one before is really beautiful and mind-blowing.

I think here Lewis steps over the threshold into allegory but he can get away with it, because it's the end of the series and a pretty powerful ending.

I've always had a similar (perhaps even more powerful) experience reading the end of VDT. The passage where they reach the sea of lilies and the sun keeps getting brighter and finally they arrive in Aslan's Country is a lot like the "further in and further up" of the LB.

It's hard for me to remember now that when I first read LB, it was not one of my favorites. (PC, HHB, and SC were.) Part of my reluctance was the Susan passage, which was very distressing to me as I had liked Susan so much in the other stories.

As Sir William says, it was on later readings that everything came together for me and I could understand the true power of the story. Through the years it became one of the books I love best. I remember waking up on nights when things were tough to deal with in my life and reading through parts of it at 3 A.M., and gaining sustenance from it. When you think about it, it's an extraordinary plot for an author to create for a book for young readers. This is not because there is death in it. Many of the children's classics feature deaths of favorite characters--for example, Little Women and Anne of Green Gables. But Lewis ended an entire world and began everything again. And he did it without seeming static and didactic. Even more astonishing, these were his first books for children. There was no learning curve.

Like Ajnos, LB always gives me the good shivers. The great thing about this book is that as one grows older, its impact does not diminish. Indeed, its effect increases. At least, that's what I've found.

"Good shivers". That's a good way to put it. Their passing from one life to the next and onward is always so... wow. 'cause it's a beautiful picture of something that we all will experience one day when the trumpet sounds. And the constant further up, further in... it never ends. And every layer is larger than the last. Just thinking about knowing our Saviour like that for all eternity is just awing.

I'm not sure I can add my heart here in words, I mean more than what has been said, but reading over your descriptions I feel along with you. The Last Battle cuts deep. It seems like everything is coming to an end when you suddenly find it is the brightest beginning with joy beyond description.

I think it would be great if we read the Last Battle for our challenge next summer 🙂

I literally just don't have anything to say because you all just said my thoughts exactly!!

Yes, it is powerful, even from the start of the book. I remember when my Mom started on the book (she would begin reading each book aloud and I would wind up reading the rest ahead of time because I couldn't wait for the conclusion,) I was upset at Shift for tricking both Puzzle and the Narnians. Everything in Narnia was falling apart, and hardly any of the Narnians were looking for the real Aslan. So, when Tirian gets past the Stable Door, it didn't feel so out of place for Lewis to describe Aslan's Country. After all the deception characteristic of our own world that had broken into the land of Narnia, bringing a Narnian supposal of the better part of the Gospel felt like it fit.

I am in awe every time I read the end of The Last Battle; running into stories other authors have written about Heaven that sometimes are cheesy, has made me all the more glad I read Lewis' Narnian supposal first.

The Last Battle is a very gripping story. It is also perhaps the most complex in the series. It deals with a lot of heavy themes on manipulation, life and death, lust (lust for power, that is), afterlife.

Shift manipulates Puzzle into pretending to be Aslan, "This is the will of Aslan" or "This is what Aslan wants". As time went on, Shift then gets manipulated by Rishda and Ginger. It's like you want to tell Shift, "Who's the puppet now?"

Eustace and Jill go back to Narnia. Since the events of The Silver Chair, Jill had overcome the bullies, so she is more confident. However, maybe when she gets to Narnia that time, Shift and Rishda are now the bullies or maybe it's just Rishda that's the bully. Anyhow, Eustace and Jill rescue Tirian and help rescue Narnia. Only that time Narnia can't be rescued.

Then there is the concept of the afterlife. Emeth talking of his meeting with Aslan is my favorite scene. Each book has it's own unique introduction to Aslan. Emeth's perspective is no exception.

I'm not sure I can add my heart here in words, I mean more than what has been said, but reading over your descriptions I feel along with you. The Last Battle cuts deep. It seems like everything is coming to an end when you suddenly find it is the brightest beginning with joy beyond description.

I think it would be great if we read the Last Battle for our challenge next summer 🙂

I second that book nomination, Swan!

--Spoiler Alert!--
The Last Battle is tied as my favorite Chronicle, along with The Magician's Nephew. I remember hearing it the first time and being heartbroken at points (the "freed" dwarves, or the talking horses' tragic reception when coming to the rescue during the last battle)... Yet there is such courageous beauty too: the small creatures bringing food and drink to the poor king lashed to the tree, the insightful question of the young lamb at the bonfire, the description tying the Stable on the hill to the Stable in our world that once held something bigger than the whole world... Also I love how Puzzle is rescued and ultimately restored after his encounter with Aslan -- This narrative shows the deep power of redemption shining into even the biggest mess-ups in our lives! So there is hope for me too...