The Lord Of The Rings vs The Narnia Chronicles

[Honza]

The Lord Of The Rings & The Hobbit were written by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Narnia Chronicles were written by C.S. Lewis

These two authors were friends and lived in Oxford. They used to discuss their books as they were writing them. The books were written at roughly the same time. I'm sure there must have been a bit of rivalry between them too.

Both series of books are fantasy. Both magical. Both very famous.

Which books do you prefer and why?

[norseman]

Got to be the Lord of the Rings. I first came across it in a library in the late 60's but it was Part 2 [hard back ] The Two Towers. I read the first chapter and knew I had to take it back - I had to read it from the beginning. Fortunately, it was near my birthday and I was bought a boxed set. Later, I got The Hobbit and The Silmarillion.
Why LoR ? - the research and scholarship shines through it, and the multi-layer dense story.

[iolite]

I enjoyed both very much. I came across CS Lewis' Narnia Chronicals when I was in junior high. I did not read Tolkin until college. I think Narnia is more geared towards children. There is just too much scary stuff in Tolkin's books for children younger than junior high. Also, Tolkin's battle scenes went on FOREVER in my opinion. I must confess that I did skim over some of the battle scenes so I could read ahead. I didn't do that with Narnia.

I got the chance to read the Narnia Chronicles to my daughter when she was in 2nd or 3rd grade. At least the first book. She eventually read the rest of them herself. I've not reread Tolkin and really don't want to. I've also had no desire to watch the Lord of The Ring movies. But I probably will watch The Hobbit when it comes out -- at least part of it any way.

That being said... I think I liked the Narnia Chronicles better.

[Honza]

I prefer the Narnia books. I fell in love with them as a child because of their magical stories and the sense of wonder Lewis fills them with.

I like LotR too, but it is too serious a book for me to "love" it.

[Elfay]

I read The Narnia books when I was probably around 13 or so and The Hobbit in High School, I loved The Hobbit, I wasn't so much into The Lord Of Rings. I also loved all The Narnia Books. Didn't see any of the movies, never wanted to.

Not sure which one I liked better... I'd say The Narnia books but loved The Hobbit. So The Hobbit and not The Lord of The Rings and The Narnia books.

[Scibat]

This sounds like a literary version of what's better:

Star Trek vs. Star Wars

My vote is always Dr. Who when it comes to those.

In this case, I choose the Oz books by L. Frank Baum

[hawkmoth65]

I would have to say 'The Lord of the Rings' is my favourite of the two.I read the book (books) first at the age of about 13 after reading 'The Hobbit' as a set book in English lessons at school.The Hobbit fired my curiosity and I then heard of the LOTR books and just had to read them.

In contrast,'The Narnia Chronicles' evaded me as a youngster,I didn't actually read the books until after watching the 'Lion,the Witch and the Wardrobe' on DVD in 2005 was it? I thought the film was beautiful and it made me wish I'd read the books long before,I can see why the books are so popular,I enjoyed them immensely.

Why do I prefer LOTR?Perhaps it's the childhood factor,I have very fond memories of reading it and it's sheer scale and vast,interlocking histories really do appeal to me.But....'The Chronicles' are truly enchanting and come a very close second.

[Time]

Lord of the rings hands down...

why?

The chronicals of narnia doesnt have a 25000 year history to back its novels up. Or maps, its own legit language, and original characters. Tolkiens notion of elves dwarves orcs and wizards all are still the stereotypical stylings of those things. (yes they are based on celtic lore and what not, but our modern reditions of above mentioned chars, all are tolkien reditions).

The LOTR grossed more in the movies, broken more records and won more awards then CoN series..

But theres more then the LOTR. There is the hobbit, and even further, the silmarillion, which take you through the entire history of middle earth, from creation all the way past the end of the LOTR books.

/endpwnageofchronicalsofnarnia lol

[Alchymist]

No question - Lord of the Rings.

Ever since I first read the "Narnia" books I felt that they were "written down" to what Lewis evidently felt was a 10-year-old's level of comprehension; a good adventure story with a moral, but that's about it. Tolkien's work is much more philosophical and much more challenging; the invention of an entire world with its own history, mythology, peoples, languages and writing systems. A work of creative genius, in my opinion.

OK there were some odds and ends that didn't seem to belong and didn't add much to the story - Tom Bombadil and the Barrow-Downs spring to mind - and sometimes the archaic (almost Biblical) language got in the way - but no masterpiece is without flaws.

I've re-read Lord of the Rings several times, and will probably do so again, and also seen the movies. One reading of "Narnia" was enough.

Alchymist

[Honza]

I would disagree that the Narnia books are nothing more than a good adventure story with a moral. The books are not adventure books, they are fairy tales. They express much love and mystery.

C.S.Lewis wrote the books with great compassion in his heart. They were aimed at children, but then again children of any age can read them. They are childrens books but they are not childish.

Within those books is a great allegory and much love. I think they hold their own as classic literature.

[Alchymist]

As you say, Lord of the Rings is much more "serious"; that's why I preferred it. We each have our own interests and preferences. Although I would also say that "Fairy Tale" and "Adventure Story" are not necessarily incompatible. There is certainly plenty of "adventure" in Narnia!

Alchymist

[midnightstar]

Lord of the Rings hands down :smile:

[Seawolf]

Which books do you prefer and why?
I really loved reading the LOTR before the movies put images of Elijah Woods in my head. Reading the books was a magical experience, now it's overshadowed by dark lighting, computer graphics and bad acting.

The Narnia books were great when I was a kid, but I don't think I'd read them again, maybe to my children.

[Honza]

Do people see The Narnia Books as being more childrens books and The Lord Of The Rings as being more for adults?

[WhiteWarrior]

Honza - yes. I too prefer LoTR hands down. For one thing I don't identify with children characters any more, for another there's this intense disappointment in me when they return to being children after all those things, for a third I gnash my teeth at the concept of child knights fighting down big enemies, for a fourth there's this 'holy sufferer' thing about the lion that goes against all my instincts. If there is an enemy you fight it even if you will die trying, you don't surrender to be cut down. Even if you sneakily know in advance you will return... Give me Aragorn and Boromir and shouts of defiance, give me a king wielding his army like a sword in the face of a numerically superior army, give me a snarl on a dying face. Man yearns to be a man, not to be petted on the head by a superior being.

For the record, I never liked Harry Potter much either.

And don't even get me started on Twilight!

Harrumph.

[iolite]

And don't even get me started on Twilight!

Twilight and Interview with a Vampire never interested me. I'm a huge Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (have a T-shirt) and Angel fan -- we own the complete set of dvds for both series. I like my heroines and heros to be a LOT less serious and wise-crackers.

[Honza]

Honza - yes. I too prefer LoTR hands down. For one thing I don't identify with children characters any more, for another there's this intense disappointment in me when they return to being children after all those things, for a third I gnash my teeth at the concept of child knights fighting down big enemies, for a fourth there's this 'holy sufferer' thing about the lion that goes against all my instincts. If there is an enemy you fight it even if you will die trying, you don't surrender to be cut down. Even if you sneakily know in advance you will return... Give me Aragorn and Boromir and shouts of defiance, give me a king wielding his army like a sword in the face of a numerically superior army, give me a snarl on a dying face. Man yearns to be a man, not to be petted on the head by a superior being.

For the record, I never liked Harry Potter much either.

And don't even get me started on Twilight!

Harrumph.

Do you like *any* fairy tales? I'm a great fan of them.

[WhiteWarrior]

Do you like *any* fairy tales? I'm a great fan of them.

Terry Pratchett's Discworld? 'Orcs' by Stan Nicholls? Dark Company series by Glenn Scott? Fairy tale might be a definition thing.

[Dragonfly1]

Lord of the Rings.......absolutely, every time......love it ......