The Horse and His Boy

The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 3

By: C. S. Lewis

Narrated by: Alex Jennings

Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Following on from The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, this is a classic fantasy adventure from The Chronicles of Narnia.

Desperate to escape a harsh and narrow regime, two runaways unwittingly flee headlong into the centre of a terrible battle. This first sequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe includes all the hallmarks of its famous predecessor, though this time the fate of Narnia is wound up in the lives of its own children – and a talking horse!

On 9 December 2005, Andrew (Shrek) Adamson’s live-action film adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will be released by Disney, and it is already being hailed as the biggest film franchise of all time, guaranteed to appeal to adults and children across the globe. The second film is already in development.

“When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness.” C S Lewis

©1954 C. S. Lewis (P)1954 HarperCollins UK

Critic reviews

“The magic of C.S. Lewis’s parallel universe never fades.” The Times

enjoyable

the story is highly enjoyable and Alex Jennings really brings the characters alive. the description of the Calormen culture is 'of it's time.'

Another Classic

I think this is my favorite Narnia story next to the lion, witch and the wardrobe. I really enjoyed it. The reader was again brilliant. I was spellbound whilst listening to it.

Great book

I love this book, it has a great storyline and his voice was very calming. I definitely recommend this book. 😍💖👍😉

A humourous tale of bravery

Would you consider the audio edition of The Horse and His Boy: The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 5 to be better than the print version?

The print is better with the illustrations by Pauline Baynes, but the audiobook is great to listen along with while reading.

Which character – as performed by Alex Jennings – was your favorite?

Bree the horse was my favourite character as he had to overcome his cowardice in a time of danger to help Shasta deliver his message. Alex Jennings did a great job with all the character voices.

Any additional comments?

This is the third book in chronological reading order. The books in published order are:(Recommended for first time readers and listeners).1: The Lion, the Witch and the wardrobe2: Prince Caspian3: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader4: The Silver Chair5: The Horse and His Boy6: The Magician's Nephew7: The Last BattleThe books in chronological reading order are:(Recommended for those who are rereading the series)1: The Magician's Nephew2: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe3: The Horse and His Boy4: Prince Caspian5: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader6: The Silver Chair7: The Last Battle

a joy

This book was so beautifully written and so easy to listen to. The way it was written JUST SUPERB. I was mesmorized by the way the author wrote every word. Before I new it, it was finished.

The Importance of Being Human

Would you listen to The Horse and His Boy again? Why?

As I love 'The Chronicles of Narnia' and this is part of them, I would always read it in its place in the series. It is not my favourite book in the Chronicles, but it is an important part.

If you’ve listened to books by C.S. Lewis before, how does this one compare?

My comment above really covers this question. I think it is important to read the Chronicles in the order in which the events happen in Narnia, so this book cannot be skipped.

One thing I enjoyed was having a different reader for each of the 7 books. For me that added a lot of interest and quality.

Have you listened to any of Alex Jennings’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't heard Alex Jennings narrate anything else.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

This would have to be the moment when Shasta/Cor and his father are reunited.

Any additional comments?

The book keeps the story of Narnia alive and moves it onward. Read/listen to it.