The Chronicles of Narnia they say, it is clear from the texts themselves that "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" was intended to be read first. When Aslan is first mentioned in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", for example, the narrator says that "None of the children knew who Aslan was, any more than you do" — which is nonsensical if one has already read "The Magician's Nephew". Other similar textual examples are also cited. Doris Meyer, author of "C. S. Lewis in Context" and "Bareface: A guide to C. S. Lewis", writes that rearranging the stories chronologically "lessens the impact
The Chronicles of Narnia and ideas from Greek and Roman mythology as well as from traditional British and Irish fairy tales. The books have profoundly influenced adult and children's fantasy literature since World War II. Lewis's exploration of themes not usually present in children's literature, such as religion, as well as the books' perceived treatment of issues including race and gender, has caused some controversy. Although Lewis originally conceived what would become "The Chronicles of Narnia" in 1939 (the picture of a Faun with parcels in a snowy wood has a history dating to 1914), he did not finish writing the first book "The