prince caspian

prince caspian was the second book in the narnia series written by c.s. lewis, but falls to number 4 in the chronological series. this book takes the original characters (lucy, edmond, susan and peter) back to narnia several hundred years after they left the first time to find narnia overtaken by a neighboring country and the old narnians are in hiding.

i just found out tonight that this is going to be the second movie made in the narnia series so it got me a little excited. i dont feel as though the book is that exciting to read in fact it is pretty anti-climactic in a lot of respects, but the movie potential is exciting - there is a war and some pretty amazing characters that will be fun to see larger than life.

for me the most memorable character was reepicheep the mouse - the valient mouse always ready for a fight. i recalled the picture of him i had as a child the moment he appeared and a slight grin spread across my face.

another memory from childhood was the scene in which a black dwarf - nikabrik - brought a hag and a were-wolf into a meeting to discuss battle plans. i had remembered the wolf's words and how it shook me as a child and how i couldnt shake the similarities of sin as an adult:

"i'm hunger. i'm thirst. where i bite, i hold till i die, and even after death they must cut out my mouthful from my enemy's body and bury it with me. i can fast a hundred years and not die. i can lie a hundred nights on the ice and not freeze. i can drink a river of blood and not burst. show me your enemies."

that powerful imagery has stuck with me for over 20 years. i think that the idea of something that values overtaking you more than their own life is a powerful one. it rings true with kamikazes and suicide bombers. the pure evil of it.

anyway - i guess next month - may 16 - those of you who have read the book will be able to finally see it come to life (i am so not even going to mention the horrible mini-series that attempted this) and those of you who do not read will be able to see a great book also come to life...although i do hope for your sake that you do get tempted and encouraged to read the series as well!