The Last Battle

At last I've finished the series!

What did I think of The Last Battle?

Very depressing. 

Seriously, why have I never noticed what a downer this book is??

The narrator let's you know by the second chapter that these are the final days of Narnia. (um, spoilers??)

But why say that? How about we find that out towards the end?? What's the point in telling us that now? So when every chapter shows things in Narnia getting worse (talking animals slaughter, the land overrun with the enemy, a Centaur saying doom and destruction is coming to Narnia) the reader has ZERO hope things will get better because the book told you the end days were coming at the beginning of the book. 

SPOILERS!!!!

And I still don't know how I missed the fact that the kids were dead at the end of the book, which is why they are all gathered in Narnia. Wild. So they never got "called" into the land as in previous novels, but died and were sent there after death. (GRIM)

Yes, in the end, everyone goes to NEW Narnia and lives happily ever after, yet it's really too late at that moment because you've been reading the entire novel, knowing everything is coming to a crummy ending. But yet the last 2 chapters everything is happy again, so we're supposed to be happy too?? I don't get it. 

So here's my final ranking:

1) Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2) Silver Chair

3) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

4) The Magician's Newphew

5) A Horse and His Boy

6) The Last Battle

7) Prince Caspian - (only because of it's slow start in the first half of the book)

And there you go! 

Overall, I'd say it's worth reading. I'll be reading it again in the next 7-8 years I'm sure. Maybe sooner if my kids are old enough to LISTEN while I read. 

I first tried reading these to them and it was a disaster. No one can sit still in bed. So after 2 chapters, I gave up and starting reading them on my own. And I'm glad I did. It was worth it. 

Have a good weekend folks!
 

Hwy Traffic jam

 This isn't a picture of Monroe. But it could be. I don't know what the heck is going on, but since last year it's taking me almost twice the original time to get home these days. 

Not sure if that's because Meta now has a site (an hour away) or what, but traffic is the WORST these days. And at least twice a week there's a wreck at the SAME EXACT SPOT. It's like everyone forgot how to drive. 

I know it's some moron looking at their phone instead of the road and slamming into the car in front of them. Every time I pass the wreck, I see it. Someone hit someone else's car from behind, causes a jam on the highway. 

I know, I know, this is nothing compared to bigger cities but still... it irks me. 

And I'm getting old. 

And I like to complain about these things. 

And whenever I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night I always pass gas when I get back in bed. 

I have no idea why, but it's true. 

Anyway....traffic sucks. 

The Silver Chair (review)

 

As I've said, it's been a while since I've read these. I'm finding I like them even more than I expected I would. 

In fact, this may be 2nd on my "favorite" list of them. I love Puddleglum. He's the perfect character for such an adventure. Always negative and such a downer on the group, yet serves up some humorous moments during the adventure. 

I remember watching the BBC version of this years later when I moved to Monroe. I never even knew it existed until visiting our local ibrary here and seeing the series on VHS. When I was a kid, we must've watched the first 3 series hundreds of times but they didn't have the Silver Chair. And in the days before the internet, how could I have known this even existed??

But wow, what a great book. Can't wait to get to the final book in the series now!

Traffic Light Removal

Driving down a street I haven't been on in a while and noticed something amazing. They got rid of a traffic light that has been there for 36 years. 

I was shocked. 

It was in a terrible location where there's hardly ever any traffic, yet you have to sit there and wait for....no one until the light turns green. I always found it to be a waste of time, I have no idea who put it up or how long it's been up there (it was there when I arrived in 1989) But I'm SOOO happy somebody finally had the brains to say "Hey, this light is useless"

Great choice. 

There's a few more in town that make no sense either that I hope they take down soon. I'm also a fan of round-abouts, yet a bunch of idiot drivers here have no idea how to maneuver around them, so I doubt those will ever be popular here. 

Either way, kudos to the city of Monroe for taking a step in the right directions (though it probably took over 40 years to do) 
 

Voyage of the Dawn Treader

 

My favorite book in the series and it still doesn't disappoint. There's an adventure in every chapter as Prince Caspian, Edmund, Lucy and their cousin Eustace, search for the lost 7 Lords of Narnia. Really beautiful ending too. 

Everything about this book is classic CS Lewis. Not sure how the rest of the novels will stack up after this one but I'll be interested to find out. 

They've made a movie and a BBC show about this one too. For the life of me, I have no recollection of the movie yet the BBC series was fun. I'd like to watch them again someday. Maybe after I'm done with all these, I will. 

On to the Silver Chair!

Evil Dead Burn (review)

 Is there really a point to making these without Bruce Campbell? 

I watched it. It's ok, for a horror movie. Gruesome for sure. Pays homage to the original (like it should) it even throws a callback to Evil Dead: Rise, though I believe it was more for fun than to establish continuity between the movies. 

It's just feels like a lot of the same. The original movie was different for one big reason few movies dare do today. Tricking you into who the main hero will be. 

These days, it's ALWAYS the "final girl" and has been for decades. What about having a guy survive this time? Too unique I guess? I'm not sure but you'd think someone in Hollywood would give it a shot at this point. 

Either way, the movie was just ok. If you're a horror or Evil Dead fan, you'll think it's ok. If you're not either....avoid watching the movie entirely. 

Have a good weekend folks!

Prince Caspian (Review)

Time for another review. The next book in the series doesn't do much to excite people trying to make this into a movie. Mainly because not much happens in it. 

The kids get called back to Narnia, find out they've been gone for centuries and make their way to assist Prince Caspian in taking back his rightful claim as King of Narnia. There is a battle at the end but the rest of it is dialogue and a journey. 

Oh and there's actually a werwolf in this too, which I somehow forgot all about. 

Overall, a fine tale. Not my favorite, but I'd still put it over "A Horse and His Boy" 

Next up is my favorite book in the series. Can't wait to review it!