h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader' - the Television Series - A87896056
Author: Bluebottle - U43530

An entry on the second series of the BBC's Narnia adaptations.

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I enjoyed reading this Entry - I didn't see this TV series, strangely, even though I loved the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe series... Brings back good memories of me reading the novels and immersing myself in the stories, though

I wondered what "The biggest difference is that a subplot about Aslan " means - was the subplot in the series but not the novel, or vice versa?

Thanks for your so prompt reply - I've amended that section so hopefully it makes more sense now.

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You might want to add that 'The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe' and 'Prince Caspian' were both released as feature films by Walt Disney productions, the first in 2005. and 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader' by Fox and WaldenMedia in 2011. I know you are concentrating on the BBC series, but there will probably be more readers familiar with the films than the series. I have all three on tape or disc. It might be worthwhile to at least mention that they exist.

F S

Though I'm championing the underdog, unappreciated and forgotten adaptations I've mentioned the film versions at the start as well as the fact that Warwick Davis was also in the film version of 'Prince Caspian'.

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I must have skimmed over that part. But in answer to your footnote my DVD lists both Fox 2000 and Waldenmedia as the producers of the 'Dawn Treader'.

Now I may have to watch it

F S

...And now Fox has been bought by Disney for $52.5 billion anyway...

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Since I have two entries in Peer Review, I should at least return the favour and review someone else's entry.

Can you explain about the animals - are they animatronic, puppets or people in costumes? When you say that Aslan was acted by four different people, were these human actors, just the voice or puppetmasters?

Eastace --> Eustace

Caspian, now king and a young man,
-- this sounds odd. I'd say:

Caspian, now a young man and king of Narnia,

and Professor Filius Flitwick and Griphook in the Harry Potter films

This would sound better with "both" in it:

and both Professor Filius Flitwick and Griphook in the Harry Potter films

(20015) --> (2015)

Difference with the Novels --> Differences from the Novels

So that instead of Lucy and Edmund -->
So instead of Lucy and Edmund

Other characters including Giant Wimbleweather, Glenstorm the Centaur, many talking animals -->
Other characters including Giant Wimbleweather, Glenstorm the Centaur and many talking animals

remains fairly faithful to novel -->
remains fairly faithful to the novel

You have Pevensie in one place and Pevensey in another.

Angelsey --> Anglesey

almost egg on legs appearance
-- I think this would look better as:
almost egg-on-legs appearance

The only failure is when in the novel it appears that the trees have woken and started dancing does not quite work
-- the grammar is mixed up in this. I suggest:

The only failure is the scene where the trees have woken and started dancing. This does not quite work

Thanks for your thorough read-through - I can honestly say I've missed them.

I've made the minor tweaks you've suggested. I've also added a paragraph in the 'Making of' section to hopefully explain the animatronic animal costumes. Hope it makes sense

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Here are a few more suggestions:

Caspian flees, is helped by Trufflehunter
-->
Caspian flees and is helped by Trufflehunter

(since there are only two actions, they should be linked by 'and')

An army of Old Narnian rallies -->
An army of Old Narnians rallies

They hear a horn and return to the ruins
-- this makes it sound as if they walk there. You could say:
They hear a horn and are transported to the ruins

Caspian, now a young man and king of Narnia, is on a quest to find the Seven Lords of Narnia; when his father was killed by Miraz, these seven lords were his father's closest friends and sailed off into exile rather than serve Miraz. Caspian plans to sail East, further than any ship has ever sailed, in order to find these seven lords

You've mentioned the "seven lords" three times in only two sentences. Perhaps reword as follows:
"
Caspian, now a young man and king of Narnia, is on a quest to find the Seven Lords of Narnia. When his father was killed by Miraz, these men were his father's closest friends; they sailed off into exile rather than serve Miraz.

Caspian plans to sail East, further than any ship has ever sailed, in order to find the lords
"

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is beautifully realised, although an episodic tale in the tradition of The Odyssey.

-- I can see no reason for using "although" here. I'd say:

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is beautifully realised. It is an episodic tale in the tradition of The Odyssey: Caspian is on a quest

encompassing the magician's book of spells with a sense of magic
-- I don't think "encompassing" is the right word here. Perhaps "imbuing"?

Or even "instilling a sense of magic in the Magician's book of spells".

and was not renewed --> and were not renewed

Thanks again – I've happily made all those suggested changes. So, is this a television series you watched, Gnomon? I definitely get the feeling that you've read Tolkien, but what do you think of CS Lewis and Narnia?

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I haven't watched the television series.

I loved the Narnia books when I read them at age 8. It took me a few days to read the first two (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian), then I read the others in one day each.

I believe I have first editions of a few of them, although I don't really care since I'm not selling them at the moment.

I'm not so fond of them now - I read them all again before writing the CS Lewis entry - but I always think only a child is qualified to judge a children's book.

My passion for Istanbul and all things Byzantine started about 10 years ago when I realised that Tashbaan was Istanbul. (I had always thought of it as Cairo up to then.)

I enjoyed the three movies although they had their flaws.

I enjoyed another CS Lewis book: "Out of the Silent Planet" - a lovely book, and very much the same story as the movie Avatar. I didn't like the other books in that "Ransom" series, though.

I've given this another detailed read-through and have no more suggestions.

Reading this again, I wonder if the introduction is as clear as it could be if someone encounters this Entry without having read any other Entries first... You can certainly include the link to BBC Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, which will help

Maybe say a little more about what the significance of the Stone Table is, and what Susan's magical horn is.

In the Voyage of the Dawn Treader section, what does "A short time later in England" mean in this context?

You could put links on Flash Gordon and Blue Peter.

The Entry ends on an unusual note - not too bad, but if you could easily find a more upbeat note then you might like to consider tweaking the ending.

Some tweaks made.

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