The second book in The Chronicles of Narnia, the novels heralded as one of the most influential children’s fantasy series of the twentieth century. Prince Caspian is the second book published in the series, though fourth chronologically within the Narnia world.
Lewis, rightly praised for his immersive world building, belongs to an interesting period of fantasy writing in Britain. He was a close friend of Tolkien, and like Tolkien was on the faculty at Oxford University. Both men were also members of the literary group the Inklings, at meetings they would read aloud each other’s unfinished compositions for discussion and encouraged one another to write in the fantasy genre. Encouragement was, as it turns out, something Tolkien was particularly grateful for, when C. S. Lewis died in 1963, Tolkien wrote this of him:
“The unpayable debt that I owe to him was not ‘influence’ as it is ordinarily understood, but sheer encouragement. He was for long my only audience. Only from him did I ever get the idea that my ’stuff’ could be more than a private hobby. But for his interest and unceasing eagerness for more I should never have brought The L. of the R. to a conclusion…..” (Carpenter, 276).
Very good, jacket expertly restored at tips, head and tail of spine panel, and along the edge of the top rear panel. Neat owner’s signature in pen to half title.
Humphrey Carpenter, The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien. Humphrey Carpenter, The Inklings.
