The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader
The Chronicles Of Narnia
By C.S. Lewis
Enhanced eBook
Price: $9.99
Platform: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
HarperCollins
Release date: October 26, 2010

With The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader movie out in theaters this weekend, it’s a great time to go back and read the classic C.S. Lewis story in this brand new Enhanced eBook edition recently released by HarperCollins for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch handheld devices.

Dawn Treader has always been one of my favorite Narnia books, so I’ve read it in print, but then I also purchased the Kindle edition when I got that device. It’s a quick read, so I found it very easy to get through in ebook format. Now I’ve also read this Enhanced eBook edition, which has full-color illustrations and is packed with lots of interactive features, on my iPad through iBooks and found it even more enjoyable.

Enhanced eBooks are relatively new on the market, and I don’t think they’re really on anyone’s radar at this time, but I’m hoping that will change, as publishers are getting more creative in how they put these eBooks together. I love illustrated books, so being able to read this with full-color illustrations was a real treat. Also, double-tapping the images enlarges them, which was a nice bonus.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
3-Disc Collector’s Edition Blu-ray
Directed by Andrew Adamson
Starring Ben Barnes, Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Peter Dinklage
Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: December 2, 2008

The travesty of Disneyfication that surrounded the first wearying and child-like installment of C.S. Lewis’ seven-book series is still lurking somewhere in the shadows of the second adaptation, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The first half of the movie details the overthrow of Narnia by the ruthless Telmarine Empire, an army of men sporting perfectly-sculpted beards that scream EVIL! The Narnians have problems of their own. Their deceased king’s son, Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes), is next in line to inherit the throne, but the man who killed his father is his Uncle Miraz (played with abundant energy by Sergio Castellitto). Not only does Miraze want the throne for himself, he also intends for his newborn son to inherit it from him. Caspian is thus forced to flee from the medieval castle.

All four of the Pevensie children are back from the previous film, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. This time around they return to Narnia on a speeding train. One year has passed in their time, but 1,300 years in Narnia’s. They realize things are fishy when a starving bear doesn’t stop to have tea with them, but instead regards one of the Pevensie children as fresh meat. This isn’t Narnia anymore. The four meet up with Caspian, who used Queen Susan’s horn to call upon the Narnians to help him regain his rightful place on the throne, to stop the violence, and to restore Narnia’s wonder.