Book excerpt: The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels by author C. S. Lewis. It is set in the fictional realm of Narnia, a fantasy world of magic, mythical beasts, and talking animals. The series narrates the adventures of various children who are called upon by the lion Aslan to protect Narnia from evil and restore the throne to its rightful line. They play central roles in the unfolding history of that world. The work was originally published in London between 1950 and 1956. It is considered a classic of children's literature and has sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages.