books

the Horse and His Boy:A Book That Ought to be Read

11:27 AM


Onward and Upward! To Narnia and the North!


Though not one of the most known in the series, the Horse and His Boy is just as full of adventure and excitement as the other Narnian novels-maybe even more. From the humble, unsuspecting beginning of the book, to the wild horse rides across moonlight shores and the dangerous eavesdropping of important peoples, to finally a most surprising royal brother, it would make another epic movie, and is well worth a read. 

Shasta (or Cor, shall I say) starts out as a poor, mistreated boy, and by the time the book ends, he is royalty. Bree (short for Breehy-hinny-brinny-hoohy-hah) enters the book as a talking, rather conceited, Calormene war horse who's origin is Narnia.

"Kidnapped, or stolen, or captured - whichever you like to call it. My mother warned me not to range the Southern slopes, into Archenland and beyond, but I wouldn't heed her. And by the Lion's Mane I have paid for my folly. All these years I have been a slave to humans, hiding my true nature and pretending to be dumb and witless like their horses."
~Bree, the Horse and His Boy

He desires to go back to his homeland, and so, him and Shasta set out together. Bree teaches Shasta to ride him, which is rather an interesting part, and results in some injuries. 


One of the most interesting Narnian characters is Aravis, the run away Tarkheena Calormen. She rides a Narnian horse as well; Hwin, who is much humbler than Bree.


One of my favorite scenes is where Aravis, riding Hwin, met Shasta, riding Bree. It is night, and, running from the cries of a lion, the two parties run side-by-side on the moonlit shore of a beach.



Aravis also had many quarrels (and, I'm afraid even fights) with Cor, but they always made it up again: so that years later, when they were grown up they were so used to quarreling and making it up again that they got married so as to go on doing it more conveniently.
~the Horse and His Boy




I might also add that the Pevensies make an appearance in this book, being matured by Narnian years, they were older, and Susan was even sought for marriage, if I remember correctly.  

"Your Majesty would have a perfect right to strike off his head," said Peridan. "Such an assault as he made puts him on a level with assassins."

"It is very true," said Edmund. "But even a traitor may mend. I have known one that did." And he looked very thoughtful.
~the Horse and His Boy




May I just add a note that not only is this book full of adventure bent on saving the good, but it is also a book of rising to what God, or in the novel, Aslan, wants you to become. I will not spoil everything for you, but I wish that you would read it, for it is very good, and it reveals all the places where close to death God saved his children. 

“And I was the Lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you.” 
~Aslan, the Horse and His Boy