Narnia as shared universe

I hope we are all clear on one point: HarperCollins is not going to change a single word of the Narnia Chronicles.

They may produce a stuffed Aslan, but we don’t have to buy one.

They may ask other authors to write stories in the Narnian mode. Some people think this is a terrible thing. But in the speculative fiction world, it is quite common to ask writers to set their stories in a shared universe. This universe might have been originally created by a particular person. So HarperCollins would think it is doing a normal thing for a fantasy audience.

This discussion reminded me of something, so I put the trusty ladies at The Book Collector on the case. Again they came up with a reason for me to spend money in their shop. Consider this:

AFTER THE KING: stories in honour of J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by Martin H. Greenberg. Pan Books, 1992. ISBN 0 330 32650 3

See, it’s been done before around one of our favourite authors and the world didn’t come to an end. This volume contains stories by:

Stephen R. Donaldson, Terry Pratchett, Robert Silverberg, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, Paul & Karen Anderson, John Brunner, Patricia A. McKillip, Harry Turtledove, Andre Norton, Charles de Lint, Dennis L. McKiernan, Emma Bull, Karen Haber, Peter S. Beagle, Mike Resnik, Jane Yolen, Barry N. Malzberg, Gregory Benford, Judith Tarr.

That reads like an honour list. And it is intended to be so. Here’s a part of what Jane Yolen says in the introduction:

“Authors in this volume were asked specifically to write a Tolkienesque story, not in imitation of the master — for none of us are imitators — but in honour of his work. A birthday volume, a Festschrift, a present for the one hundredth anniversay of his birth — and his many readers.”

If anything, we should be pressuring HarperCollins to find writers of similar stature to undertake any Narnian shared universe stories. And who knows what effect engaging with this project would have on those writers? Every actor who has portrayed Jesus has engaged in a serious re-think of what life is all about. Contemplating Narnia might have a similar effect. Let’s focus on what we might win, rather than always whining about what we might lose.

Lewis was once asked if in his apologetics he was defending God. He replied that he would rather defend a lion.

The lion doesn’t need defending.

Ken Rolph Blacktown NSW Australia