Of course, I do not mean I'm disappointed at the quality of the contents, but rather at the quality of the books as physical objects. All of the current offerings, to my tastes, seem lacking. I have the current mass-market paperbacks, and they are perfectly serviceable, though I don't really like the covers. The larger "trade" paperbacks, for some reason seem to have even rougher paper than the mass markets (at least my LWW does). I recently tried the full-color paperbacks, and while I love the illustrations, the books are unfortunately printed in China. That would not necessarily be a bad thing, except that I have noticed books printed in China often use a paper with a strange smell... as is the case with these. The paper not only smells, but is very heavy and waxy. I suppose they do that to make the color printing easier, or less see through, but I have other books that do color printing with better paper (albeit not sprinkled throughout as the Narnia pictures are).
Does anyone else feel this way about the current offerings? It doesn't seem fitting for Lewis's works to be neglected so. Of course, the words matter most, but I would like a book that was worthy of them.
I'm considering trying the current hardbacks. ISBN 0060244887. Does anyone know what these look like without the dustjackets on? Also, does anyone know if they use glued or sewn binding?
Topic starter
Posted : June 4, 2024 11:26 am
@oldmanofarchenland I don't know the answer to your question, but I'm wondering if you've encountered a cheap paperback printing done by an company called Arcturus. Their logo is a small bear silhouette.
They seem to be based in Hong Kong or China, and are reprinting classics, ignoring copyright. Of course only Harper Collins has the right to publish Narnia. There are no illustrations, which is odd looking.
There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane (for it had apparently grown again) stood Aslan himself.
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Posted : June 4, 2024 2:02 pm
@oldmanofarchenland I haven't looked at the copies of the Chronicles available in bookshops currently, but some years ago I had a set of HarperCollins paperbacks with the Pauline Baynes illustrations on the covers (same illustrations as the original Puffin paperback editions of the 1960s - '70s, though with a different font used for the titles) and the interior illustrations, also by Baynes, in full colour. I think these were originally published in the late 1990s and still in print in the mid-late 2000s, which was when I bought them. Unfortunately I don't have those any more (I moved house several times, including moving overseas, and sadly jettisoned a lot of my books), but I remember they were very good quality, with excellent paper for the pages, the illustrations reproduced very clearly, and definitely no smell about them. I'm pretty sure the same editions were also available in hardcover (no dust jackets, just the same Baynes cover illustrations printed directly onto the covers).
Those were definitely the best quality editions I've seen in recent years, and while I don't think they're currently in print, they may not be too difficult to find second hand if you or others are interested. However, those were UK editions (and when I owned them, I bought them in Australia!), and I'm not sure if different editions are printed for the US or other countries.
"Now you are a lioness," said Aslan. "And now all Narnia will be renewed."
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Posted : June 4, 2024 3:25 pm
I've got a set of hardcovers from the 1990s, so I can't really comment. 
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Posted : June 4, 2024 5:08 pm
@courtenay Hmm, thanks for the tip. Yes, I'm thinking that I may have to go vintage to find something I really like. But I suppose I'm just particular.
Topic starter
Posted : June 4, 2024 5:14 pm
The 50th anniversary editions of the Narnia series in paperback with color illustrations by Pauline Baynes are actually quite good. I have the hardcovers of Harper Collins from about twenty years ago. The seven books have black and white illustrations and the paper is much better quality than the Macmillan paperbacks of the 1970’s, which have cropped illustrations. I am quite satisfied with the hardcover volumes, although I wish they were numbered in publication order. I would recommend the older editions from twenty years ago or more over the newer books. They are usually of better quality. It would probably be easier to find a set of used books in good condition at a reasonable price.
Posted : June 4, 2024 8:10 pm
The 50th anniversary editions of the Narnia series in paperback with color illustrations by Pauline Baynes are actually quite good.
That's right, those were the ones I had. I'd say they're the best relatively recent editions of the Chronicles that I'm aware of.
Now that gets me thinking — next year, 2025, it's the 75th anniversary of the first publication of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and then of the other Chronicles in each year after that up till 2031. I wonder if HarperCollins will bring out any new special anniversary editions for that occasion? It's the last chance they'll get to mark a major anniversary of the Narnia books before the copyright runs out, after all... (It has already expired in some countries, but in the UK it will last until 70 years after the author's death, which makes it late 2033.)
"Now you are a lioness," said Aslan. "And now all Narnia will be renewed."
(Prince Caspian)
Posted : June 5, 2024 5:06 am
Makes me wish there was a leather-bound special edition for Narnia... if LOTR can get them, you'd think the Chronicles would.
The closest thing I could find was a couple Etsy sellers who make them on demand, but it doesn't seem like anything official was ever produced. Harper Collins should consider this...
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I really like the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2004 hardcover edition that I have of The Lord of the Rings. The binding and paper are excellent for the one volume edition. The book was inexpensive at about twenty two dollars. It would certainly be nice if the Narnia books were available in a similar quality format with all seven books including Pauline Baynes’ illustrations in one volume. 🙂
I always wondered why this Barnes and Noble one volume edition was allowed to go out of print:
Posted : June 8, 2024 8:22 am
Yes @oldmanofarchenland , I've thought exactly the same. I own the ISBN 0060244887 hardbacks that you mentioned. They're beautiful and by far the best I have seen - but they actually don't come with dustjackets, leaving the spines open to fading if kept by the window as mine are.
I wasn't keen on any of the modern cover art so decided the vintage Pauline Baynes covers in hardback were the best option and the paper inside is very premium.
I recommend them, they're lovely!
Posted : June 17, 2024 5:00 am
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