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Prince Caspian

Prince Caspian is a novel for children by C. S. Lewis, first published in 1951. It was the second of the Chronicles of Narnia, though in the overall chronological sequence it comes fourth.

The four Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, return to Narnia and find that more than a thousand years have passed since they reigned there as kings and queens (in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe). Much of the old magic has been lost and the land has been "civilized" under the domain of a race of men who call themselves the Telmarines. The old inhabitants of the kingdom, talking animals and dwarves and other fantastic creatures, have been driven into the wild and unfriendly parts of the land. The children, with the aid of a talking badger and a friendly dwarf, are drawn into the struggle between the usurping Telmarine king, Miraz, and the young Prince Caspian, rightful heir to the throne of Narnia. Miraz is killed, and Caspian is crowned King of Narnia. The children return to their own worlds.

Caspian reappears (as King Caspian) in the two following books in the series: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair.

There are several prevalent themes in this book. One is that of apostasy, as Narnia has come under the rule of sovereign who has no legitimate claim to the throne, and when Caspian is crowned king, he receives authority from the High King Peter. Another is faith, particularly evident in the scene where Aslan appears to the children, and only Lucy can see him at first; gradually, however, each of the other children trusts her and begins to see for himself or herself.