The Last Battle
Well, I’ve finished C.S. Lewis’ The Last Battle and, therefore, the entire series.
This final book was one of the better books in the series, I think. Interesting point is that I pretty vividly remembered various parts of this book, so perhaps it seemed like one of the better in the series because of the vague familiarity or perhaps I remembered little bits and pieces because I had found it one of the better in the series many many years ago as well. Hard to say.
In any event, it’s a fairly thinly veiled allegory of the Apocalypse. Whoops, now I’ve given away the whole story. Really. Because that’s pretty much the whole book. Setting up false prophets, chronically those who don’t believe and their downfall, and the eventual (inevitable) rise of good to triumph in the end.
One thing I found particularly philosophically amusing as I read the book was how those who blindly followed (the ape) were somewhat denigrated – it was BAD for folks to close their eyes and follow evil because of fear. At least I think that was part of the point (it’s sure how I understood it). But what was ironic to me is that those who close their eyes and follow evil don’t generally think that’s what they’re doing. The loudest voices calling for piety and certain (approved) behaviors today could just as easily be “following evil” themselves and not even realize it. It was a bit of a twist on the traditional religious perspective that I don’t remember reading into it when I was much younger and last read this book.
In any event, it is a good round-out to the series. Now, on to other books again.
