This review is for the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre adaptation of The Last Battle. Finally Focus on the Family and I are in agreement as to what position this book should occupy in the Chronicles of Narnia series! It is seventh, of course. This story shows the end of Narnia as we know it.

This story has always been my least favorite among the Chronicles because of all the ugly things that happen. The payoff at the end never really redeemed all the awfulness for me, somehow. I admit I've skipped it during my last several rereads, even though as a Narnia book it's automatically excellent. And so I thought when I reached this point in the radio dramas that the best was over with. I was delighted to be wrong.

This adaptation takes up three discs, and I'm so glad they didn't cut anything for the sake of time. The beginning feels slow, and it's infuriating to hear how Shift mistreats Puzzle. It always angered me in the book, and it angered me to hear it. But that means Lewis succeeded, of course.

Once things start really happening, I was gripped. Everything sacred was thrown down and trampled on. When Tirian announces that "Narnia is no more," it's like a blow. But this audio experience somehow got through to me in a way the book hasn't yet. Only when everything is destroyed can it be made new. The ending is worth all the ugliness of the rest of the story. The true Narnia never really dies.

The voice acting and sound effects were quite good, and this really is a top-notch production. Highly recommended. ( )