Which Belfast-born author created the fictional land of Narnia?

C.S. Lewis created the fictional land of Narnia in his children’s fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia.

Lewis was born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1898 and became one of the twentieth century’s best-known Christian writers. He wrote the seven Narnia books between 1949 and 1954, combining talking animals, magic, mythology, and Christian symbolism. The first published book was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which introduced readers to Narnia through a wardrobe in an English country house.

Lewis is sometimes confused with J.R.R. Tolkien because both were Oxford academics, medieval literature specialists, and fantasy authors. Tolkien, however, created Middle-earth, not Narnia. Lewis also wrote adult fiction, literary criticism, autobiography, and Christian apologetics, so Narnia represents only one part of his career.

The Narnia books have appeared in many reading orders. Their publication order begins with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, while some modern editions number The Magician’s Nephew first because it tells an earlier story chronologically.