“The Horse and His Boy” was the only of the seven works of “The Chronicles of Narnia” that I had never read in its entirety until now. It is one of the weaker works in the Narnia saga, as its primary purpose is seemingly to make Narnia bigger than itself, expanding its borders to places like Archenland and Calormen. While “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” and “The Silver Chair” seem to work towards this same end, as well, both of them do it in a way much more engaging, and with more twists and turns than “The Horse and His Boy.”

Yet, it is still an enjoyable read, and the subtle role of Aslan throughout the narrative—as he shows up in many unknown and unseen ways along the journey—speaks a deep theological truth of the ever-presence of God, even (and especially) when we are the least bit aware of it.