Following the explosive popularity of the Harry Potter books,
publishers HarperCollins have been looking at their own brand of
children's fantasy classics; i.e., C.S. Lewis' Narnia books.
HarperCollins and the Lewis estate have unveiled a plan to publish
all-new Narnia books, written by unnamed
hacks authors for a contemporary audience.
Not surprisingly, the new books will not have the element of Christian
theological allegory that Lewis' books had, as HarperCollins presumably
don't wish to restrict them to the Christian media ghetto, alongside
Left Behind and DC Talk CDs.
There will also be plush toys of the characters, and possibly other tie-ins.
Meanwhile, purists have decried the move as a cynical attempt to cash in.