Post by Soulfyre on Jan 30, 2005 4:21:52 GMT -5
One of the better discussions of the fantasy genre of literature may be found in Wikipedia, one of my favorite free sources of information on the net (you may pay for a membership to the Encyclopedia Britannica Online, which is certainly excellent, but much helpful information may be found using the Wiki sites at no charge). But for most of us, we simply "know it when we see it." Many of us were exposed to a form of fantasy literature when we were very young in the form of Mother Goose Rhymes, fairy tales, or longer stories like Alice in Wonderland or Peter Pan. In school, we probably at one time stumbled across Greek, Roman, and Norse mythologies. But what I wish to recommend to you is fantasy literature written by Christians. In some of their works, Christianity is more directly perceived in allegory; in others, it is only the authors Christian presuppositions that are entwined in the literature. But in each case, the works I suggest may be found to be stimulating and enjoyable.
Of course, I start with C. S. Lewis. Perhaps no Christian fantasy is as familiar to most of us as are The Chronicles of Narnia. I have included links to both them at both Amazon and at Christianbook.com for your convenience. These are the delightful stories of six English children (yes, eight...for those of you who may have forgotten the entire set), and their wondrous adventures in the Land of Narnia, with elves, fauns, witches, giants, and a bevy of other mythical creatures and talking animals, but especially their experiences with Aslan, the Great Lion, who is this Son of the Emperor over the Sea. For those of you who may not have read them, I shall not spoil the adventure. But the stories are delightful allegories and morality tales appropriate for young and old alike. Now while I agree with much written by C. S. Lewis, the brilliant Oxford don who began as an atheist and was surprised by the joy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and became a penetrating Christian apologist, I do not agree with the taint of universalism that creeps into his writing. Nevertheless, there is much to enjoy in the Chronicles, and I would not be without them in my family library.
On a more adult basis, C. S. Lewis wrote his Space Trilogy [also at Amazon and at Christianbook.com], of which my personal favorite is the third volume, entitled That Hideous Strength. The manner in which C. S. Lewis deals with evil is utterly spellbinding and challenging. These were written prior to his conversion, however, and betray some more Platonic and universalistic presuppositions. Later, he would write two of my favorite books: The Screwtape Letters, a fanciful correspondence between a senior tempter and his inexperienced disciple, and The Great Divorce, a story about a gaggle of ghosts who take a bus excursion to the outskirts of heaven and are given one more chance to repent. Both of these books are often found in collections of the works of C. S. Lewis, and will astound you at the depth of knowledge he displays about the petty sins that keep us from the joy of knowing God.
Although C. S. Lewis is a master of allegory, one of his contemporaries and fellow members of a literary group called the Inklings, J. R. R. Tolkien, eschewed allegory, preferring a more subtle approach. Tolkien's treasures of imagination, which include The Silmarillon, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle Earth, have yet to be surpassed in the annals of fantasy literature for the completeness of development by J. R. R. Tolkien of his legendary "Middle Earth". A "sword and sorcererors" epic of almost unimaginable sweep and brilliance, its recent development by Peter Jackson into feature films has done nothing to tarnish its image. Originally popular in the '60s, these works of literature have made a comeback. If you have never read them, do so. As magnificent as the recent film adaptations were, it is difficult to do justice to the mastery of J. R. R. Tolkien's writing. And while he never preaches, Tolkien's Christian world view is found in the great themes of his works, from from the battle of mighty forces of unimaginable evil and great goodness, to the heroism of simple obedience in the face of insurmountable odds. It bears with it a breadth of emotion and depth of insight that will leave you the better for reading it.
If you enjoy poetry, I highly recommend the lyrical depth of two works by Calvin Miller, the Singer Trilogy, about Star Maker, his Troubadour, and the Star Song that sets the prisoners of Terra free, and A Symphony in the Sand, a hauntingly beautiful retelling of the incarnation of Christ. One reviewer of Calvin Miller's work states:
Finally, I would like to recommend ANYTHING written by Stephen Lawhead. True to his Welsh roots, Stephen Lawhead can weave an engaging yarn, and his true giftedness is in his command of the early history of the British Isles, and of the Celtic people in particular. Of course, like any Christian artist, there is often great controversy concerning what theology he does, or does not, espouse. But he does not lay claim to theological accuracy in minute detail. Rather, he is a bard in the best of senses as his stories tug at your mind and heart, with rare beauty. Some of his earlier works, such as the Dragon King Trilogy, are a bit uneven, and even a little disappointing in comparison to authors such as C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, he truly hits his stride in his later work. Let me recommend the following for your reading pleasure:
God bless and keep you and yours,
Matthew (soulfyre)
Of course, I start with C. S. Lewis. Perhaps no Christian fantasy is as familiar to most of us as are The Chronicles of Narnia. I have included links to both them at both Amazon and at Christianbook.com for your convenience. These are the delightful stories of six English children (yes, eight...for those of you who may have forgotten the entire set), and their wondrous adventures in the Land of Narnia, with elves, fauns, witches, giants, and a bevy of other mythical creatures and talking animals, but especially their experiences with Aslan, the Great Lion, who is this Son of the Emperor over the Sea. For those of you who may not have read them, I shall not spoil the adventure. But the stories are delightful allegories and morality tales appropriate for young and old alike. Now while I agree with much written by C. S. Lewis, the brilliant Oxford don who began as an atheist and was surprised by the joy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and became a penetrating Christian apologist, I do not agree with the taint of universalism that creeps into his writing. Nevertheless, there is much to enjoy in the Chronicles, and I would not be without them in my family library.
On a more adult basis, C. S. Lewis wrote his Space Trilogy [also at Amazon and at Christianbook.com], of which my personal favorite is the third volume, entitled That Hideous Strength. The manner in which C. S. Lewis deals with evil is utterly spellbinding and challenging. These were written prior to his conversion, however, and betray some more Platonic and universalistic presuppositions. Later, he would write two of my favorite books: The Screwtape Letters, a fanciful correspondence between a senior tempter and his inexperienced disciple, and The Great Divorce, a story about a gaggle of ghosts who take a bus excursion to the outskirts of heaven and are given one more chance to repent. Both of these books are often found in collections of the works of C. S. Lewis, and will astound you at the depth of knowledge he displays about the petty sins that keep us from the joy of knowing God.
Although C. S. Lewis is a master of allegory, one of his contemporaries and fellow members of a literary group called the Inklings, J. R. R. Tolkien, eschewed allegory, preferring a more subtle approach. Tolkien's treasures of imagination, which include The Silmarillon, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle Earth, have yet to be surpassed in the annals of fantasy literature for the completeness of development by J. R. R. Tolkien of his legendary "Middle Earth". A "sword and sorcererors" epic of almost unimaginable sweep and brilliance, its recent development by Peter Jackson into feature films has done nothing to tarnish its image. Originally popular in the '60s, these works of literature have made a comeback. If you have never read them, do so. As magnificent as the recent film adaptations were, it is difficult to do justice to the mastery of J. R. R. Tolkien's writing. And while he never preaches, Tolkien's Christian world view is found in the great themes of his works, from from the battle of mighty forces of unimaginable evil and great goodness, to the heroism of simple obedience in the face of insurmountable odds. It bears with it a breadth of emotion and depth of insight that will leave you the better for reading it.
If you enjoy poetry, I highly recommend the lyrical depth of two works by Calvin Miller, the Singer Trilogy, about Star Maker, his Troubadour, and the Star Song that sets the prisoners of Terra free, and A Symphony in the Sand, a hauntingly beautiful retelling of the incarnation of Christ. One reviewer of Calvin Miller's work states:
Finally, I would like to recommend ANYTHING written by Stephen Lawhead. True to his Welsh roots, Stephen Lawhead can weave an engaging yarn, and his true giftedness is in his command of the early history of the British Isles, and of the Celtic people in particular. Of course, like any Christian artist, there is often great controversy concerning what theology he does, or does not, espouse. But he does not lay claim to theological accuracy in minute detail. Rather, he is a bard in the best of senses as his stories tug at your mind and heart, with rare beauty. Some of his earlier works, such as the Dragon King Trilogy, are a bit uneven, and even a little disappointing in comparison to authors such as C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, he truly hits his stride in his later work. Let me recommend the following for your reading pleasure:
- The Pendragon Cycle is a truly unique and compelling retelling of the Arthurian myth that will introduce you to the history surrounding the legend of Arthur;
- The Song of Albion, about a graduate student in Celtic studies at Oxford being transported back through a breach in time to the Otherworld of Albion. As the potential for cosmis catastrophe looms, he must learn to heal the breach between these two interconnected, yet distinct, worlds; and
- Byzantium, the story of young Aidan, a 10th century British monk entrusted with the task of delivering the Book of Kells to the Byzantine Emperor in Constantinople. This journey from west to east will serve to whet your appetite to begin to understand the true sweep of church history.
God bless and keep you and yours,
Matthew (soulfyre)
