Book Review: The Wonders of Creation

By Karlissa J.

One underappreciated reality about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien is how much they loved nature.

That seems to be a common trait amongst Christian authors of classic fantasy. As I researched four authors for To Narnia and Beyond – Lewis, Tolkien, L’Engle, and George MacDonald – it occurred to me that a book could be written about their relationships with nature. And it seems I am not the only one who has contemplated such a book.

Kristen Page is a biologist who has traveled widely and loves the novels of Lewis and Tolkien. The Wonders of Creation: Learning Stewardship from Narnia and Middle-Earth combines her interest in nature, her ecological concerns, and her passion for reading into a reflection on how Lewis and Tolkien wrote about the natural world, and how their novels could be used to spark further discussions on – and activism for – creation care.

I was surprised and pleased to find that Page draws not only from Narnia and Middle-Earth but also from other works of C.S. Lewis (the Cosmic Trilogy) and J.R.R. Tolkien ("Leaf by Niggle"). I was also pleased to find a quote each from George MacDonald, Madeleine L'Engle, and G.K. Chesterton!

The Wonders of Creation is geared towards an audience who is already interested in creation care and already has some familiarity with various ecological concerns. Page gives quite a bit of time to facts and data about various problems, bringing in varied topics from plant blindness to climate change to light pollution.

I enjoyed her reflections on a scene from Perelandra that has stuck with me: a scene about the absence of greed on Perelandra that certainly has ecological aspects woven into it.

If you are interested in the topics of creation care and fantasy literature, this book could be a worthwhile read.

Behind-the-Scenes: Why I Included L'Engle in To Narnia and Beyond

By Karlissa J

At one point in my writing of To Narnia and Beyond, I was planning not to include Madeleine L’Engle.

I was still in the process of narrowing down which authors to focus on in my exploration of classic Christian fantasy. I’d decided that only deceased authors would count, as I wanted there to have been enough time to see how their legacy endured beyond them. Three authors were very obviously getting in: everyone knows of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis as pillars of fantasy; and George MacDonald had such a strong impact on Lewis (and on me) that there was no denying his inclusion as well.

But what about Madeleine L’Engle?

She is more recent than the other three: Lewis was the youngest of those men, and she was born on his 20th birthday. Her death occurred in 2007, not quite two decades ago. Her Time Quartet novels are odd, falling somewhere between fantasy and sci-fi. And I found that many readers I spoke to had never heard of her.

So why did I end up featuring her in my book To Narnia and Beyond?

For one, she didn’t stop coming up. It was important to me that each of the authors I included inspired Christians beyond their own generation. What I discovered in L’Engle was that she did just that. One of the people she inspired was painter Makoto Fujimura, whose books on faith and art I have greatly enjoyed. I realised that, even if fewer people have heard of her than Lewis or Tolkien, she has left a creative legacy that continues to inspire.

Second, I couldn’t deny anymore the way her writings had changed me.

Initially, I thought her books were strange. But I found myself contemplating life and my thoughts came to a story she’d told. What does it mean to love your enemy? What does it look like for each creature to submit to being what God called them to be? My children have asked me about baby unicorns, and I’m sure they come from eggs, because L’Engle’s A Swiftly Tilting Planet told me so.

Since I’ve written about her in my book, I have encountered more readers who know of Madeleine L’Engle and have enjoyed her writing. I expect that as I continue to talk to people about classic fantasy novels, I’ll continue to meet those who have been inspired by her.

Book Review: The Mythmakers

In the latter stages of my research for To Narnia and Beyond, I encountered frequent praise for The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Created by illustrator and writer John Hendrix, and released in 2024, the book meshes elements of graphic novel with illustrations-alongside-prose.

Eventually, I was convinced to buy the book and stepped into Hendrix’s immersive biography of Lewis and Tolkien. Following their lives from birth to death, The Mythmakers gives special attention to their friendship and years shared together. Imaginative narration from a lion and a wizard guides the reader in a fun and informative manner, giving playful context to bunny trails – “Portals” as the book calls them – about the nature of myth and the fantasy genre.

Beautiful, well-researched and poignant, the visuals of The Mythmakers give greater weight and context to the experiences of Lewis and Tolkien. I find it particularly useful for thinking about their time in World War I, where pictures can convey a heaviness that words struggle to speak of.

Whether you are researching Lewis and Tolkien or simply passionate about fantasy and history, I highly recommend this lovingly crafted book. The price tag is a little higher, as it comes in hardcover and full-colour: there is no paperback or black-ink-only edition to provide a cheaper entry point. However, the cost isn’t unreasonable, and I found it well worth the price.

If you’re interested in learning more about the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, you may enjoy my upcoming book, To Narnia and Beyond: Four Christians Who Used Fantasy to Teach Spiritual Truths. Click on the image below to learn more!

Is It Time You Read Out of the Silent Planet?

By Karlissa J

Have you read C.S. Lewis’ Cosmic Trilogy?

You may or may not be aware, but today – November 29 – is C.S. Lewis Reading Day.

Clive Staples Lewis has served as an entry point to fantasy for many Christian readers. He is also well-respected for his spiritual teaching. But before he ever wrote The Chronicles of Narnia or Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis pursued the creation of a trilogy in a genre that thrilled him: science fiction. The first book of the trilogy, Out of the Silent Planet, was released in 1938.

Out of the Silent Planet introduces Ransom, a man who finds himself kidnapped and taken on a journey through space to another planet. He escapes his kidnappers and wanders the planet’s wilderness until he encounters a native. Ransom befriends the alien being, and from there, his understanding of the world gradually grows.

I have to admit, this is my kind of story! Exploring an enchanting world, interacting with non-human creatures, and discovering a new language and culture!

Appropriately (or perhaps conveniently), Ransom is a philologist (someone who studies language differences); this provides an excuse for the language barrier to be rather smoothly crossed, and an excuse for Lewis to fixate on unique words and concepts.

Perhaps the lesser fame of this work is, in part, due to the fact that it's not for kids: unlike Narnia, it contains a spattering of mature content, nudity, and mild swearing; nothing obscene, but some Christian readers may find it unexpected. Especially those who assume that Lewis’ fantasy stories were all written for children.

However, if you love fantasy and sci-fi, and want to read more from Lewis, I recommend you pick up Out of the Silent Planet!

Also, if you’re interested in learning more about fantasy novels from Christian authors like C.S. Lewis, you may enjoy my upcoming book, To Narnia and Beyond: Four Christians Who Used Fantasy to Teach Spiritual Truths. You can learn more about it by clicking on the image below!

Nerding Out on C.S. Lewis

By Karlissa J

Clive Staples Lewis: many Christians have read at least a few of his books, we quote him without hesitation, and we value his writings for leading so many skeptics to accept Christianity. But how much do you actually know about “Jack,” as he preferred to be called?

In researching for To Narnia and Beyond, I discovered so much I hadn’t known or even expected. I collected books, read much, and then strived to select highlights for the Lewis chapters in To Narnia and Beyond.

But maybe you want more! Maybe you’re thinking: “I’m a nerd too, and I want to understand C.S. Lewis better!” If that’s the case, this blog post is for you: here are four books I recommend for nerdy readers wanting to learn more about Lewis!

Book One: GEORGE MACDONALD by C.S. Lewis

Let’s start with a book that Lewis wrote himself! In these 365 quotes from George MacDonald selected by C. S. Lewis, it becomes clearer how MacDonald influenced Lewis' spiritual beliefs. For me, it accomplished Lewis' stated goal: "to spread his [MacDonald's] religious teaching".

MacDonald's teachings in this book focus on subjects like nature, possessions, our relationship with Christ, and obedience to God.

I found it worth having a physical copy to write notes in: there are many insightful reflections worth recalling and meditating on.

Book Two: IMAGES OF SALVATION IN THE FICTION OF C.S. LEWIS by Clyde S. Kilby

A short, helpful aid to contemplating Lewis' fiction. Contains a brief overview of each of Lewis' novels (handy, since I have not read The Pilgrim's Regress and have no intention to), followed by several spiritual themes that can be drawn from the novel's story and characters.

Book Three: THE MEDIEVAL MIND OF C.S. LEWIS by Jason M. Baxter

Baxter invites us into some of C. S. Lewis' philosophies and creative choices by revealing the inspiration behind them: quotes and ideas from Lewis' favourite medieval books are paired with instances when Lewis modeled his writing after them. I felt drawn in to the 'magic' of these classics, as Baxter's writing style is very contemplative and welcoming.

Book Four: PLANET NARNIA by Michael Ward

Ward explores how ancient and Medieval astrology - particularly the concept of seven planetary personalities - shows up repeatedly throughout Lewis' writing. The core thesis is built around the Chronicles of Narnia, but there is plenty here diving into the Space Trilogy and Lewis' academic works and poetry as well.

Planet Narnia is at times quite technical, and one-quarter of the book is notes, bibliography, and indexes. This is the volume for nitty-gritty details, while Jason M. Baxter's The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis provides a more easy-reading introduction to the general topic of Medieval thinking and Medieval astrology/astronomy in Lewis' writing.