Four Legendary Fantasy Authors

By Karlissa J.

For my latest book, To Narnia and Beyond, I’ve been getting to know four incredible Christian authors who wrote fantasy. How many of these authors are you familiar with? How many of their books have you read? And what’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned about them? Let me know in the comments!

Most famous for writing The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, as well as the nonfiction work Mere Christianity.

Superfans admire him for his final novel, Till We Have Faces, as well as his Cosmic Trilogy (also called the Ransom Trilogy or Space Trilogy).

One of the most interesting things I learned about him…

He loved science fiction – a genre that seems just right for the way his mind worked. He naturally mulled over experimental concepts, some of them a little odd. Like playing with the idea of a universe where there are exactly seven genders…

Most famous for writing The Princess and the Goblin.

Superfans admire him for Phantastes, a novel that C.S. Lewis considered life changing. They may also know his sermons, his fiction novels, his fairytales… MacDonald wrote a lot.

One of the most interesting things I learned about him…

MacDonald was a thoughtful and welcoming man with a big family. In addition to influencing the people who read his writings after he died (such as C.S. Lewis), he entertained multiple now-famous people at his house. A certain man named Charles Dodgeson read to MacDonald’s children an imaginative novel he was working on, and the family encouraged him to get it published. You may know Charles Dodgeson by his pen name, Lewis Carroll; and the book he read to MacDonald’s kids was Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Most famous for writing The Lord of the Rings.

Superfans admire him for The Silmarillion – which was published after his death – and for his thoughtful essay “On Fairy Stories.”

One of the most interesting things I learned about him…

J.R.R. Tolkien studied linguistics. He put his knowledge of languages to use in various ways: helping write a dictionary, translating the Biblical book of Jonah… and, of course, inventing two Elvish languages for his novels.

Most famous for writing A Wrinkle in Time.

Superfans admire her for her nonfiction book on art, Walking on Water, as well as the various novels that followed the protagonists of A Wrinkle in Time (for example, the Time Quartet, of which Wrinkle is the first book).

One of the most interesting things I learned about her…

Did you know it is possible to write a tale with an endearing, magical, eye-covered seraphim? Or that mammoths, shape-shifting angels, and teleporting unicorns could belong together in a retelling of Noah’s Ark? Madeleine L’Engle’s creativity is inspiring.

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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.

Library Update - New Old Books!

Post by Karlissa J.

When ordering books for the church library, it’s tempting to keep a constant eye out for the '“hottest new releases.” Finding the “latest and greatest” things is a bit of a preoccupation in our time and place. But I’m realizing how often we forget the past, and those who have gone before us.

As a remedy to that, I’ve been expanding the Theology section by adding classical works. From Augustine, Athanasius, and Gregory of Nyssa (who all lived in the 300s), to Martin Luther and John Wesley, to Catherine of Sienna and Teresa of Avila, I’ve added a diverse selection of voices from the past. And, as part of my own spiritual growth, I’ve been reading some of these books myself.

Those aren’t the only books I’ve added this year! My goal for next year is to expand the Fantasy collection - let me know if you have any recommendations on great Christian fantasy and sci-fi!