Episode 57 - "To Narnia and Beyond" Preview!

May 21, 2026 by Karlissa Koop in Classic Novels & Authors, Sneak Peek

A peek inside To Narnia and Beyond!

What if fantasy stories hold spiritual insights that can be your pathway to a deeper faith? This brief, approachable guide invites readers into the major fantasy works of four writers of great fantasy: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, George MacDonald, and Madeleine L’Engle. They all share in the distinction of being outspoken about their Christian faith, as well as having written stories of fantasy that have endured and inspired generations.

Whether you are discovering these authors and their works for the first time or are a fan seeking fresh insight, To Narnia and Beyond presents spiritual themes, historical background, and scholarly analysis in an accessible manner.

Learn more about the book: https://www.book-bat.com/nonfiction

Episode 50 - To Narnia and Beyond

November 20, 2025 by Karlissa Koop in Classic Novels & Authors, Sneak Peek, Author Insights

Karlissa J’s latest book, To Narnia and Beyond, comes out next year! In this episode, she talks about the inspiration behind the book, her research process, and how she hopes readers will be inspired to pick up more classic works of fantasy!

To Narnia and Beyond explores the fantasy novels of George MacDonald, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Madeleine L’Engle.

More about To Narnia and Beyond: book-bat.com/nonfiction

Publisher’s website: siretona.com

Preordering and Release: To Narnia and Beyond will be released in 2026; stay tuned to hear when it becomes available for preorder!

Episode 48 - Rankings Part 2: Fantasy Novels

September 18, 2025 by Karlissa Koop in Book Review, Thoughts on Fantasy

In this three-part series, Jason and Karlissa J each give their top fives in fantasy: top 5 animated fantasy shows, top 5 fantasy novels, and top 5 animated fantasy movies!

Here on the Book-Bat podcast, we talk about movies, shows, even video games - but of course, we also talk about books! In Part 2 of our Rankings series, Jason and Karlissa J each list five fantasy novels that stand out as exceptionally well-written and memorable.

Towards the end of the episode, Jason shifts the topic into exploring Karlissa’s book preferences and how she writes her stories.

Jason’s review for his favourite book!

What are your top five fantasy novels of all time? Do you agree with some of the picks on our lists? Let us know in the comments!

Episode 33 - 6 Things About Lilith

July 11, 2024 by Karlissa Koop in Classic Novels & Authors

Time to talk about George MacDonald, and his final novel, Lilith! Karlissa gives six reading tips for understanding what's going on under-the-surface in this philosophical, magical story.

Fernando Soto’s article “The Worm as Metaphor in Lilith” was published in 2006 in North Wind: A Journal of George MacDonald Studies, and can be found on the George MacDonald society website, at https://digitalcommons.snc.edu/northwind/

Episode 9 - Underrated Books

June 08, 2023 by Karlissa Koop in Book Review

Karlissa and Jason share their lists of fantasy books that deserve more attention: forgotten books from renowned authors, personal favourites, and recognized classics that are just hard to market.

Recommended books: Phantastes (George MacDonald), The Children of Hurin (J.R.R. Tolkien), Lilith (George MacDonald), The Thrawn Trilogy (Timothy Zahn), Out of the Silent Planet (C.S. Lewis), Tales of the Diversity trilogy (Karlissa J.), Till We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis).

Resource mentioned: The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis (Jason M. Baxter).

This episode is from back when the Book-Bat podcast was focused on Christian fantasy books. Visit book-bat.com/about to learn more about who we are and our goals for the podcast!

Join the Conversation!

What fantasy books, Christian or otherwise, do you think are underrated? Let us know in the comments!

Episode 7 - 10 Fun Facts: George MacDonald

May 11, 2023 by Karlissa Koop in Classic Novels & Authors

Who was George MacDonald? And why are his works a vital part of Christian Fantasy? Ten things you should know about this oft-forgotten author.

George MacDonald's stories include: "Phantastes," "Lilith," "At the Back of the North Wind," "The Princess and the Goblin," "The Golden Key," "The Light Princess," and more.

“Christian Fantasy 101” has become To Narnia and Beyond! Explore the fantasy novels of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, George MacDonald, and Madeleine L’Engle, and how they each expressed their faith in their writings.

Learn more: https://www.book-bat.com/nonfiction