Episode 17 - Mature Content Part 1

Does Christian fantasy need more ‘mature content’? What IS maturity? What is the role of spiritual maturity, difficult themes, and deeper thinking in fantasy? We will be exploring these questions and more in our series on mature content, as we take a look at classic literature and what authors like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien can teach us.

Don’t worry, this episode’s content is suitable for all ages!

Quote from C.S. Lewis comes from his article “The Lord of the Rings,” which can be found in his book On Stories: And Other Essays on Literature.

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!

Episode 15 – Stereotypes, Mary Sues and Gary Stus

The evolution of the word stereotype, the invention of the term Mary Sue, our dislike of James Bond, what Ironman has in common with Paw Patrol… our discussion of Mary Sue and Gary Stu characters leads to multiple random reflections!

Dictionary.com article on Mary Sue: https://www.dictionary.com/e/fictional-characters/mary-sue/

The actor who plays Superman in the CW’s “Superman & Lois” is Tyler Hoechlin.

The Tolkien Society Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.tolkiensociety.org/author/faq/

Episode 13 - Favourite Fantasy Characters

Do we have a type? Can a villain be a favourite character? Can a character be separated from their story? We explore our thoughts on favourite characters!

SPOILER ALERTS: George MacDonald’s Lilith, The Dragon Prince (Wonderstorm).

Other books mentioned: The Silmarillion (JRR Tolkien), Tales of the Diversity trilogy (Karlissa J), Till We Have Faces (CS Lewis), Sonic Comics from IDW, Rise of the Guardians series (William Joyce), Chronicles of Narnia series (CS Lewis), Redwall series (Brian Jacques), All-New Wolverine series (Tom Taylor)… the Bible!

Join the conversation!

Who are you favourite fantasy characters? Let us know in the comments!

Episode 12 - Relatable vs Aspirational Characters

Which are better: characters that exemplify who we wish to be, or ones that remind us of who we already are? Jason and Karlissa discuss the Bible, superheroes, Sonic the Hedgehog, and even throw in a reference to Disney's "Treasure Planet"!

“When a character is relatable, the audience can see themselves in them, and they are more likely to invest in their story.” - neilchasefilm.com/relatable-characters/ - by Neil Chase

2 years ago, the website Comic Vine did a poll that asked which voters preferred: Aspirational or Relatable. Now, out of the fourteen that voted, the results were 57-43 in favour of “Aspirational”.

According to Falcon At the Movies “An aspirational hero is somebody to look up to and fights for the right thing. I think they CAN make mistakes and even have flaws, but they can NEVER question fighting for good.” - https://falconmovies.wordpress.com/2021/07/23/great-debate-what-is-an-aspirational-hero-movies/

Episode 11 - Is Magic Necessary in Fantasy?

Jason and Karlissa discuss magic: a topic that sometimes gets brought up in Christian circles concerning fantasy. Together, they consider the complexities that often get overlooked.

Resources used: “The Gospel According to Tolkien” (Ralph C. Wood); “Narnia, Middle-Earth, and the Kingdom of God” (Mark Worthing); “The Fellowship: the Literary Lives of the Inklings” (Philip and Carol Zaleski); and a few dictionaries!

A nod to Madeleine L’Engle, who brought up the magi and the stars in her book, “Penguins and Golden Calves.”

And George MacDonald’s “Lilith” indeed has many odd, magical moments - Karlissa recommends reading it!

Episode 10 - Where to Find Fantasy

Jason tells the story of how he discovered Brian Jacques’ Redwall series; then he and Karlissa give some ideas on where to find fantasy books.

Books Mentioned and Corrections: The Heart of George MacDonald (edited by George MacDonald scholar Rolland Hein), The Gospel According to Tolkien (Ralph C. Wood), The Green Ember (S.D. Smith), Tales from the Perilous Realm (J.R.R. Tolkien).

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!

Where did you discover your favourite fantasy novel? Let us know in the comments!

Episode 8 - Manga, Graphic Novels & Comic Books

What is manga? What makes it similar to our comic books and graphic novels, and what’s different? And why is Christian media largely lacking in graphic novels and the like?

Main resource:  New York Public Library - https://www.nypl.org/blog/2018/12/27/beginners-guide-manga

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!

Episode 6 - Fantastical Creature Origins

Discover the origins of six popular fantasy beings, followed by a conversation about one never-used creature.

Zombies, elves, fairies, and more: where do they come from, and how have they changed over time??

Resource: Tony Allen's "The Mythic Bestiary"

Episode 5 - Questions from the Jar, Part 2

More random discussions about the state of fantasy! Are there any discernable trends in Christian fantasy? Are they different than the trends in secular fantasy? Are there any untapped markets (noteworthy subgenres or mediums) that Christians have largely not pursued? We share our opinions, tangents, and queries!

Books mentioned: Warriors series (Erin Hunter), Redwall series (Brian Jacques), Tomo series (by Funnypages Productions), The Silmarillion (JRR Tolkien), The Children of Hurin (JRR Tolkien), Lilith (George MacDonald), “On Fairy Stories” (essay by JRR Tolkien), The Dragon Prince (show by Wonderstorm and Netflix), Auralia's Colors (Jeffrey Overstreet), Till We Have Faces (CS Lewis).

Episode 4 - Questions from the Jar, Part 1

Karlissa and Jason answer an array of questions about books, reading, and Christian fantasy! Do we take Lewis’ advice and reread books? Do we need more thoughtful influences shaping Christian fantasy authors, and does the level of academic rigor found in Lewis and Tolkien still exist in the Christian fantasy landscape? We share our opinions, tangents, and queries!

Correction: Phantastes (George MacDonald) doesn't end with it all having been a dream, though his other novel Lilith leaves things ambiguous as to whether it was a dream.

Books mentioned: C. S. Lewis "Different Tastes in Literature" (article); Phantastes (George MacDonald); Amish Vampires in Space (Kerry Nietz); The Thrawn Trilogy (Timothy Zahn); Redwall series (Brian Jacques); Till We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis); The Children of Hurin (J.R.R. Tolkien); The Great Divorce (C.S. Lewis); The Wingfeather Saga (Andrew Peterson).

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!