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3 Fantasy Books You Probably Haven’t Read But Should

In case you haven’t heard, March is Fantasy Fun Month, where every day posts about fantasy favorites—from characters to maps—flood social media. Yesterday, Rebecca Miller posted about fantasy quotes. I figured why not continue the fantasy love, this time exploring fantasy […] · Zac Totah

Why Do We Relate To Epic Journeys?

You’ve been on a journey. So have I. So has everyone through the history of the world. In fact, you’re on one right now. It might not be literal, such as traveling through Europe or flying cross-country on a business […] · Zac Totah

Mayhem And Its Meaning, A Reprise

Why does mayhem play such an important role in speculative fiction? The clearest and best explanation is that these stories reveal the great struggle of the world—the struggle between the rebel Satan and God. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

The True Form Of Fairy-Tale

J. R. R. Tolkien appealed to reality in justifying joy in fairy stories. It’s revealing as to what he thought of fairy tales – and of reality. · Shannon McDermott

Leaf By Niggle, Heaven In Stories

A couple weeks ago I read Leaf by Niggle, which is not as silly as it sounds. · Shannon McDermott

Violence In Speculative Literature

Speculative fiction is built upon a violent struggle. The goal is never to learn to co-exist with evil or to just learn to get along or to agree to disagree. Instead, two opposing forces, two incompatible worldviews square off. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

Allegory and The Gospel

Can allegory effectively communicate the Gospel message? · R. L. Copple

Fantasy Isn’t For Rabbits . . . Or Kids Exclusively

Are Christians, then, the only people who “outgrow” speculative stories, who don’t want to read fantasy or science fiction as adults? Or is this an incorrect perception publishers have reached? · Rebecca LuElla Miller

Theology and Heroes-Shaping Our Stories By What We Believe

To add to our enjoyment of a good story, we have the excitement of holding it up transparently before the Story of God and finding its parallels and tangents. · Jill Richardson

What Do We Do About God?

Fiction can represent Christ, rather than replicate Him, simply by portraying characters who lead the escape or sacrifice that others might live or provide the means of healing the wounded or become the long-awaited ruler. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

Christianity, Diversity, And Speculative Fiction

Diversity marked Christ’s ministry and has been a hallmark of the Church from early on. Today Christianity encompasses any number of people groups, largely because believers take seriously God’s commission to make disciples of those at home, nearby, and far away. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

Thankful Characters

Despite privation, death, dangers, and concerns for the future, the settlers found reason to rejoice. They exhibited a degree of contentment, a gratitude for what they had rather than resentment for what they had lost. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

Realism And Twenty-first Century Stories

If all characters are victims of disaster, I suggest readers or viewers stop caring and start looking for the “out.” Will the character die and come back? Have a narrow escape? Have a death that only looks like death? In truth, all the arguing and betrayal and refusal becomes–predictable and boring and unrealistic. Soon the characters seem more like caricatures because none acts with nobility or courage or hope. All display their flawed selves with so little inner struggle. And this, we’ve come to believe, is realistic. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

May I Have A Word?

It’s easy to use the word word, but hard to define it with words. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? A sound with meaning? Not really. · Yvonne Anderson

Seeking A Better Country Than Middle Earth

Watching Peter Jackson interpret J.R.R. Tolkien is like watching a master jazz impresario play Beethoven. The original is classic; the interpretation as a new work is equally brilliant. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

What Constitutes “Derivative”?

Some scholars claim J. R. R. Tolkien owed a debt of influence where he claimed none. I find this criticism to be thoroughly ironic because the great accusation against writers of high fantasy today is that their work is derivative, a mere shadow of, you guessed it, J.R.R. Tolkien. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

What Makes A Villain?

John Otte has villains on the brain today. He’s trying to figure out what makes a villain truly effective in a story. Stop by and help him figure it out. · John Otte

Evil And The One Ring To Rule Them All

Tolkien, as most speculative readers know, was not attempting an allegory. Nevertheless, his mythopoetic world, the result of his sub-creation, contains parallels with reality. In fact, his world throws revelatory light on what he believed about certain things in the real world. One of those things is evil. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

The Success Of Fantasy By The Masters

According to Dr. Drout, Tolkien, and I would argue Lewis, created a bridge for contemporary readers to step into the realm of the fantastic. These writers tied their magical, mystical worlds to the world readers knew and recognized. Interestingly, they did so in vastly different ways. · Rebecca LuElla Miller
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