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Revealed: Here’s the Little Trap I Set to Expose Rotten Tomatoes

When humans like or dislike stories based on many complex factors, you can’t just call a film “fresh” or “rotten.” · E. Stephen Burnett

Io: Pest Control

So how does speculative entertainment treat the problem of these supposed human pests? Get rid of ’em. · Mark Carver

When Christians Review

My fear is that we Christians are slipping down the same path the people of Israel took. They had a relationship with God and they had His Law, but they wanted so to be like the nations around them. So they began to compromise. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

How Then Can It Be Christian?

We find idolatry, sorcery, homosexuality, bestiality, murder, and rebellion to God throughout the pages of scripture. Does that make the Bible full of darkness? Of course not. What it means is that God’s Word gives us a realistic view of evil as well as good. · James Somers

The AViS Effect

Yes, give the gift of “Amish Vampires in Space” this Christmas, but this breakout novel could help boost the entire Christian fantasy/scifi genre. · Kerry Nietz

Truth In Labeling

The world isn’t helped when Christian books further confusion about the faith. · Yvonne Anderson

Label Me The Anti-Christ or Give Me A Grilled Chessus!

I remember it well, my first novel had just been published and reviews were starting to appear on various blog posts and retail sites. To my delight the posts were almost unanimously positive. The comments were packed with kids and […] · Christopher Miller

Reviewing In The SF Library

Anyone can submit a novel, likely with a review, using the Speculative Faith Library’s Submit a Novel feature. What other changes could aid the Library? How may grace-and-truth-minded reviewers best evaluate a work of fiction? · E. Stephen Burnett

Why I Wrote The DarkTrench Saga

Now that I’m done writing The DarkTrench Saga (from Marcher Lord Press), I’ll talk about it. The three-volume futuristic series has had some interesting criticisms, but surprisingly, the strongest reproaches have come from the Christian community. · Kerry Nietz

Love Me, Love My Book

I’m finding Christian writers seem more susceptible than average to negative criticism. They have expectations, especially of Christian readers and reviewers. · Fred Warren

Allegory, Reviews, and The Clash Of Reader Expectation

Housekeeping first: the draw for a copy of The Ale Boy’s Feast goes to Martin LaBar, who made himself eligible by linking to his review of Patricia McKillip’s Ombria in Shadow. (I read the review, and now I want to […] · Rachel Starr Thomson

Critiquing Critics Of Christian Fiction, Part 2

We’ve all heard it, and often said it: “Christian novels are too preachy.” But what do we mean by that? Some critics say “preachy” only to mean “Christians speaking and acting as Christians naturally do,” and therefore can’t be pleased. · E. Stephen Burnett

Critiquing Critics Of Christian Fiction, Part 1

You’ve likely heard this: “Christians novels aren’t edgy enough. They don’t show what the world is really like. They make everything cleaned-up and black-and-white.” But perhaps we critics should give thought to these questions. · E. Stephen Burnett

The Potential Of Affectionate Parody

Many ways exist to make fun of a story, not all of them hostile. What do you think about affectionate/hostile parody, takeoff and satire? Have I missed something? Is it okay to spoof something we enjoy? What about people we know? · E. Stephen Burnett

Should Authors Critique Others’ Books?

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Proverbs 27:6). If Christians are meant to critique one another’s beliefs and actions in love, can’t we also graciously critique one another’s art and novels? · E. Stephen Burnett