Christian Fiction
- Thread starter W.C. Dean
- Start date
Regi Addictissimus
Completely sold out to the King
I have heard nothing good things about Douglas Bond's book. Personally, I have never read Christian fiction outside of Lewis.
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www.heritagebooks.org
SeanPatrickCornell
Puritan Board Junior
I really liked C.S. Lewis's "Space Trilogy", but beware, the man has some glaring problems with his theology. Nevertheless, Christianity is the "good guy" system in his books, especially the last book in the series.
Jonathan95
Puritan Board Sophomore
One that I really enjoyed is called The Circle Series by Ted Dekker. It starts with a book called Black.
Same author also wrote a book called Sovereign, I recommend that and the series it is a part of as well.
Obviously, it's fiction that tries to be allegorical and falls short in some ways. Use discernment. Regardless, very enjoyable reads.
Same author also wrote a book called Sovereign, I recommend that and the series it is a part of as well.
Obviously, it's fiction that tries to be allegorical and falls short in some ways. Use discernment. Regardless, very enjoyable reads.
I've read one of Bond's biographies, and enjoyed it. I'll check out his fiction. Thank you everyone for the suggestions so far. Obviously, I want to check out Narnia and probably the Screwtape Letters.I have heard nothing good things about Douglas Bond's book. Personally, I have never read Christian fiction outside of Lewis.
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Kinghezy
Puritan Board Sophomore
My most recent read for our kids' school is the book "Heidi". I don't think it's written with the intention of teaching some christian message, but just a good story and has some undertones of christianity in it and from the characters. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidi
bookish_Basset
Puritan Board Freshman
Definitely Lewis's Space Trilogy. That Hideous Strength is one of my favorite books.
Sigrid Undset's historical fiction would also need to be read with discernment from a theological perspective, but I think her Kristin Lavransdatter and other medieval novels are the finest historical fiction I've ever read, and too little known. I've read them multiple times.
If you don't mind reading children's books, I enjoy reading S. D. Smith's Green Ember series from time to time.
Sigrid Undset's historical fiction would also need to be read with discernment from a theological perspective, but I think her Kristin Lavransdatter and other medieval novels are the finest historical fiction I've ever read, and too little known. I've read them multiple times.
If you don't mind reading children's books, I enjoy reading S. D. Smith's Green Ember series from time to time.
Beowulf
Pearl
Geoffrey Chaucer, Troilus and Criseyde
Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur
Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene
John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress, The Holy War, The Life and Death of Mr. Badman
Samuel Johnson, Rasselas
Jane Austen, Emma, Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice
Anthony Trollope (too many to list)
G.K. Chesterton, The Man Who Was Thursday, Father Brown
Charles Williams, Descent Into Hell, Many Dimension, All Hallow's Eve, War in Heaven, Shadows of Ecstasy, The Greater Trumps, The Place of the Lion
C.S. Lewis, The Pilgrim's Regress, Till We Have Faces
In a bit of a different register, many have enjoyed books by Patricia St. John, Charlotte M. Yonge, and Elizabeth Prentiss.
Pearl
Geoffrey Chaucer, Troilus and Criseyde
Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur
Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene
John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress, The Holy War, The Life and Death of Mr. Badman
Samuel Johnson, Rasselas
Jane Austen, Emma, Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice
Anthony Trollope (too many to list)
G.K. Chesterton, The Man Who Was Thursday, Father Brown
Charles Williams, Descent Into Hell, Many Dimension, All Hallow's Eve, War in Heaven, Shadows of Ecstasy, The Greater Trumps, The Place of the Lion
C.S. Lewis, The Pilgrim's Regress, Till We Have Faces
In a bit of a different register, many have enjoyed books by Patricia St. John, Charlotte M. Yonge, and Elizabeth Prentiss.
BuckeyeGirl
Puritan Board Freshman
I'm so happy that you mentioned Kristin Lavransdatter! It's an excellent novel. Most people I know have never even heard of it, though.
RobertPGH1981
Puritan Board Sophomore
I recently read a great book that is historical fiction called Steal Away Home. It is about a slave in the deep south that hears of a Spurgeon sermon and becomes born again. The book navigates back and fourth between the historical life events of both Spurgeon and former slave Thomas Johnson.
wcf_linux
Puritan Board Freshman
I echo my wife @bookish_Basset on recommending the Space Trilogy and Kristin Lavransdatter. I'll also echo @py3ak in endorsing Anthony Trollope.
bookslover
Puritan Board Doctor
Nice to see we got a couple of Anthony Trollope (1815-1882) fans on the Board. With me, that makes three.
retroGRAD3
Puritan Board Senior
I would second John Bunyan. I really enjoyed pilgrims progress
Safely Home by Randy Alcorn is a tremendous book. The only criticism I ever heard of it is that things are even worse in China than the book portrays.
I think the greatest Christian novel ever written is Uncle Tom's Cabin. Supposedly all of the plot lines were generally based on true situations.
I think the greatest Christian novel ever written is Uncle Tom's Cabin. Supposedly all of the plot lines were generally based on true situations.
Andrew35
Puritan Board Junior
Not read it, but the book was written in 2001, I see.
First, things were much better then than now. We're at pretty much an all-time low since the days of Mao.
Second, the situation in China has always varied a great deal from province to province, so depending on where someone lived, one could have a completely different experience.
Jo_Was
Puritan Board Freshman
For period pieces...
Jannette Oke books are a pioneer-era (1800s) family saga of books more explicitly focused on the faith through the generations. I think family sagas are cool.
And of course the Anne of Green Gables is more the perspective of a child but the brother/sister that adopt her and the community on the island is insinuated to be Scottish presbyterians. At the beginnings of the book series she has some odd, maybe even negative, child-like views of Christianity and religion given her circumstance and personality, but as her story unfolds she meets people who exemplify Christian living to her that ultimately have its effect to how she views faith. She learns some catechism questions along the way that seem to be Westminster but I don't know if most people catch those references these days. I love the CBC movie adaptation from the 80s with Megan Follows but they pretty much omit that part of the books and the culture of the island.
Jannette Oke books are a pioneer-era (1800s) family saga of books more explicitly focused on the faith through the generations. I think family sagas are cool.
And of course the Anne of Green Gables is more the perspective of a child but the brother/sister that adopt her and the community on the island is insinuated to be Scottish presbyterians. At the beginnings of the book series she has some odd, maybe even negative, child-like views of Christianity and religion given her circumstance and personality, but as her story unfolds she meets people who exemplify Christian living to her that ultimately have its effect to how she views faith. She learns some catechism questions along the way that seem to be Westminster but I don't know if most people catch those references these days. I love the CBC movie adaptation from the 80s with Megan Follows but they pretty much omit that part of the books and the culture of the island.
bookish_Basset
Puritan Board Freshman
It's funny you mention Anne, Jo, because I just read it last week! I'd second this recommendation; I've found it a more interesting read as an adult in some ways than I did as a child. For my job I write for an educational publisher and am currently putting together some study materials on that book; Anne's growth in faith is one of the themes I'm emphasizing (especially through the influences of people like her Sunday School teacher). I also caught the reference to WSC Q. 4 (which I certainly didn't as a child!) and made sure to sneak in an explanation of where that comes from.
Jo_Was
Puritan Board Freshman
It's funny you mention Anne, Jo, because I just read it last week! I'd second this recommendation; I've found it a more interesting read as an adult in some ways than I did as a child. For my job I write for an educational publisher and am currently putting together some study materials on that book; Anne's growth in faith is one of the themes I'm emphasizing (especially through the influences of people like her Sunday School teacher). I also caught the reference to WSC Q. 4 (which I certainly didn't as a child!) and made sure to sneak in an explanation of where that comes from.
I love this! I took a lot of my cues growing up from "Anne with an e" as a "Joanne with an e" and often found myself relating (perhaps too much at times) to her personality and experience--even becoming a teacher myself. I have also found it more interesting as an Adult understanding more of the historical and religious context that she was in and "getting" it in some ways for the first time. I would love to see this study when you have that available! I often help facilitate and give advice on educational materials for families with children in my church and for homeschooling friends with children and having something like that in my queue would be neat to have if I get a chance to suggest to something. I have a few people on my mind who might appreciate a book study like that.
bookish_Basset
Puritan Board Freshman
I felt exactly the same way as a "Sarah with an h."
I'll try to let you know when the guide is finished and published on the website.I forgot to mention one of the finest books I've ever read. Published in 1719. The Guardian's list of the best 100 novels written in English has it as #2.
www.theguardian.com
Robinson Crusoe.
His ship was destroyed at sea and he alone survived. The theme of his island life is fascinating....creating his home, raising food, raising goats. But the theme of his conversion, with a bible he had rescued from the shipwrecked items initially, and then the conversion of the man "Friday" he rescues, is just wonderful. I was going to post a link to a nice article about it with lots of Christian quotes, but I decided it would give away too much plot. You will love it. I've read it maybe three times and maybe I'll pull it out to read again this winter.
The 100 best novels: No 2 – Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1719)
Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe comes second in our list of the best novels written in English. Robert McCrum explains the genius of this complex, irresistible novelRobert McCrum introduces the series
www.theguardian.com
Robinson Crusoe.
His ship was destroyed at sea and he alone survived. The theme of his island life is fascinating....creating his home, raising food, raising goats. But the theme of his conversion, with a bible he had rescued from the shipwrecked items initially, and then the conversion of the man "Friday" he rescues, is just wonderful. I was going to post a link to a nice article about it with lots of Christian quotes, but I decided it would give away too much plot. You will love it. I've read it maybe three times and maybe I'll pull it out to read again this winter.
RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
That Hideous Strength is near-perfect.
The others are good in terms of plot. Judge the theology/style for yourselves.
Paul Maier, Skeleton in God's Closet and Flames of Rome.
Mark of the Lion series. Very gripping.
Brock and Bodie Thoene's stuff moves well in terms of pacing and plot. They are little too-pro Israel for your average partial preterist.
Joel Rosenberg is a zionist, but his fiction is usually outstanding. I recommend his Last Jihad series.
The others are good in terms of plot. Judge the theology/style for yourselves.
Paul Maier, Skeleton in God's Closet and Flames of Rome.
Mark of the Lion series. Very gripping.
Brock and Bodie Thoene's stuff moves well in terms of pacing and plot. They are little too-pro Israel for your average partial preterist.
Joel Rosenberg is a zionist, but his fiction is usually outstanding. I recommend his Last Jihad series.
