Home

Explore the best Christian fantasy.

articles | news | library | reviews | podcast
Advertise Seek Review Questions?

The Icarus Aftermath
Reviews | Lorehaven Review Team on Feb 26, 2021

My Screenwriter Mom Introduced Me to Fantastic Sci-Fi in the 1960s
Articles | Jason William Karpf on Feb 25, 2021

52. Do Christians Really Need Science Fiction? | Fiction’s Chief End, part 3
Podcast | Lorehaven on Feb 23, 2021

Join Our March 11 Livestream Exploring Christian Reactions to Fandom Cancel Culture
News | Lorehaven on Feb 22, 2021

The Hourglass and the Darkness
Reviews | Lorehaven Review Team on Feb 19, 2021

Venus is More Than Just a Love Goddess
Articles | Shannon Stewart on Feb 18, 2021

Introducing Fantasy Enthusiast and New Lorehaven Writer Shannon Stewart
News | Lorehaven on Feb 17, 2021

Stories with Bad Ideas Can Still Help Us Grow
Articles | L.G. McCary on Feb 15, 2021

Gretchen and the Bear
Reviews | Lorehaven Review Team on Feb 12, 2021

The Mandalorian is a Religious Fundamentalist, and Here’s Why That’s Awesome
Articles | Josiah DeGraaf on Feb 11, 2021

Introducing Fantasy Creator and New Lorehaven Writer Josiah DeGraaf
News | Lorehaven on Feb 10, 2021

51. Do Christians Really Need Fantasy? | Fiction’s Chief End, part 2
Podcast | Fantastical Truth on Feb 9, 2021

The Death and Rebirth of Magic in Children’s Fantasy
Articles | R. J. Anderson on Feb 8, 2021

Torch
Reviews | Lorehaven Review Team on Feb 5, 2021

Fictional Magic Systems Can Go Beyond Rules and Reveal Deeper Characters
Articles | Elijah David on Feb 4, 2021

How God Uses Story Villains for Our Good
Articles | Zackary Russell on Feb 3, 2021

Introducing Sci-Fi Creator and New Lorehaven Writer Zackary Russell
News | Lorehaven on Feb 2, 2021

50. Do Christians Really Need Fiction? | Fiction’s Chief End, part 1
Podcast | Fantastical Truth on Feb 2, 2021

Frank E. Peretti to Give Keynote Address at Realm Makers Writers Conference This July
News | E. Stephen Burnett on Feb 1, 2021

Fugue for the Sacred Songbook: In Eb Minor
Reviews | Lorehaven Review Team on Jan 29, 2021

How A Year Without Superhero Films Rebooted Our Universe
Articles | Jason Joyner on Jan 28, 2021

New Book ‘Reading Evangelicals’ Will Focus on Famous Christian Fiction
News | E. Stephen Burnett on Jan 27, 2021

Introducing Superhero Novelist and New Lorehaven Writer Jason C. Joyner
News | Lorehaven on Jan 27, 2021

49. How Can We ‘Terraform’ the Church to Enjoy Fantastic Fiction?
Podcast | Fantastical Truth on Jan 26, 2021

Militant Secularism Could Force Christians to Create New Subcultures
Articles | Mike Duran on Jan 25, 2021

Flight of the Raven
Reviews | Lorehaven Review Team on Jan 22, 2021

‘One Piece’ Manga Reaches Chapter 1000: How Did This Pirate Become King?
Articles | L. Jagi Lamplighter on Jan 20, 2021

48. What Were the Top Seven Issues for Lorehaven Readers in 2020?
Podcast | Fantastical Truth on Jan 19, 2021

To Shape a Story is to Shape a Soul
Articles | L.G. McCary on Jan 18, 2021

Author Ted Turnau Finds The Hidden Grace of Pixar’s ‘Soul’
News | E. Stephen Burnett on Jan 15, 2021

Library

Find fantastical Christian novels

fantasy | sci-fi | supernatural and beyond
All novels Search Add a novel
Explore all: Middle-grade books | Young-adult books | Adult books
Etania's Worth, M. H. Elrich
Cinderella Spell, Laurie Lee
When Desperate Measures Are All You Have Left, J. C. Morrows
Fractures, James C. Joyner
Torch, R. J. Anderson
The Terran Summit, Anna Zogg
The Xerxes Factor, Anna Zogg
The Paradise Protocol, Anna Zogg
The Awakened, Richard Spillman
The Ascension, Richard Spillman
Love's Sacrifice, Kelsey Norman
Unbroken Spirit, Kelsey Norman
Seed: Judgment, Joshua David
The Rooster and the Raven King, John Paul Tucker
Reviews

Find fantastical Christian reviews

All reviews Request review Share review

The Icarus Aftermath
“Arielle M. Bailey’s The Icarus Aftermath spins a golden yarn of vivid characters and gripping emotion, set in a world ripe for exploration.”
—Lorehaven on Feb 26, 2021

The Hourglass and the Darkness
“Kyle L. Elliott’s novel The Hourglass and the Darkness posits a world before the great Flood, starting a promising series.”
—Lorehaven on Feb 19, 2021

Gretchen and the Bear
“Carrie Anne Noble’s delightful fantasy/sci-fi mashup Gretchen and the Bear defies every expectation.”
—Lorehaven on Feb 12, 2021

Torch
“Torch blazes a solid conclusion to the series’ themes of just leadership and racial reconciliation among fairy folk.”
—Lorehaven on Feb 5, 2021

Podcast

Get the Fantastical Truth podcast

Apple | Google | All subscribe links
Archives Feedback

52. Do Christians Really Need Science Fiction? | Fiction’s Chief End, part 3
Fantastical Truth, Feb 23, 2021

51. Do Christians Really Need Fantasy? | Fiction’s Chief End, part 2
Fantastical Truth, Feb 9, 2021

50. Do Christians Really Need Fiction? | Fiction’s Chief End, part 1
Fantastical Truth, Feb 2, 2021

49. How Can We ‘Terraform’ the Church to Enjoy Fantastic Fiction?
Fantastical Truth, Jan 26, 2021

Webzine

Browse back issues (2018–2020)

Order back issues online!
SpecFaith

The original SpecFaith: est. 2006

site archives | statement of faith
New articles Questions? Pitch to us

Settling the Solar System in Science Fiction, part 3: the Moon
Travis Perry, Feb 24

The Fantastical Elements of Romantic Fiction, part 1
Parker J. Cole, Feb 17

Settling the Solar System in Science Fiction, part 2: Venus
Travis Perry, Feb 11

Settling the Solar System in Science Fiction, part 1: Mercury
Travis Perry, Feb 4

Beyond

Find more from Christian creators

Order the book! E. Stephen Burnett

Get exclusive shirts and beyond
in the Lorehaven store

Explore the book The Pop Culture Parent: Helping Kids Engage Their World for Christ

Does ‘Engaging Popular Culture’ Include Right-Wing Talk Radio?
E. Stephen Burnett, Oct 9

Join My Livestream This Thursday: Seven Ways to Find Truth in Fantastic Stories
E. Stephen Burnett, Oct 6

Home
Library
Reviews
Podcast
Webzine
SpecFaith
Store
Beyond Edit content
Lorehaven serves Christian fans by finding the best of Christian fantasy. Our free webzine, an online library, positive reviews, a thriving blog and community, and weekly podcast episodes help fans explore fantasy, science fiction, and other fantastical genres for the glory of Jesus Christ.
Subscribe free to Lorehaven
/ Library
“Beatitudes & Woes is a bold experiment . . . the showstopper entries by themselves are enough to justify the price of admission.”
—Lorehaven review, fall 2019
Author:
Travis Perry
Ages:
adult
Genres:
fantasy science fiction supernatural, paranormal, and beyond
BookTags:
anthology short stories
Publisher:
Bear Publications

Beatitudes & Woes

Explore the beatitudes and woes of the Bible through the stories of thirteen Christian authors in this uniquely powerful anthology
Travis Perry | Bear Publications, July 2019

When you explore the beatitudes and woes of the Bible through the stories of thirteen Christian authors in this uniquely powerful anthology, you will find tales of courage in the face of suffering, persecution, unexpected loss, self-sacrifice, joy in spite of circumstances, tears suppressed and expressed, love from the heart, kindness shown to friends and strangers, a monster slain, an alien plague, high adventure, a comedic hero finally taking a stand, a lost love found, and much more in these beautifully-crafted tales.

Review of Beatitudes and Woes

Beatitudes & Woes is a bold experiment . . . the showstopper entries by themselves are enough to justify the price of admission.
Lorehaven Review Team, fall 2019

Are the poor in spirit still blessed when they’ve been hijacked by space pirates? Do mourners still receive divine favor if they lament the devastation wrought by their own tears? And what if the people subjected to persecution for righteousness’ sake face the eradication of their nation? Can they possibly treat their tormentors with love?

Christ’s parables are often cited as justification or even inspiration for Christian fiction, but how often does one encounter a systematically fantastical treatment of one of our Lord’s sermons? Beatitudes & Woes, a Christian speculative fiction anthology edited by Travis Perry, is a bold experiment. This collection takes as its framework the blessings and curses pronounced by Jesus in Matthew 5:3–11 (and Luke 6:24–26). Then this work explores each beatitude and woe, respectively, through a short story in a separate subgenre—from classic fantasy and sci-fi to superhero, dystopian, and even horror.

The result, much like Christian fiction itself, is a mixed bag. While some of these tales enthrall the reader from the very first word, others fall prey to sentimentality, pontification, or clichéd narrative templates. Fortunately, the showstopper entries by themselves are enough to justify the price of admission. Some of the best include:

  • “The Meek Shall Inherit” by J. L. Ender is an uproarious romp through superhero stereotypes seasoned with savviness and off-the-beaten-path powers. Thomas—aka Switch Master, aka Flipper—is a wannabe hero stuck on the mercenary circuit. He can cause objects to instantly trade places, but can he exchange his flippancy for courage? Genuine belly laughs soften the reader for a gut-punch as Ender deftly swaps hilarity for pathos.
  • “Blessed Are the Merciful” by Lelia Rose Foreman is a tale from the Talifar universe, which plunges the reader into an immersive milieu of alien husbandry. When young Sunrise’s family suffers a devastating loss, he yearns to call down vengeance on the guilty. His father’s wisdom urges restraint—but to what end? Foreman’s spare lyricism evokes wistfully pastoral vistas and surprisingly strong emotions.
  • “Wondermind and the Almost King” by Gen Gavel is an intricate and luminous fable worthy of Arabian Nights. Greedy Cadmus has conquered the land of Siwa, but it withers under his hand. Young Khaled has died and seen the eternal Wonder, but now must live again in longing. Can his unseasonal insight save the king from djinn who would enslave him?
  • “Something in the Water” by Randy Streu is a sci-fi horror of disturbingly clinical detachment. When an expedition to the rings of Saturn discovers microscopic life in space, celebratory wine flows freely. But station personnel soon regret not sticking with the bottle. The ensuing carnage, narrated in retrospect by the mission’s biologist, uncorks the consequences of hubris.
  • “As the Prophecy Foretold” by C. W. Briar is a slow-burning dark fairytale that pits the heir of a legendary dragon-slayer against the slain beast’s offspring. Robert may be a lowly pig farmer, but when the wizard Harabor arrives with a quest just for him, Robert’s humble dreams grow grand. But nothing is as it seems, and the dead hand of the past may yet reach out to aid or strangle the ignorant adventurer.

Ultimately Beatitudes & Woes succeeds not only as thought-provoking entertainment but as a proof-of-concept. Christian speculative fiction is capable of walking the line between scriptural sobriety and fantastical imagination. More like this, please.

Best for: Older teens and adults seeking intentionally thematic Christian speculative fiction.

Discern: Widely varied content between individual stories, that is, some are squeaky clean, while others spray gore or touch on sexually suggestive imagery.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket
  • WhatsApp

What do you think? Cancel reply

Lorehaven magazine, winter 2020

Wear the wonder:
Get exclusive shirts and beyond

Listen to Lorehaven’s podcast

Authors: Reach new fans with Lorehaven