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Into the Darkness
Reviews, Feb 3, 2023

The Chosen Succeeds Where ‘Woke’ Stories Fail
Jenneth Dyck in Articles, Feb 2, 2023

Rose Petals and Snowflakes
Book Quests, Feb 1, 2023

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middle grade · young adult · grown-ups
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Silver Bounty, Victoria McCombs
A Sword for the Immerland King, F. W. Faller
Calor, J. J. Fisher
Once Upon A Ren Faire, A. C. Castillo
The Genesis 6 Project, Michael Ferguson
Exile, Loren G. Warnemuende
Aberration, Cathy McCrumb
The Truth Beyond the Lies, Kathleen Bird
Frost, Winter's Lonely Guardian, E. E. Rawls
Dream of Kings, Sharon Hinck
The Change, Bradley Caffee
Quest of Fire: Desperation, Brett Armstrong
Wishtress, Nadine Brandes
Flight, Kristen Young
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147. Why Can Christians Celebrate Stories about Merlin and King Arthur? | with Robert Treskillard
Fantastical Truth, Jan 31, 2023

146. How Did Animators Adapt The Wingfeather Saga For Streaming TV? | with Keith Lango
Fantastical Truth, Jan 24, 2023

145. How Did Edmund Spenser’s ‘The Faerie Queene’ Shape Christian Fantasy? | with Rebecca K. Reynolds
Fantastical Truth, Jan 17, 2023

144. Which Top Six Fantasy Franchises Gave Fans Grief in 2022?
Fantastical Truth, Jan 10, 2023

143. Which Top Ten Lorehaven Stories Proved Most Popular in 2022?
Fantastical Truth, Jan 6, 2023

142. What Christmas Gift ‘Tools, Not Toys’ Helped You Grow As a Person?
Fantastical Truth, Dec 20, 2022

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Rose Petals and Snowflakes
Book Quests, February 2023

Prince Caspian
Book Quests, January 2023

Dream of Kings
Book Quests, December 2022

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness
Book Quests, November 2022

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Into the Darkness
“Charles Hack’s Into the Darkness summons a close-range science fiction story, focusing on the personal challenges of space warfare among alien cultures with a steady pace and serious tone.”
—Lorehaven on Feb 3, 2023

A Crown of Chains
“A Crown of Chains creatively retells a biblical tale to explore themes of providence, racism, faith, and fidelity.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 27, 2023

Lander’s Legacy
“Lander’s Legacy stacks modern thrills and complex characters on a foundation of biblical what-ifs.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 20, 2023

Prince Caspian
“Pacing starts slow but creature lore grows in C. S. Lewis’s sequel, introducing practical tyrants and talking-beast politics into a Narnian resistance.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 13, 2023

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Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
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58. How Did We Enjoy the Heroic Majesty of ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’?

Sci-fi novelist Kerry Nietz and Lorehaven review chief Austin Gunderson join our heroic team to explore the long-awaited super-film Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Fantastical Truth on Apr 13, 2021 · No comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:27:05 — 81.1MB) | Embed

Here at Fantastical Truth, we don’t always review fantastic stories made by non-Christian creators. But when we do, it’s when that story showcases greater cultural trends, break new ground in fantasy worldbuilding, or have such a strange backstory of their own that we simply must comment about it. For Stephen’s personal part, it helps when he has personally invested years in hoping for this story and crusading for it on the internet! Today we’re putting together a heroic team to explore the heroic majesty of the long-awaited super-film Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

Concession stand

  • Yes, we don’t often review movies. Other podcasts do that. Here’s an exception.
  • That’s because this is an unprecedented movement, bigger than just movies.
  • It also crosses into questions about creative integrity, idolatry, even abuse.

The original Lorehaven DC Defense League members

Kerry Nietz

Sci-fi novelist—see KerryNietz.com

Amish Vampires in Space, Amish Zombies from Space

The DarkTrench Saga series, The DarkTrench Shadow series, and beyond

Austin Gunderson

Lorehaven review chieftain

Epic fantasy writer-in-waiting

Initially skeptical about Snyder Cut releasing

E. Stephen BurnettE. Stephen Burnett

Lorehaven publisher

Fantastical Truth regular host

Kept the Snyder Cut “faith” longer than any sane adult

Zack Snyder's Justice League

1. The age of heroes past: #ReleaseTheSnyderCut’s victory

  • Why do us chaps like supposedly “grimdark” stories like this one?
  • What did we love about Man of Steel and Batman v Superman?
  • By contrast, how did we feel seeing Justice League‘s old theatrical edition?
  • What’s it like being a fan of supposedly underappreciated stories?
  • How did you feel when Snyder and others began sharing inside info?

2. The present takes root in the future: Zack Snyder’s Justice League

  • How did we feel when on May 20 we learned this impossible movement won?
  • Listen to our episode 17: What Can Christian Fans Learn from #ReleaseTheSnyderCut’s Success?
  • Did we have any skepticism or fears about the final finished film?
  • What did we expect? What surpassed our expectations?
  • Favorite moments? Plot turns? Heroes?

3. Future timeline: #RestoreTheSnyderCut

  • Now we turn to yet another movement to get sequels and spinoffs.
  • What do you hope to see in any studio/HBO Max course corrections?
  • Affleck’s Batman, Deathstroke, Justice League 2, Martian, Superman?
  • Do you think this movement will change how fans view franchises’ creations?
  • How can Christian fans best glorify God with meta-stories mixed with idols?

Snyder Cut story sources include:

  • “Justice League: The Shocking, Exhilarating, Heartbreaking True Story of #TheSnyderCut,” Vanity Fair, Feb. 22, 2021
  • “Justice League: The Untold Story of Cyborg and Deathstroke,” Vanity Fair, March 12, 2021
  • “Ray Fisher Opens Up About ‘Justice League,’ Joss Whedon and Warners: ‘I Don’t Believe Some of These People Are Fit for Leadership,'” The Hollywood Reporter, April 6, 2021
  • “Justice League Screenwriter Chris Terrio Is Super Pissed Off,” Vanity Fair, April 8, 2021

Fantastic fans

StageGrandma wrote this Feb. 10, 2021 review on Apple Podcasts:

Rich content

This podcast discussing fantastical fiction is not only for writers, but for readers and fans. The hosts go beyond the typical talk about Tolkien and CS Lewis, but dive deeper and encourage the listener to think imaginatively about all genres of entertainment. The podcast is well done. I appreciate the approachable professionalism.

Auroraambria wrote this Feb. 11, 2021 review on Apple Podcasts:

Informative, Faith-based, Smart

The hosts make logical conclusions in an apologist manner toward helping Christian and lay audiences understand how fiction work fits into our lives today.

Next on Fantastical Truth

You’re ready to enjoy that hot new young-adult fantasy, and suddenly all subtlety gets thrown out the window so social agendas can drive. Or you’re excited to sample that new streaming drama, when boom, instead of getting “Jesus juked,” the story gets politics-juked so you can learn your (good) lesson about how racism is bad, or questionable “lessons.” How can Christian fans respond to preachy secular fiction? Here’s a hint: not by accusing, but laughing.

Fantastical Truth
Fantastical Truth
Lorehaven

Explore the best Christian-made fantasy, sci-fi, and beyond, and apply these stories' meanings in the real world Jesus calls us to serve.

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    In the Fantastical Truth podcast from Lorehaven, hosts E. Stephen Burnett and Zackary Russell explore fantastical stories for God's glory and apply their wonders to the real world Jesus calls us to serve.
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    Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
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