New!
articles • book quests • news • library
reviews • podcast • gifts • archives
Crew manifest Faith statement FAQs
All author resources Lorehaven Guild Subscribe for free

A Crown of Chains
Reviews, Jan 27, 2023

The Magician’s Nephew Taught Me Christ’s Compassion in the Midst of Grief
Elijah David in Articles, Jan 26, 2023

Rose Petals and Snowflakes
Book Quests, Jan 25, 2023

Library

Find fantastical Christian novels

fantasy · sci-fi · and beyond
middle grade · young adult · grown-ups
All novels Search Add a novel
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
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
The Deliverer, Jason William Karpf
Podcast

Get the Fantastical Truth podcast

Podcast sponsors | Subscribe links
Archives Feedback

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

141. Ten Years After ‘An Unexpected Journey,’ Must We Really Hate The Hobbit Films? | with Rilian of NarniaWeb
Fantastical Truth, Dec 13, 2022

Quests

Join our monthly digital book quests.

Lorehaven Guild Faith statement FAQs

Rose Petals and Snowflakes
Book Quests, January 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

Reviews

Find fantastical Christian reviews

All reviews Request review

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

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
“New and returning readers of all ages would do well to seek deeper magic within C. S. Lewis’s faithful classic.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 13, 2023

Gifts

Find new gifts for Christian fans

Archives

The original SpecFaith: est. 2006

Speculative Faith | archives

Lorehaven issues (2018–2020)

Order back issues online!
About
Library
Reviews
Podcast
Gifts
Guild
Archives
SpecFaith
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.
Subscribe free to Lorehaven
/ / Reviews
Author:
James L. Rubart
Ages:
adult
Genres:
supernatural and beyond
BookTags:
contemporary social drama
Publisher:
Thomas Nelson

The Man He Never Was

James L. Rubart’s novel fleshes out the quest of a man at supernatural war with himself.
Lorehaven Review Team · · No comments

To enjoy James L. Rubart’s contemporary/fantasy novel The Man He Never Was, you likely need to appreciate the core idea behind the genre of Christian social drama.

Many of God’s people love these kinds of stories, such as the movies Fireproof (2008) and God’s Not Dead (2014). They reflect scenarios that Christians often face in reality, such as child illness, marital discord, or societal pressures against the church.

But Rubart’s novel, despite surface similarity, comes with bonus fantastical twists.

Imagine if bitter husband Caleb (Kirk Cameron) from Fireproof actually became literally, physically fireproof. Or what if Josh, the college-debating student from God’s Not Dead, discovered he could hypnotically persuade atheist professors to confess faith in Jesus?

In either case, these characters’ spiritual journeys with supernatural edges would actually complicate their lives, rather than giving them simple solutions.

Thus The Man He Never Was opens when former football player Toren Daniels awakens in a strange hotel, emptied of his recent memories. To his shock, he’s also liberated from temptations to anger—the source of his separation from his wife, Sloane, and their two children. But quickly we discover such apparent miracles actually don’t provide easy solutions. Rather, Sloane has moved on with her life, relieved to be freed from covering up Toren’s temper and even acts of physical abuse against her. His children don’t know how to react to his “I’ve really changed” claims—especially since he can’t explain them. And Toren finds himself stalked by a sneering, thuggish old friend from the past.

From there, some elements can feel predictable, partly because book cover and story alike give away the story’s inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. However, Rubart is careful to construct vivid settings and emotions, and builds in some unforeseen final twists. And fantasy fans may appreciate shout-outs to Hyde-inspired figures such as the Incredible Hulk.

Ultimately, The Man He Never Was provides a vital service for Christian readers. As C. S. Lewis remarked, “watchful dragons” guard us from truth, and familiar fantasy tales can smuggle truth into our hearts. Yet in this case, Rubart is stealing past “watchful lambs”: crafting tales about familiar real-life drama that can smuggle in the delight of fantasy.

Best for: Fans of Christian social drama who are curious about fantastical themes.

Discern: Family and marital conflict as well as intense scenes of emotional and physical abuse, including between a cruel father and vengeful son.

Lorehaven may use referral links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Lorehaven Review Team
Lorehaven finds the best of Christian fantasy by reviewing Christian-made, fantastical, published novels. Learn more about Lorehaven Review Team readers at our Crew Manifest. (Authors and publishers can request reviews here.)
Website · Facebook · Instagram · Twitter

Share your fantastical feedback. Cancel reply

Lorehaven magazine, spring 2020

Wear the wonder:
Get exclusive shirts and beyond

Listen to Lorehaven’s podcast

Authors and publishers:
Reach new fans with Lorehaven

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.
Website · Facebook · Instagram · Twitter