Magic In The Story: What’s The Big Deal?

Magic — just the mention of it can cause many a “good Christian” to draw dividing lines, take sides and ready for attack. Are we being discerning or just overreacting? Join our new series: Magic in the Story.
— Christopher Miller in February 2013 —

Fiction Christians From Another Planet! VI: Alien Love Slaves

Even in many speculative-novel subplots, the bad Christian-fiction romance is coarse, and rough, and irritating, and it gets everywhere.
— E. Stephen Burnett in February 2013 —

When Science Fiction Meets Fairy Tale

At first glance, science fiction and fairy tales appear to have little in common. They’re like water and oil. What could tales about nasty step-mothers and magic share with stories of high-tech gadgets and trips to other worlds? For starters, both address themes of human experience through the fantastic, and both bear the imprint of the culture of their time.
— Jeff Chapman in February 2013 —

Fiction Christians From Another Planet! IV: Terror Of The Megachurchians

If we only ever meet in Christian novels pagan characters overcome by platitudes like “Really? There’s a God who loves — me?”, the author has gone beyond corny. Worse, our Hero and the Gospel look ridiculous.
— E. Stephen Burnett in January 2013 —

Fiction Christians From Another Planet! III: Voices From Beyond

You want a Christian-fiction notion that makes pagan readers cackle and other Christians cringe? Then exalt voices-from-beyond as the only way God daily guides His people.
— E. Stephen Burnett in January 2013 —

On The ‘Throne Of Bones’: A Q and A With Vox Day

“A Throne of Bones” epic-fantasy author Vox Day discusses how he’s moved from columns to fiction, controversial novel content, and his criticism (not imitation) of “A Game of Thrones.”
— Vox Day in January 2013 —

Fiction Christians From Another Planet! I: Invasion Of The Child-People

Why do some Christian novels keep presenting only equivalents of kid-Anakin or Wesley Crusher, instead of Han Solo or Captain Picard, and expect readers to like them?
— E. Stephen Burnett in January 2013 —

May I Have A Word?

It’s easy to use the word word, but hard to define it with words. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? A sound with meaning? Not really.
— Yvonne Anderson in January 2013 —

Seeking A Better Country Than Middle Earth

Watching Peter Jackson interpret J.R.R. Tolkien is like watching a master jazz impresario play Beethoven. The original is classic; the interpretation as a new work is equally brilliant.
— Rebecca LuElla Miller in December 2012 —

‘The Hobbit’ Story Group 6: Out Of The Frying-Pan Into The Fire

(How) do you plan to see “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”? Be prepared for the film to climax with an expanded version of the book’s chapter 6, “Out of the Frying Pan Into the Fire.”
— E. Stephen Burnett in December 2012 —

‘The Hobbit’ Story Group 5: Riddles In The Dark

“The Hobbit” chapter 5, “Riddles in the Dark,” marks a turning point in the careers of not only Bilbo Baggins, but J.R.R. Tolkien.
— E. Stephen Burnett in December 2012 —

What Constitutes “Derivative”?

Some scholars claim J. R. R. Tolkien owed a debt of influence where he claimed none. I find this criticism to be thoroughly ironic because the great accusation against writers of high fantasy today is that their work is derivative, a mere shadow of, you guessed it, J.R.R. Tolkien.
— Rebecca LuElla Miller in December 2012 —

Incarnation, Part 1: Eternal Entity

Science fiction and false religions often insist that humans must change from physical to spiritual beings. But God the Son did the exact opposite.
— E. Stephen Burnett in December 2012 —

What Makes A Villain?

John Otte has villains on the brain today. He’s trying to figure out what makes a villain truly effective in a story. Stop by and help him figure it out.
— John Otte in December 2012 —

‘The Hobbit’ Story Group 4: Over Hill and Under Hill

Reviewers, publishers, and readers keep making up Middle-earth myths, including the notion that it can’t have “stone-giants,” as mentioned in “The Hobbit” chapter 4.
— E. Stephen Burnett in December 2012 —

Christmas: The Gritty Reboot

First it was a simple, cozy, possibly golden-glowing A-frame stable, then a slightly dirtier cave-stable, and then worse overnight lodging for poor Mary and Joseph. Why do people keep gritty-rebooting the first Christmas?
— E. Stephen Burnett in November 2012 —

The Power Of Christian Fiction

Kingdom Series and The Knights of Arrethtrae series author Chuck Black: The spectrum of Christian fiction literature is broad. Does it have the power to change lives? How responsible is the author for his work’s influence? How far is too far?
— Chuck Black in November 2012 —

‘The Hobbit’ Story Group 3: A Short Rest

Do your fantasy-world Elves sing “tra-la-la-lally” from treetops? J.R.R. Tolkien’s do. And he entreats us to meet these unique Middle-earth residents in “The Hobbit,” chapter 3.
— E. Stephen Burnett in November 2012 —

Reading Is Worship 12: Desiring God As Fantasy Fans

As we come to the end(?) of this series, I’m curious: How is your God-glorifying, worshipful, speculative-story “singing” voice? What fantastic fiction have you read, seen, or heard that moved you to worship the Author?
— E. Stephen Burnett in November 2012 —
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