Saturday, October 18, 2014

Church Library Online: More Popular Christian Fiction



Church Library Online Looks
 at More Popular
Christian Fiction


Evelyn E. Smith

M.S. in Library Science, University of North Texas, 2012

Ph. D. in English (Contemporary and 19th-century Fiction & Rhetoric),
Texas Christian University, 1995


Revised December 15, 2014

Taking a census of American readers furnishes some intriguing information:  E-book readers consume 24 books annually while non-e-book readers read only 15. However, adults over 18 on average read 17 books per year, according to the latest survey available (Delaware, 2012, August 5).  Even so, one in four adults read no books at all last year, and those who did read were women and older adults who were more likely to read religious works or popular fiction (Fram, 2007, August 2, para. 2-3). Hence, providing a blog on both religious works as well as Christian fiction answers a real need.

Unfortunately however “the vast majority of what passes for Christian literature is banal, poorly written, dull as tears and message driven” (Christian fiction as propaganda, 2014, October 1, para. 2). This is perhaps because Christian publishers currently judge submissions not on their literary merit or commercial success but instead select works that support a particular doctrine or message (Christian fiction as propaganda, 2014, October 1, para. 4).

Consequently, this blog is geared not only to readers who are drawn to works that have real literary merit, such as C. S. Lewis's Cosmic Trilogy--Out of the Silent Planet (1938), Perelandria (1944), and That Hideous Strength (1945)--and Elizabeth Speare's controversial, Newbery Award winning children's novel, The Bronze Bow (1961), but also to the all the more typical Christian bestsellers like Kay Arthur's Israel, My Beloved (1996) or novels like Douglas Bond's Betrayal or Michael Giesler's Grain of Wheat that fulfill an indoctrination or educational need.  Finally, the reader should compare these novels with Frank E. Peretti's Piercing the Darkness, which while aimed at an evangelical audience clearly also appeals to readers of suspense novels and Angela Hunt's The Debt, which easily also fits into the chick lit genre.

All of the novels reviewed on this blog page are available either as e-books free-of-charge online, or at a nearby public library, or through Interlibrary Loan (http://WorldCat.org/).   All of which resulted in asking a final, as yet, unanswerable question: If authors write Christian novels as a way of spreading the gospel, or good news, of salvation, why isn't all Christian fiction eventually available in e-book format as well as in print?


References


Christian fiction as propaganda. (2014, October 1). The Willow Branch. Word Press. Retrieved from https://aurorawatcherak.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/christian-fiction-as-propaganda/


Fram, Alan. (2007, August 21). One in four read no books last year. The Washington Post.

Q. How many books does the average American read a year? Divison of Libraries' Blog. State of Delaware. http://library.blogs.delaware.gov/2012/08/05/q-how-many-books-does-the-average-american-read-a-year/
lll

Arthur, Kay. (1996). Israel My Beloved: A Historical Novel. Reprint 2001. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers. Published only in English [print, e-book through Interlibrary Loan (ILL), e-book online free-of-charge online].  Genre Category: Christian Fiction, Jewish Fiction, and Historical Fiction.

Arthur's epic novel traces the story of the Jewish people from their beginnings to the present day by using the character of Sarah as an allegory. However, sweeping the tale might be, the reader might be tempted to put down this didactic novel.
Arthur's "Sarah" serves as
 an allegory for Israel.
This novel is available as a free download through Word Press: http://freedownloadiisraelmybeloved.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/israel-my-beloved-free-download/

The first chapter of Arthur's novel is also available through Precept:
Israel My Beloved. (2014). Goodreads. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6155.Israel_My_Beloved

This epic, historical novel quickly rose to the top of the Christian hardcover fiction lists, so Goodreads Community Reviews give it a rating of 4.16, praising this retelling of the story of the Jewish people in novel form as Kay Arthur personifies the nation of Israel in the character of Sarah from the time of the Babylon Captivity through the Diaspora, the Holocaust, and the coming of the Messiah. Even so, as some reviewers admit, readers may have trouble adjusting to the allegorical format.

Bond, Douglas. (2009). The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P & R Publishing Company. Published only in English [print only]. Genre Category: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction (hagiography), and Young Adult Fiction.

 Beginning with John Calvin's 500th birthday in 2009, American Presbyterians have become increasingly aware of the origin of their denomination. Hence, they and other Protestants might be interested in Douglas Bond''s historical novel, which summarizes some of the major tenets of Reformed Protestantism.
WorldCat furnishes reviews from Goodreads as well as nearby libraries that have the novel on their shelves: http://www.worldcat.org/title/betrayal-a-novel-on-john-calvin/oclc/318100547

The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin. (2014). Christian Liberty. Retrieved from http://www.shopchristianliberty.com/the-betrayal-a-novel-on-john-calvin

Calvin's fictional rival narrates a fast-paced story that also gives a broad overview of the Reformation as well as Calvin's systematic theology in a novel aimed at young adult readers.

The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin. (2014). Goodreads. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6485597-the-betrayal

Twenty Goodreads reviewers gave Bond's hagiographic novel on John Calvin a 4.05 rating. Readers, however, should be cautioned that the central character in the novel isn't one of the founders of the Reformation, but rather his envious valet, who becomes an informer who betrays the meeting places of Protestants to the French Crown. The novel contains some anachronisms, but most readers applaud the author's research since it paraphrases most of the tenets of reformed Protestantism. Some reviewers, however, find the tale too pedantic.

Dykstra, Jon. (2008, June). The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin. Reformed Perspective. Retrieved from http://reformedperspective.ca/index.php/book-reviews/237-the-betrayal-a-novel-on-john-calvin?catid=41%3Anovels-etc

Dykstra finds The Betrayal “a fascinating read, but one that takes some effort” since “the weighty theological dialogues . . . make this [Young Adult] novel best suited for adult Calvin enthusiasts” (Dystra, 2008, para. 1-2).

Meyers, Amy. (2014). The Betrayal: A Novel. Ita Vita: Such Is Life in Africa. Retrieved from

Meyers find The Betrayal more entertaining than John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion, although its documented index contains references to Calvin's writings, even if few passages directly address predestination, election, and free will (Meyers, 2014, para. 8-9). Meyers, nevertheless, finds that some of the most riveting passages in the novel require a willing suspension of disbelief, such as the narrator's hitching a ride to Paris on the bottom of Calvin's carriage (Meyers, 2014, para. 3 & 14). Meyers' thoughtful analysis serves as an excellent guide to Bond's novel.

Giesler, Michael Edward. (2008). Grain of Wheat: A Novel. New Rochelle, New York: Scepter Publishing Company. Published in English and Spanish [print only]. Genre Category: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Young Adult Fiction.

Father Michael Giesler's story of Marcus, the son of a distinguished Roman senator who uses rhetorical skills as a philosopher to defend his faith in second-century Rome, focuses on the daily struggles that early Christians faced as they were disowned by their families and turned in to the authorities. Marcus never denies his faith in contrast to an apostate friend, so like his sister Junia in an earlier Giesler novel, he is martyred for his faith. The novel, nevertheless, brings up more questions than it answers, awakening in the reader the wish to know more about the differences between Gnosticism and traditional Christianity, exactly when Christians first started to venerate the Virgin Mary, and the role of women in house churches. The novel's title, Grain of Wheat, refers to the parable of the wheat and the tares found in Matthew 13: 24-30 

tiles4 early saints
Grain of Wheat explores the lives 
of early Christian martyrs.
Edgecomb, Kevin P. (2008, October 11). Grain of Wheat. Biblicalia. Retrieved from http://www.bombaxo.com/blog/grain-of-wheat/

Grain of Wheat is the third installment in a trilogy that follows the lives of early Christians in Rome, specifically centering around the story of the son of a senator and the results of his conversion on his family (Edgecomb, 2008, para. 1). Edgecomb praises Giesler for his ability to convey the anxiety these felt by these potential Christian martyrs who lived in fear that their outlawed faith might be discovered by the Roman authorities in this Young Adult novel (2008, para. 2 & 3).

Were the Early Christians Counter-Cultural. [Interview with Father Michael Giesler]. (2014). Catholic Answers. Retrieved from http://www.catholic.com/radio/shows/were-the-early-christians-counter-cultural-encore-3878

Audio interview with Father Michael Giesler, a priest of Opus Dei, a member of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars, and a Senior Fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology, and author of a trilogy focusing on a Roman family that lives about 140 CE.

Grain of Wheat. (2014). Goodreads. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6081400-grain-of-wheat

Readers give this fictional depiction of second-century Roman Christians a 4.32 rating.

Hunt, Angela. (2004). The Debt: The Story of a Past Redeemed. Nashville, Tennessee: Westbow. Published only in English [large print available; no e-book]. Genre Category: Christian Fiction and Chick Lit.

The Debt calls into question the idea that Christians should spend all their time in church, for they can't truly serve Christ if they don't meet the needs of sinners. Thus, repentant sinners might be the best witnesses. Certainly, Emma Rose Howard, the fallen woman turned televangelist's wife, experiences a personal reawakening after the son she gave up as an unwed mother contacts her.
Hunt takes her inspiration 
for The Debt from Luke 7:36-50.
The Debt Discussion Questions by Angela Elwell Hunt. (2014). Christianbook.com. Retrieved from http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=660212&sp=74424

Hunt intends The Debt to serve as an allegory illustrating the parable Jesus told in response to a Pharisee's self-righteous response when a sinful woman anoints Him with a costly perfume in Luke 7:36-50: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+7%3A36-50&version=NIV

The Debt. (2014). Goodreads. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/718909.The_Debt

Goodreads reviewers gave this easy-to-read, thought-proving first-person narrative a 4. 05 rating. In The Debt, the wife of a televangelist must confront her hidden past as well as discover that Christian ministry must extend beyond the premises of the church building.

Jess. (2011, February 9). Brook Review—The Debt by Angela Hunt. In Christ Alone Family. Retrieved from http://www.inchristalonefamily.com/2011/02/book-review-debt-by-angela-hunt.html

Jess writes, “If you feel like you are 'playing church' and not following the footsteps of Jesus, I urge you to read this book.”

Lewis, C. S. (1938). Out of the Silent Planet. New York Scribner. Published in English, French, Italian, and Swedish [print, e-book available through ILL]. Genre Category: Christian Fiction and Science Fiction.

The first book in C. S. Lewis's* Space or Cosmic Trilogy, Out of the Silent Planet answers the question of what kind of society would exist if man's fall from grace had never occurred.
“Note: Purdue University's Online Writing Lab recommends adding an extra s after an apostrophe in a single noun even if it ends in s; for example, James's epistle. (https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/621/01/).
C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien each challenged each other to write
 a work of science fiction, so Lewis penned Out of the Silent Planet.
Cohen, Tal. (1999, February 26). Out of the Silent Planet/ C. S. Lewis. Tal Cohen's Bookshelf. Retrieved from http://tal.forum2.org/cosmic1

Even though Out of the Silent Planet's plot is similar to the plots of many pulp science fiction novels published during the 1930s, it's “loaded with Christian symbolism in references” (Cohen, 1999, para. 4). Cohen finds this suspenseful science fiction classic “enjoyable and easy to read” even if the characters are “somewhat lacking”. For example, Professor Weston is the “stock evil professor” (1999, para. 5).

Folks, Jeffrey. (2003, spring). Telos and existence: Ethics in C. S. Lewis's space trilogy** and Flannery O'Connor's Everything That Rise Must Converge. The Southern Literary Journal, 35(2) 107-118. doi: 10.1353/slj.2003.0019. Project Muse. Retrieved from http://mtw160-198.ippl.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/southern_literary_journal/v035/35.2folks.pdf

**Critics refer to Lewis's three science fiction novel as both his “space trilogy” and his “cosmic trilogy: since he sets That Hideous Strength in England.

Both Lewis and O'Connor believed that society is “innately corrupt”, so a humanist approach to ethics would “devolve into self-interest”. Accordingly, they wrote as antagonists of twentieth-century secular humanism since they believed that at least some of their audience would not necessarily have any faith in “orthodox Christian dogma'” (p. 107).

Gosling, John. (2013, January 1). Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis (1938). War of the Worlds Invasion: The Historical Perspective. Retrieved from http://www.war-ofthe-worlds.co.uk/out_of_the_silent_planet.htm

Gosling admits that “Lewis has a predilection to lace his fiction with Christian references”in this “well-written and important piece of Martian Science Fiction”, but whether or not this interferes with the telling of the tale is “entirely in the eye of the beholder” (Gosling, 2013, para. 1).

Von Ruff, Al. (2014, August 5). Lewis, C. S The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Retrieved from http://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/lewis_c_s

Both Out of a Silent Planet and Perelandria are planetary romances with elements of medieval mythology as evidenced by Elwin Ransom's surname. Although Lewis today is known primarily as a Christian apologist, he was a professor of medieval and renaissance literature, and one of his best known scholarly works. Allegory of Love (1936), explored the use of allegory in medieval romance poetry. In turn, he used this expertise in his own works of fiction.

Artists envision Perelandria.
Lewis, C. S. (1944). Perelandra:  A Novel. New York: Scribner. [Published in English and Swedish [print, and audio e-book available through ILL, e-book available online free-of-charge]. Genre Category: Christian Fiction and Historical Fiction.

Elwin Ransom, the protagonist in both Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandria must prevent the Green Lady from sinning by persuading her that obedience to God is preferable to disobeying the single law that He has decreed, prohibiting Perelandria's Lady from staying the night on the fixed lands.
 
Cohen, Tal. (1999, February 26). Perelandria/C. S Lewis. Tal Cohen's Bookshelf. Retrieved from http://tal.forum2.org/cosmic2

Neither a horror novel, nor a work of science fiction, Perelandria serves puts into fictional form the a debate about faith and obedience: Dr. Weston, the evil physicist who first appears in Out of a Silent Planet, takes on the role of the tempter, urging a Venus Eve to sin, while Ransoms argues Heaven's case for obedience to God (Cohen, 1999 para. 4-6). However, Cohen is surprised by Ransom's “non-Christian” solution to this problem (1999, para. 10).

Inglish, Patty. (2014). Perelandria. Education. About.com. Retrieved from http://classiclit.about.com/od/perelandracslewis/fr/aa_perelandra.htm

Inglish summarizes the Perelandria installment in Lewis' Cosmic Trilogy, which she believes “will surely attract Star Trek fans of Vulcans and green dancing girls (2014, para. 10).

McCormick, Judith Kay. (1972, August). Christianity on Venus: A Study of Allegorical Meaning in C. S. Lewis' Perelandria. M. A. Thesis. Texas Tech University. Retrieved from
Like C. S. Lewis's literary criticism, his fiction uses analogy, metaphor, and simile to present abstract ideas. Thus, while Perelandria may appear didactic, this isn't the fault of the allegorical elements within the novel. Rather it is the result of Ransom's reflections during which he muses on the meaning of an episode (McCormick, 1972, p. p. 1 & 3).

Perelandria. (2014). Bookrags. Retrieved from http://www.bookrags.com/Perelandra/#gsc.tab=0

Bookrags downloads include study guides and lesson plans.

Von Ruff, Al. (2014, August 24). Bibliography: Perelandra. Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Retrieved from http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1401

Von Ruff lists Perelandria's publication history and reviews.

Perelandra. (2014, August 24). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perelandra

Wikipedia again provides a plot summary of Lewis' fictional take on his “A Preface to Paradise Lost” in which he deals with “the value of hierarchy, Satan's dullness, and unfallen sexuality” (Wikipedia, 2014, para. 14).

Lewis, C. S. (1945). That Hideous Strength: A Modern Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups. Reprinted 1996. Scribner Classics. Published in English, Czech, and Spanish [print, e-book available through ILL]. Genre Category: Christian Fiction and Science Fiction.

C. S. Lewis continues to argue in favor of obedience to hierarchical authority as a prerequisite to living a Christian life rather than adopting the adhering to the moral relativism of humanism as he juxtaposes the experiences of a wife who surrenders her will to Maledil, or Jesus Christ, and a husband who comes to learn that seeking only success is never the goal of a purpose-driven life.
That Hideous Strength inspires art exhibits:
Bullad, Sadie H. (2011, spring/summer). Narrative dualism in C. S. Lewis's That Hideous Strength. Mytholore, 29(3/4), pp. 11-24 Retrieved from https://harding.edu/assets/english/pdf/bullard.pdf

Even though C. S. Lewis rejects philosophical dualism, he successfully employs narrative dualism as a literary device in That Hideous Strength as the separate experiences of Mark and Jane Studdock to a unity of purpose and marital harmony by novel's end (Bullard, 2011, p. 11).
  • N.I.C.E., a sinister research institution controlled by an evil spirit found in a decapitated head, employs Mark in order to gain control of Jane's prophetic abilities while Jane joins a Christian commune that follows the orders of Maledil, so she comes to serve a higher purpose (Bullard, 2011, p. p. 12-13).
  • Jane can't fully commit to her marriage while Mark commits to the N.I.C.E. Organization for all the wrong reasons: As a newly married man, he wants a raise to support his wife, but he comes to understand that more importantly marriage requires giving a partner emotional support (Bullard, 2011, p. p.13-14).
  • Lewis bequeaths opposing concepts of femininity to each camp: Logres at St. Anne's is a place of beauty and warmth while the N.I.C.E. Headquarters at Belbury is a :”cold” place (Bullard, 2011, p. 15-16).
  • The initiates at both St. Anne's and Belbury have a different concept of death: The St. Anne commune accepts death as “a purposeful and sacred element of life” while the initiates at Belbery hang onto life “at any cost” (Bullard, 2011, para. 16).
  • The rooms where the initiates become full-fledged members of each group give off either a good or evil atmosphere: The blue room at Anne Anne where Ransom stays gives off an aura of serenity and comfort while the Objective Room at N.I.C.E. Headquarters dehumanizes those it inducts (Bullard, 2011, p. 17).
  • Mark stays at Belbury, and Jane stays at St. Anne's for different reasons: She chooses to stay out of her own free will while the chief of N.I.C.E.'s police, Miss Hardcastle, coerces Mark to stay after he is framed for Hingest's death (Bullard, 2011, p. p. 19-20).
  • Merlin's stay at St. Anne's and the tramps time at N.I.C.E. Headquarters result from the orders of the leader of each group: Ransom creates in his followers a total sense of commitment to their causes, while the evil spirit that inhabits thehead of a decapitated criminal at Belbury relies on fear: Mark can't be fully driven from N.I.C.E. Headquarters until he is forced to flee for his life even as he “begins to see through the charades of the inner circle” (Bullard, 2011, p. p. 21-22).
Cohen, Tal. (1999, February 26). That Hideous Strength/ C. S Lewis. Tal Cohen's Bookshelf. Retrieved from http://tal.forum2.org/cosmic3

Cohen finds That Hideous Strength the most readable book of Lewis' Cosmic Trilogy and lauds the plot as “highly absorbing and “almost a page turner”--a viewpoint hotly contested by many of the replies to his review (1999, para. 2). He also applauds the well-developed characters of the novel's main protagonists, Jane and Mark Studdock, while he again finds the evil characters “rather flat” and the novel “lacking in depth” (Cohen, 1999, para. 5-7). Replies to Cohen's review, however, see That Hideous Strength as Lewis' attack on moral relativism and trans-humanism.

Inglish, Patty. (2014). That Hideous Strength. Education. About.com. Retrieved from http://classiclit.about.com/od/thathideousstrength/fr/aa_thathideous.htm

Inglish praises That Hideous Strength as an exciting science fiction story that echoes the message of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World (1932) and possibly influences George Orwell's dystopian classic 1984 (1949) since N.I.C.E.'s humanist attempt to “cure”social and genetic problems “dissolves into unintelligent babbling” in this indictment of Communism and socialism (Inglish, 2014, para. 1-2 & 9 & 13).

Johngo. (2004, January 10). That Hideous Strength. A long pretentious review. E-pinions. Retrieved from http://www.epinions.com/review/That_Hideous_Strength_by_C_S_Lewis/content_122485247620?sb=1
  
Johngo finds That Hideous Strength a “thought-provoking allegory”, although he criticizes Lewis' conservative (or perhaps reactionary) attitude about the proper roles of men and women in society. Bottom Line: For this anonymous reviewer, the final installment of Lewis' space trilogy is “Tolkien for grownups who prefers novels to romances” (Johngo, 2004, para. 1).

Johngo also pegs Lewis as a reactionary, protesting the rise of science in British universities during the 1930s and 1940s along with the accompanying declining influence of the arts. Thus, Lewis cares even less about sociology than the other sciences and accordingly disparages Mark Studdock as a “modern man whose education is neither scientific or classic” and whose only goal in life is success (Johngo, 2004, para. 14-15). At the same time, however, Lewis takes a not-so-subtle dig at Jane Studdock's unimaginative dissertation topic—John Donne's “triumphant vindication of the body”(Johngo, 2004, para. 8). As opposed to the evolutionist point of view, both Lewis and Tolkien maintained an Elizabethan or metaphysical worldview, hence they see the rise of science as a product of the fall from grace (Johngo, 2004, para. 30).

Orwell, George. (1945, August 16). The scientists take over. Manchester Evening News. Reprinted in The Complete Works of George Orwell. (1998). ed. Peter Davison.18, 2720 (first half), p.p. 250-251. Retrieved from http://www.lewisiana.nl/orwell/

Orwell sees That Hideous Strength as essentially a crime story, whose menancing tone Lewis has borrowed from G. K. Chesterton's metaphysical thriller, The Man Who Was Thursday (1908). Hence, the plot would be better without the extraneous miraculous elements (1945, para. 1-3). Orwell sees the novel as a struggle against a group of “mad scientists” who have set out to conquer Britain and ultimately the world (1945, para. 4).

Scakel, Peter. (2014, February). That Hideous Strength. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/590081/That-Hideous-Strength

Although the protagonist in the first two books of Lewis' Cosmic Trilogy, Elwin Ransom, remains a pivotal character in That Hideous Strength, his role in the action remains very limited. Instead the action focuses on a minor researcher, Mark Studdock, who falls under the influence of N.I.C.E., a sinister think tank, so as to gain control of Jane, his wife, who suffers from prophetic but terrifying dreams. Therefore, while Mark finds himself in the clutches of N.I.C.E., Jane experiences a conversion experience when as a refuge she is taken in by the Christian commune that has organized itself around Ransom (Scakel, 2014, 1-3). N.I.C.E.'s attempt to gain totalitarian control of England puts into fictional form the themes Lewis explored in The Abolition of Man (1943) and foreshadows George Orwell's 1984 (1949) (Schakel, 2014, para. 1).

That Hideous Strength summary. (2014). Bookrags. Retrieved from http://www.bookrags.com/That_Hideous_Strength/#gsc.tab=0

Users can download a study guide and lesson plans for That Hideous Strength, a dystopian novel that stands on its own but can be read as part of a science fiction trilogy.

That Hideous Strength. (2011, March 26). ebook3000.com. Retrieved from
Ebook 3000 furnishes a free e-book download of C. S. Lewis's That Hideous Strength.

That Hideous Strength (Space Trilogy # 3). (2014). Goodreads. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/100933.That_Hideous_Strength

While some reviewers label That Hideous Strength a satiric masterpiece, others criticize Lewis' stance on feminism. Mark Studdock is a sociologist “enticed” to join N.I.C.E., a sinister organization that attempts to control all human life, Jane, his wife, find consolation for her disturbing prophetic dreams at St. Anne's a company of Christians that his formed around the Dr. Ransom of the first two novel's in Lewis' Cosmic Trilogy.

That Hideous Strength. (2014, July 23). Wikipedia. Retrieved from
Wikipedia provides a summary of That Hideous Strength as well as its context, characters, philosophy, reception, publication history and its place in popular culture. Fellow Inkling Charles Williams and Science Fiction novelist Olaf Stapledorf heavily influenced this dystopian novel, although Lewis' fictionalizes the theme of his Abolition of Man (1943), arguing in favor of natural laws and objective values (Wikipedia, 2014, para. 2-3).

Tubbs, Mark. (2008, December 2). That Hideous Strength: A Modern Fairy Tale for Grown-ups. Discerning Reader. Retrieved from http://discerningreader.com/book-reviews/that-hideous-strength

Tubbs recommends That Hideous Strength as a “one-of-a kind, dualistic novel in which the Lamb wins, but not in the way you might expect”, classifying it as an “enjoyable” and “eccentric” “modern classic”, rich in themes and allusions (2008, para. 1-2). Tubbs also notes that That Hideous Strength resembles George Orwell's 1984 (1949), G. K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday (1908), Aldous Huxley's Brave New World (1932), and Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent (1907), although these novels lack That Hideous Strength's supernatural elements (2008, para. 3).

Wajenberg, Earl. (2011). Summary of That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis. Retrieved from
Wajenberg summarizes That Hideous Strength in detail while offering little actual criticism of the third book in C. S. Lewis' Cosmic Trilogy, which Wajenberg characterizes as “longer and more intricate” than Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandria (2011, para. 1). Wajenberg also notes that the plot centers around Mark Studdock, a research fellow, and his wife Jane, a Donne scholar, living in an imaginary English university town following World War II rather than around the previous protagonist of Lewis's other novels in the Cosmic Trilogy, Elwin Ransom (a. k. a. Mr. Fisher-King), who only occupies a small role in the action, although a company of Christian organizes itself around his leadership (2011, para. 3-5 & 44).

Peretti, Frank E. (1989). Piercing the Darkness. Westchester, Illinois: Crossway Books. Published in English, Hungarian, Polish, and Spanish [print, large print, audio-e-book; e-book also available through Google]. [Genre Category: Christian Fiction, Suspense, and Fantasy].

Evangelical Christians use the power of prayer to oppose New Age spiritualism, contemporary educational theory and practice, and demonic possession in a supernatural page-turner as Peretti brings new meaning to the phrase, “the devil made me do it”. 
Piercing the Darkness. (2014). Christianbook.com. Retrieved from http://www.christianbook.com/piercing-the-darkness-frank-peretti/9781581345278/pd/45271

Readers in Peretti's target audience give Piercing the Darkness a 4.9 out of 5 rating, noting that it literally opened their eyes to the spiritual realm; or else, it figuratively exposed them to the use of angels and demons as an allegorical literary device.
Theologians criticize Peretti's concept
 of territorial angels summoned by prayer.
Piercing the Darkness (Darkness #2). (2014). Goodreads. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17303.Piercing_the_Darkness

Goodreads reviewers give Piercing the Darkness a 3.27, most readers finding it a readable book filled with “effective suspense” and “an inventive narrative structure, even if this “supernatural page-turner” is also full of stereotyping from an evangelical, conservative perspective.

Piercing the Darkness. (2012, December 2). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piercing_the_Darkness

This sequel to Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness (1988) won the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) Medallion Book Award for Best Fiction for 1990, thus further promoting a belief in territorial spirits and spiritual warfare (Wikipedia, 2012, para. 1). The story interweaves two plots as a former New Age cult member, Sally Beth Roe attempts to escape her past while ferreting out the truth behind the demon possession that drove her to kill her baby while a Christian Headmaster's attempt to exorcism a child ensnares a community church in a lawsuit that pits freedom of religion against a powerful, Satanic organization (Wikipedia, 2012, para. 2).

Speare, Elizabeth George. (1961). The Bronze Bow. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Published in English and Norwegian [print, e-book and audio e-book available through ILL]. Genre Category: Children's Fiction (upper elementary, middle school) and Historical Fiction.

This Newbery Award-winning bildungsroman, or coming of age, novel wins the praise of evangelical Christians, who favorably compare it to such classics as to Ben Hur and The Robe; however, politically correct critics wish to ban it, believing it unfairly represents first-century Judaism. While the zealots and religious leaders depicted in the novel certainly serve as foils to Jesus, Speare also balances these stock characters with more sympathetic and more rounded ones.


Andrews, Adam and Andrews, Missy. (2007). The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth Speare: Questions for Socratic Discussion. The Center for Literary Education. Retrieved from http://www.centerforlit.com/pdfs/TG05BB.pdf

Questions on The Bronze Bow address setting, character structure (conflict, plot, and theme), style, and context while the Andrews offer suggestions for writing assignments, tests, and a study guide.

Avenging his father's crucifixion, Daniel joins an outlaw band that conducts raids on Roman soldiers, even as he is drawn to the teachings of Jesus, although Christ's nonviolence message disappoints and confuses him (The Bronze Bow, 2014, para. 1-2). Christianbook readers give Speare's historical, young-adult novel a five out of five rating, and Booklist calls it “a dramatic deeply felt narrative whose characters and message will long be remembered” (The Bronze Bow, 2014, para. 3).

“The Bronze Bow”: A Critical Website Created by Parents from Davidson Middle School, San Rafael, CA. (2007, November). Retrieved from http://www.bronzebow.info/

Three out of five San Rafael school board members voted to remove The Bronze Bow from the Davidson Middle School's curriculum based on the recommendations of Marin's Interfaith council, who criticized Speare historical novel for “its inaccurate, legalistic portrayal of Judaism that devalues Jewish law and tradition."

Apparently, post-modern, California middle school students aren't capable of differentiating fact from fiction or understanding why the Synoptic Gospels highlighted Jesus' spirited dialogues with the Pharisees. Thus, Speare's novel along with such classics as Marrk Twain's Huckleberry Finn falls by the wayside in the wake of political correctness. Then again, most contemporary middle school readers will probably only read the Spark Notes. Whatever happened to teaching rhetoric beginning at the middle school level?

The Bronze Bow targets an audience of readers age 12 and up, which Focus on the Family admits “reflects readability and not necessarily content appropriateness” (Bronze Bow, 2014, Focus on the Family, para. 1). The novel depicts many of Jesus' miracles as well as much of his message. However, the leading zealot is totally consumed by his hatred of the Romans to the detriment of his men (Bronze Bow, 2014, Focus on the Family, para. 2-3).

The Bronze Bow. (2014). Goodreads. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24408.The_Bronze_Bow

Readers of 1,070 reviews give this historical Young Adult novel 3.91 rating as the gentle lessons of Jesus begin a gradual, sincere conversion in a young zealot, replacing his hatred with friendship, loyalty, and allegiance to home and community. Reviewers thus favorably compare The Bronze Bow with Lloyd C. Douglas' The Robe (1942) and Lew Wallace's Ben Hur (1880).

The Bronze Bow. (2014, September 13). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bronze_Bow

Since Speare's The Bronze Bow won the Newberry Award for excellence in Children Literature in 1961, middle school language arts and social studies teachers have used the book as a supplementary source in parochial schools, even though some Jewish and Christian critics have criticized her hostile depiction of first-century Judaism juxtaposed against an idealized Christianity (Bronze Bow, 2014, para. 1, 8 & 9).

Set in Judea during the ministry of Jesus, the main characters, Daniel Bar Jarmin and his sister Leah, see their father crucified, which causes their mother to die of grief and Leah to succumb to demon possession. Apprenticed to a cruel blacksmith, Daniel escapes his master, joining a group of young insurgents fighting Roman rule. After an attack on Romans escorting political prisoners goes wrong, Daniel realizes that rebelling against Rome weakens the Jews themselves. Thus, he gradually comes to understand that Jesus might be the leader for whom they have been waiting. However, when a Roman legionaire befriends Leah, Daniel's severe disapproval pushes her back into psychosis. Jesus serves as the novel's deus ex machina, healing Leah, whereupon Daniel allows the Roman soldier to call on his sister (Bronze Bow, 2014, para 2-8).

The Bronze Bow. (2014). WorldCat. Retrieved from http://www.worldcat.org/title/bronze-bow/oclc/220950

WorldCat provides an abstract and several Goodreads reviews of this historical, children's novel aimed at readers in the upper elementary grades and middle school. A link to multicultural presentation also provides links to Jewish literature and culture.

Clements, Nancy, Gillespie, Cindy, and Swearingen, Rebecca. (1994). Readability and the Newbery Award Winners: How Do They Compare. Yearbook of the American Reading Forum, p. p. 153-163.

On the Flesch Reading Scale, The Bronze Bow rates a 85.6 “very easy” reading level while readers consider it “highly dramatic” (Clements, 1994, p. p. 160 & 163). Most Newbery Award winners fall into the fifth to sixth-grade reading level, while The Bronze Bow reads at the fourth to fifth grade reading level (Clements, 1994, p. 156).

Gornea, Natalie. (2014, January 21). Review: “The Bronze Bow” by Elizabeth Speare. Around the Bend of the Book. Retrieved from http://literaturepurgatory.wordpress.com/2014/01/21/the-bronze-bow-elizabeth-speare-review

Speare's The Bronze Bow doesn't focus on the life of Jesus Christ, but rather on the consequences of his mission, as Jesus conversations with Daniel, counseling the young zealot to love his enemies, thereby reforming a revolutionary who has had to set aside his revolutionary plans to care for his mental ill younger sister (Gornea, 2014, para. 3-4). Thus, The Bronze Bow is a coming of age story in which Daniel learns to comtrol his impulsiveness as unselfish love and friendship create hope and faith (Gornea, 2013, para. 6-7).

Kelly, Ina Kroman and Sager, Paul J. (1970). The Appropriateness of the Newbery Award Books. Children and Literature. p. p. 49-58. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED076967.pdf#page=57

In a survey of ten Newbery Award books published between 1958 and 1967 reviewed by 500 Spokane students, only the girls disliked The Bronze Bow, which read at a sixth-grade level. However, 60 percent of the responders admitted that the historical novel was among the books that wouldn't be self-selected (Kelly, 1970, p. p. 53 & 55-56).

Powell, Janet, Gillespie, Cindy, and Searingen, Becky, et al. (1993). Gender roles in the Newbery Award winners. Yearbook of the American Reading Forum. Retrieved from http://americanreadingforum.org/yearbook/yearbooks/93_yearbook/pdf/11_Powell.pdf

The female characters in the Bronze Bow follow progressive female roles; for example, when Daniel refuses to tell Thacia about some murders, she protested, “Why can't a girl serve Israel too? What about Deborah and Esther?” (Powell, 1993, p. 105). Progressive women work outside the home, taking on male-dominated jobs, and are “strong, brave, and independent” (Powell, 1993, p. 98).

Reinbold, Jean. (2014). Activities for “The Bronze Bow”. E-How. Demand Media. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/info_12146503_activities-the-bronze-bow.html

Reinbold recommends several activities that will help middle school students better understand the content of The Bronze Bow:
  • Upon obtaining illustrations of Jewish artifacts and clothing, turn the historical novel into a pay;
  • Construct a 3-D map of first-century Israel;
  • Go on a Mediterranean picnic, featuring olives, wheat bread, and honey cake;
  • Create a diorama of Daniel and Leah's house.
(Reinbold, 2014, para. 2-5)

Shaw, Jean Duncan. (1968, January). Children's fiction and American history. Elementary English, 45(1), p. p. 89-94. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/41387675?uid=3739920&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21104819636997

Many topics originally reserved only for adults have become subjects for children's literature, including those found in Elizabeth Speare's The Bronze Bow as children's and young adult fiction takes on such topics as “the search for values, problems growing up, travel and understanding people in foreign lands, and the lives of heroes” (Shaw, 1968, p. 89).

Witan, Sarah. (2013, May 26). The Bronze Bow (by Elizabeth George Spear[e]). The Newbery Shelf. Retrieved from http://thenewberyshelf.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-bronze-bow.html

Asking what it would be like to meet Jesus, Sunday School teacher Elizabeth Speare wrote The Bronze Bow, which won the Newbery Award in 1962 (Witan, 2013, para. 1-2). Set in first-century Galilee, rather than Judea as Witan incorrectly notes, the story centers around the coming of age of a young zealot, who is so consumed with his hatred of Israel's Roman overlords that he is also at war with himself until he begins to understand the teaching of Jesus (Witan, 2013, para. 3-5). Jesus helps Daniel come to terms with his anger and learn to forgive Witan, 2013, para. 12). Although the books deals with serious themes, including capital punishment, revolution, and revenge, Middle school readers will enjoy it if they aren't put off by its length of the older age of its characters—age 15 to 18. Thus, Witan recommends the novel as “clean, appropriate, and morally sound” (2013, para. 13). Curiously enough, she makes no mention of the charge that the book gives a biased view of Judaism.
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Booklist's List of Best Religion and Spirituality Books for 2014

Our top 10 religion and spirituality books. (2014, November 14). Read Alert. Booklist Online.

American Library Association's Booklist has picked the top books published on religion and spirituality in 2014. Particularly inspiring is J. Bradley Wigger's picture book, Thank You, God.  If you can't find a title, ask a librarian to order it via Interlibrary loan (http://www.worldcat.org/).
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Lists of Religious Publishers



Buddhist

Buddhist books Websites. (2014). Budhanet Weblinks. Buddhanet. Retrieved from http://www.buddhanet.net/l_books.htm

Christian

Denominational Index of Book Publishers & Periodicals. (n. d.). Christian Press. Retrieved from https://christianbookpress.wordpress.com/publishers/denominational-index-of-book-publishers-and-periodicals/

Directory of Publishers and Vendors. (2001, December 8). Religion Publishers. Retrieved from http://www.acqweb.org/pubr/rel.html

Religion Book Publishers. (2014). Publishers Archive. Retrieved from http://publishersarchive.com/religion-book-publishers.php

Hinduism

Publishers & Bookstores—Books on Hinduism. (2014). About.com. Retrieved from http://hinduism.about.com/od/publishersbookstores/

Islamic (Muslim)

Islamic books in English and Urdu. (n. d.). Goodword. Retrieved from http://www.goodwordbooks.com/islamic-books-english.html

Muslim publishers. (201, April 15). MuslimSotires.Net. Retrieved from http://muslimstories.net/author-guidelines/muslim-publishers/

Jewish

AJBP Association of Jewish Book Publishers. (n. d.). Retrieved from http://www.avotaynu.com/ajbp.html


Rich, Tracey. (2011). Recommended books and publishers. Judaism 101. Retrieved from http://www.jewfaq.org/biblio.htm







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