“There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer. Then there’s never more than one.”
– C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength (Part 3 of the Space Trilogy)
“A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.”
– Albert Einstein
“There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.”
– Søren Kierkegaard
It’s not often that popular fiction stays in print for decades. Even less often does it have the depth that allows it to transcend the imaginary barrier from pop to literature or even to the status of classics. Even most of what is today referred to as literary fiction, well, won’t stand the test of time. Every so often there are books that do the impossible. J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, as embodied in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, have done just that and have endured for over a half a century.
Many have only been exposed to Tolkien’s world through the recent movie versions. Or perhaps you think fantasy is just that, fantasy. Elves, trolls and big battles. Doesn’t sound very relevant to the real world, does it? There must be a reason why Middle-Earth is still the inspiration for an entire genre and still attacts millions of readers decades after its publication.
Because it is relevant.
Like any great book, the author has the primary responsibility for its success. Tolkien was a scholar, not a fiction writer. His mastery of history, language and culture allowed him to create an alternate history of Earth. This wasn’t his most important strength, however. Like any writer, his beliefs and convictions inform and influence his words on paper. As a great writer, he didn’t strive to lecture or teach as much as meant to entertain.
And so there have been endless books critically analyzing every aspect of Tolkien’s world. Most of today’s “literature” never warrants such study. One of the best such scholarly, yet accessible, endeavors is Matthew Dickerson’s A Hobbit Journey: Discovering the Enchantment of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth.
Dickerson explores Tolkien’s many themes such as the free will of men, moral responsibility and war. This last may be apparent from the film versions and people may think it the overwhelming part. Indeed it is in many ways, but Tolkien wove many subtleties in his stories.
War is at time necessary, but takes a terrible toll on all, even the victors. That is clear in the books, as is that the forces of good should never use evil to conquer evil. The means don’t always justify the end. The Ring could be used to destroy Sauron, but at what cost? What did it do to all that did use or want it, often with the best of intentions? Even the way the “good guys” treated captured enemies was diametrically opposed to how the Enemy treated their prisoners. Moral and military victories aren’t always the same thing. Discussions like these in Dickerson’s book reveal some very deep issues embedded in Tolkien’s books.
Thoughtful people will begin to realize that all the screaming “experts” on television who pretend to be intellectuals, never approach the mind of someone like Tolkien. Unlike them, he doesn’t preach, browbeat or lecture his readers. His beliefs are so well-thought out, they naturally flow within the story. They make his book an endless treasure chest to be searched.
The films captured Tolkien’s world better than any other book-to-screen adaptation, but there is much more. If you are someone who likes books that can reveal new depth at every reading, or you have never delved into a book for a literary study, Dickerson’s book will surprise and challenge you to do just that with Tolkien.
And no doubt you will pick up Tolkien’s books again and read them like it was the first time.
1. If the publisher is going to write the genre on the cover, make sure it’s right. I once saw “futuristic” instead of sci-fi. Really?
2. I realize some authors become so famous, whatever they write will sell. That doesn’t mean the back cover should just be a picture of them and nothing else.
3. I know a lot of research goes into many books, that doesn’t mean explain it all at the end in some “Author’s Notes.” For a few books it does work, but there is a fine line. In most others, it just sounds like you are trying to impress people, or worse, explain why you wrote what you did.
4. The teasers on the back of or inside the cover shouldn’t give spoilers to your plot.
5. Don’t put “A Novel” on the the cover. If people can’t figure out what kind of book it is, I’m not sure they should be reading it.
I’ve written on how The Land that Time Forgot and The Lost World inspired all the books and films about lost lands and hidden creatures that came after them.
These books appeal to our fascination of the mysterious and unknown. No matter how far we advance, there is always something tugging at our minds. That’s why we explore. An that’s why many write. J. Allan Danelek‘s new book, Serpente Gigante, is the latest in this legacy of stories.
There are a lot of over-the-top books out there with Indy-clones or people where the impossible always seems to happen to. Yes, the whole point of fiction (or one, anyway) is to explore the impossible. Alternate realities that most likely never will exist. On the other end of the spectrum are those books that present their fantastic tale in a more plausible fashion. These books are just as interesting and that is where Danelek’s resides.
Brazilian jungles. Giant snakes. It may sound familiar, but the characters make it real. They aren’t quite as perfect or lucky as some other heroes. One subplot — let’s just say man’s tampering with what he shouldn’t — is not of uncommon territory. Yet it fits well because it is an increasingly real danger in our world.
Danelek has created a fast-paced diversion that considers various ideas without the heavy-handedness seen in other books. This is the first of a series, a decent first entry. So here’s the question:
Are you afraid to explore the unknown?
When someone has an innate ability to oppose Evil, they become a target. Evil will do whatever they can to suppress or destroy such people. The danger for Evil, though, is that the great Heroes are often refined by this, strengthened by it. What Evil tries to destroy, only gets stronger.
This is the path the reluctant heroes are faced with in Morgan L. Busse‘s absorbing new novel, Son of Truth, the sequel to Daughter of Light. Last time, we followed the reluctant outcast, Rowen Mar, as she finally chose who she was meant to be, even if she wasn’t entirely sure what would come with it. An Eldaran imbued with gifts of healing and Truthsaying, these great powers often take a toll on their user.
Now she is on the run because people fear her. This volume also sees the development of other characters from the first book, as they discover and come to terms with what they are meant to be. There’s a great interweaving of their paths here, even a bit of a love story. One of these people is, if you haven’t guessed from the title, a Guardian (another type of Eldaran), who is called to stand against Evil. Readers are left with the distinct feeling something big is looming just off stage. Where as the first novel was set against the backdrop against a war between men, the threat of the Shadonae is growing as is the strength of those who will ultimately oppose them. In a way, the trials of the characters remind of the breaking of the fellowship in Lord of the Rings. Not that all of these people were together initially, but they find themselves on differing paths that test their beliefs and resolve before their journeys converge.
Very much a character-driven story, Morgan keeps the adventure flowing forward with plenty of surprises and conflict. As good as the first volume was, she has truly found her rhythm here in a story that propels the reader to the next page. Some aspects of the Follower of the Word are a bit reminiscent of Terry’ Brooks Word and the Void series (which he later connected to his Shannara books), but Brooks never really developed what the Word was and what that meant. Morgan isn’t afraid to make this integral to her book, and the religious allusions are obvious, but in the way C.S. Lewis approached his fantasy. Allowing his beliefs to be the foundation of his work, not to overwhelm it. I only say this because all authors imbue their books with their beliefs, but I think the path Lewis or Morgan has taken is more realistic. Sure, there are those who like their books to be more in their face about everything or are mad when that’s what they discover while reading. Writers can’t, and shouldn’t try to, make everyone happy.
Most people will be more than happy with Morgan’s newest book. As always, in a series like this, it is always best to start with the first book. I don’t know how many books in this sequence she has planned, but I do know one thing. In a time where I have lost interest in many other books and their sequels, this is one that I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Scientists have found evidence of a lost land off South America. Sunken part of that continent? Or a completely unknown land from deep history?
It’s the kind of thing that fiction is made of.
If you haven’t been reading Brian Godawa’s Chronicles of the Nephilim books, you’ve been missing an unique fusion of ancient history and fantasy. Godawa begins with two premises: One, the fantastic tales from ancient history often contain kernels of truth. Two, many of the early biblical accounts leave a lot unsaid.
What was so horrible in Noah’s day that people had to be destroyed? This flood account was repeated in other Near East histories as well, though often in a much embellished and fantastic way. Why did Enoch avoid death? And in Godawa’s most recent book, was God’s chosen person Abraham that classic stereotypical, pastoral old guy? Or did God choose someone far more dynamic?
In Abraham Allegiant, Godawa puts some depth to the person we know as Abraham. Think about it, the bible tells us very little about this person. In reality, he had a life, a history. It’s like how you often know your grandparents as they are now, but not really as they were. Their life to the point you met them. Everything that happened to make them what you now see. That’s what Godawa does in all if his books, tell the stories behind the name.
This is all set against the War of the Seed as the fallen angels and their mutated giants scheme and fight to reconquer the world. The current novel, as with the rest, is replete with intrigue and battle. Abraham finds himself in the middle of this war and Godawa has managed to find ways to combine his story with those of Babel and Sodom and Gomorrah.
If this all sounds too biblical for you, rest assured, this isn’t what would be considered stereotypical “Christian fiction.” Godawa attempts to bring a level of realism not often found in that genre, but not going overboard like some other writers may be inclined. As he writes on his site, he uses the descriptions and realism level in the bible as a guide. So the content of his books may surprise readers ready to write it off as “just” biblical inspired fiction. It will probably also bother those not as familiar with the bible as they think they are. They may also object that Godawa is creating parts of these stories that are unknown to us. Such objections are silly as Godawa isn’t writing history here, nor claims to be doing so. We shouldn’t be so fragile as to not allow ourselves to imagine how events unknown may have happened.
Some of the humor seems goofy in an anachronistic way, but action and characters only continue to get better. It is always dangerous for an author to give away too much in the “author’s notes” section (or Godawa’s Appendices), but it works well here. Perhaps because it doesn’t make his story seem as fictionalized as one might suspect. His combining in this book of what are usually considered widely separated events works well for his story, but I’m sure many scholars will challenge the basis for his choices.
These books are a hybrid of historical fiction and fantasy. They will appeal to a broad swath of readers, especially if you are looking for something new and fresh. As always, it is best to start at the beginning of the series.
So leave your apprehensions and misconceptions behind and choose a side in the War of the Seed.
Paranormal fiction is massively popular right now. This once subgenre of fantasy now warrants its own section in bookstores. The plethora of vampires and witches that populate many of these books don’t hold my interest. Epic fantasy with vast armies and creatures of ancient myth do. The paranormal and supernatural variety — which seem to be more or less the same thing — hone in on more human-based beings and present-day settings. I’ve always equated paranormal largely with ghosts and they don’t figure too much into fiction. In fact, you are more likely to find books on allegedly real ghost sightings than on imagined. This is what separates this one element of the fantasy world from the rest. Many believe ghosts are real. Trolls and vampires? Not so much.
But do ghosts exist?
There are countless ghost sightings and experiences by thousands of people. Even if one tries to find natural reasons for them all, there are many left that are a bit supernatural. Of course, that doesn’t mean they aren’t natural, only part of nature we don’t always know is there. Dimensional physics. Zero point energy. Nuclear energies that bind molecules together.
Think about it. Person dies in a horrible manner in a battle. What energy is released? If you believe we are more than our carbon atoms, what happens when a soul is (which, be definition, transcends our normal, everyday dimensions) ripped from a body? Does this leave imprints in space? These wouldn’t be a “living” ghost, more like a photograph. Or do traumatic incidents create rifts in the fabric of spacetime? Is this why some hear voices or see scenes from the past played out?
From a physics standpoint, such things aren’t necessarily the realm of fiction. Still, not all ghosts fall into this category. What about ones that are claimed to actually interact with people? Is there some type of being not angel or demon?
Some would say all such ghosts are demons. I heard a ghosthunter recently make a distinction that demons disguised as ghost always show their true colors sooner or later. Others will argue that any studying of or hunting for ghosts is to be avoided. Any “living” ghosts must be of evil origin.
This stems from endless haunted house movies and biblical warnings about spirits in 1 Timothy 4:1, 1 John 4:1, etc. “Spirits” most likely means demons. Yet there appears to be non-demon, non-angel entities described in 1 Samuel 28 and Mark 9:2-8. Are these ghosts? Scripture is not entirely clear on what classifications these manifestations should be considered. However, the witch’s surprise in Samuel seems to indicate she saw something that she had never seen before, nor expected. So was it a ghost of or an act of God? And in Mark, there is no indication that Elijah and Moses were anything but Elijah and Moses. So in the end, the Bible does not appear to contain examples of what are typically defined as ghosts outside of demonic entities.
What are the nature of ghosts that can’t be explained by physics or demons? Or perhaps those are the only explanations we require.
“Now that’s an odd question,” you ask. “Giants?”
Well, I haven’t posted on ancient history in awhile, so let me wander for a bit. The thing is, many of the old county histories detail the findings of giant human bones throughout the country. There have been hoaxes, so many are apt to discard all accounts. Why would history after history write about something nonexistent? These books aren’t full of fantastic tales, but report local history matter-of-factly.
Then we never hear about the giants again.
Suspicious? Perhaps. Why no discoveries since? A cover-up or were there simply not that many of them? Were they just inspired by the tall-tale-telling of the 19th Century? Was inserting giants into histories just a passing fad?
The tone and widely spread accounts seem to argue for authenticity in the face of no proof of hoaxing. So were they all misidentifications of mammoth or other animal bones, as some have suggested? Or perhaps we are just reading our understanding of the past into history.
Without actual bones, this is mostly an exercise in various views trying to disprove the other. Perhaps if some of the more extreme views have not clouded the issue, and others weren’t so quick to dismiss things that didn’t fit the status quo, maybe it wouldn’t be such a fringe topic.
Ultimately, we should ask, legends often have kernels of truth, so why not history itself?
There has been a war raging since before man wandered about the Earth.
A war with Evil.
But it’s not what you see on the nightly news. This is far worse.
These shadows conspire in hidden places, whispering in the dark. They wait for times to emerge and spread terror over the land. While the world’s attention is elsewhere, they plan for chaos that few could imagine. They work to unleash horrors long banished to myth.
The Dark One is very pleased you think such things fantasy. Others know better. Those who have stood among the shadows and crushed their campaigns. Pushing back the incursions as the world was unaware, they asked for no reward. When humanity was pushed to the abyss time and time again, a few brought them back.
Now the Darkness has grown once more. Are there still those who are as the heroes of old? Will they rise?
The time is upon us.
It will be the beginning. Or the end.
Among the Shadows, the first in a new fantasy series, coming soon.
Darrick Dean 