Christian Fiction

I, personally, tend to avoid Christian Fiction...

Though, I did read C.S. Lewis' Prelandra Trilogy...

The reason, for me, is this...

When I am reading a Christian Author I want to, expect to, take him at his word.

When I read for recreation I want a clear delineation between fact and fiction...

For, me this is a hard task when reading something that rings too close to truth...

So, for recreation I read Space Sci-Fi...

For religious reading I read for knowledge...

Mike Sr.

 

I don't read "Christian fiction" because most of it doesn't accurately portray reality. Either the author can't describe a situation properly because he or she hasn't experienced anything like it or the author waters it down to keep from offending the reader's tender sensibilities. I do read fiction by Christian authors (C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Dorothy Sayers, etc.)

 

I love reading and have a few favorite Christian fiction authors.

My personal favorite is Jamie Langston Turner. She has 5 novels published with the 6th due out sometime this year. My favorite of hers is "Some Wildflower in my Heart". It is about a very sweet, but homely woman(Birdie) who befriends a very bitter, angry woman(Margaret), and loves her to the Lord. I have read it a dozen times but it always makes me cry and touches my heart. I love seeing how Birdie's unconditional love keeps chipping away, ever so slowly, at the ice around Margaret's heart. Another novel of hers is "A Garden to Keep" about a woman's journey to forgiving her husband's unfaithfulness. Mrs. Turner's writing style is not the typical "fluff" of so many fiction authors.

I also like Karen Kingsbury.

Jeanette Oke is okay, but a little "fluffy" for my tastes.

I do not like Lori Wick although I know she is a very popular writer. Her books are so "fluffy"-typical romance where the guy and girl love each other but don't know it or just can't get it together. Too shallow. Although I have been criticized for saying this, they are borderline smutt---in my eyes anyway.

 

I actually did read the Zion Covenant series by Boedie and Brock Thoene as a preteen. From what I remember I think parts of it I would think were silly now, but I think I would like most of it.

Whoa, Christian borderline smut? How's that??

 

Most fiction doesn't. At least, I hope not I'm not a big Christian fiction fan myself. I'm mostly a mystery and detective kinda guy. I'm currently reading In Fleming's original James Bond works.

I asked a former coworker if he was familiar with Christian fiction. He replied, "does David Barton count?"

 

Whoa, Christian borderline smut? How's that?? [/QB][/QUOTE]


Way too much emphasis on certain things. I don't really want to go into detail here. By the world's standards, I'm sure it would seem I am being "prudish". But I certainly wouldn't want my daughters reading her books. I will say that her earlier books were not that way, but it seems to have crept into her writing. I wish I could explain myself better here. Would you like me to pm you with a better explanation?

Some ladies at my church love her books. There are others who agree with me. What we read has a huge impact on us. It affects how we think and what we think about. There is so much emphasis on impure things out there in the world--there is no reason for Christian authors to let it be put into their writings--even mildly. I just want to stay as far away from the influence of the world as I can.

I don't have a problem with stories like "A Garden to Keep" that I listed in my other post. It talks about a husband's unfaithfulness--yet it is not detailed in certain aspects--the emphasis is not at all on what happened with the husband and the "other woman". Lori Wick's books go too far in some details. The emphasis is just too much on certain parts of the story. I guess I am rambling. I am trying to explain myself and trying to be careful of how I say things too. let me know if I should pm you.

Let me add something here. If I would quote some lines on here from her books, it would get my post removed or at least edited. Things like that have no place in "Christian" stories.

 

I think I'm beginning to get the picture, but you can PM me if you like.

 

I like Christian Fiction if I am in the mood for it. But alot of it is too perfect and schmaltzy. Everyone sits down to a nice cup of streaming hot tea, lol, and other stuff. But sometiems its nice to go into someone else's world for awhile.

 

I have become a big fan of Beverly Lewis. She writes about the Amish and the Mennonites.

 

Originally quoted by samarelda:
"Lori Wick's books go too far in some details. The emphasis is just too much on certain parts of the story."

I have to agree with samarelda's entire post above about the influence of Christian fiction, and also what she says about Lori Wick. To be fair, I have only read one of her books, a couple years ago, but it was enough for me to decide I will never read another one. There was entirely too much emphasis, in my opinion, on one thing, (something that we should only be thinking about in relation to our spouse), until it became the entire focus of the book. I don't wish to give an author who writes in such a manner any more attention.

 

I appreciate your comments on Lori Wicke, samarelda and Pamela. Ive read one or two of her early books, and one in particular I really really liked. I was going to try and find more of her books because of that. I'll be cautious about that now.

One Christian fiction author I really like is Al Lacy. He does quite a bit of westerns, but many of his books now are being written in partnership with his wife. They have quite a few historical fiction out together, as well as just fiction. He is a Baptist author, which makes him a little unique in this field. His doctrine is straight, and he very often will give the gospel within his book.

Ive also enjoyed Beverly Lewis as well.

 

I am a fan of Christian fiction. My favorite authors are Beverly Lewis, Terri Blackstock and Dee Henderson.

 

My problem with much Christian fiction is that it all to often tries to score points for the 'team' at the expense of the plot, the motivations of the non-christian characters and the setting.

 

My favorite Christian fiction author is Francine Rivers. Favorite book - "Redeeming Love".

My NEXT favorite Christian fiction author is Randy Alcorn. Favorite book - "Safely Home".

IMHO, both books are so powerful, you have to keep reminding yourself they're fiction.

 

I grew up reading Grace Livingston Hill and I still love her books today. Easy to read and not harmful at all.

I have a hard time reading a lot of Christian fiction, for the same reason TaterTot stated. Too perfecty perfect and smaltzy.

I do like the Mroning Shade Mysteries and the Ivy Malone Myteries. I cannot remember either author.

 

I have enjoyed Ted Dekers books - Red, White and Black, and just finished Blink. He is a quite good writer - his books are alot of fun

 

I actually love Christian fiction the way it's beginning to be--where the people aren't perfect, and some of them have a really hard time coming to the place where they recognize their need for God. Some of them walk away and deny Him completely, but He steps in and brings them back.

See--I have a problem when Christian fiction depicts Christian people as perfect. I was beginning to feel "left out" of my reading because I couldn't identify at all with these people. Their biggest temptation was wearing a skirt that hit the top of their knee caps.

I find it comforting to read Christian fiction where the characters face things that we face every day, but it doesn't stop them from coming to God. It may take them a while, but they get there.

 

I love christian fiction.

Frank Peretti is my all-time favorite:
-This present darkness
-Prophet
-Piercing the darkness
-Monster
-The Oath
-The visitation
-and the new one: House
those are just a few of his.
he's made movies for "The Visitation" and "Hangman's Curse" and is in pre-production for "House" and i hear the script is being written for "The oath" I also have heard that Fox television has the rights to make the movie for "This present Darkness" but that's all i've heard...

i also am starting to read Ted Dekker's books.
he and peretti both wrote House.
i've read Blink. and that's all i've read of dekker's books. but the movie for "Thr3e" is finished production soon. i heard it was finished in Jan./06 but i dont know. so that should be good.

These books make you think. especially "House"
the catch line is "the only way out... is in"

gek.