Book-Bat

Time to talk about George MacDonald, and his final novel, "Lilith"! Karlissa gives six reading tips for understanding what's going on under-the-surface in this philosophical, magical story. Fernando Soto’s article “The Worm as Metaphor in Lilith” was published in 2006 in North Wind: A Journal of George MacDonald Studies, and can be found on the George MacDonald society website, at https://digitalc...

What does CS Lewis’ novel The Great Divorce have in common with Dante’s Divine Comedy? Is The Great Divorce a fantasy book, or not quite? Jason and Karlissa have finished reading The Great Divorce , and discuss its themes, before Karlissa tells Jason about her experience reading The Divine Comedy ( Inferno , Purgatorio , and Paradiso ). Much of Karlissa’s understanding of The Divine Comedy comes f...

Jason finished reading CS Lewis’ Perelandra ! What did he think? Karlissa and Jason use this as a launch point for talking about hard and soft sci-fi, Star Wars, CS Lewis’ novels, and more! Spoiler warning for Perelandra ! This is the second book in CS Lewis’ Space Trilogy, between Out of the Silent Planet (book one) and That Hideous Strength (book three).   Books Referenced: Perelandra (CS L...

Davy Jones’ Aquarium is now available through Kobo ebooks! Karlissa and Jason talk about some changes to the podcast, what Karlissa has been up to in getting her latest book published, and where physical copies of the book will be available!

Did you know that Karlissa’s latest book, “Davy Jones’ Aquarium,” is coming out soon?? After Jason’s impromptu ad, he and Karlissa discuss the things that make them love the fantasy genre!

What are the pros and cons of the recent state of Christian Fantasy? Jason and Karlissa consider the value of Christian-written fantasy, and areas where the ‘genre’ could grow by moving away from market trends. Currently Reading: “Silverwing” graphic novel (Kenneth Oppel), “Sonic Volume 16: Misadventures” (Ian Flynn, Evan Stanley), “The Divine Comedy” (Dante, English translations), “A Beginner’s G...

What is allegory? The word “allegory” often gets brought up in discussions about Christian fantasy - but what do people really mean when they use that word? Karlissa is currently reading: “The Divine Comedy” (Dante, various translations); “A Beginner’s Guide to Dante’s Divine Comedy” (Jason M Baxter).

Jason and Karlissa talk about how they got into fantasy, books they haven’t read in a while, books they finished reading recently, and the books they are working on writing! Recent books read: “Thrawn Treason” (Timothy Zahn), “Rewriting Adam” (Connie Mae Inglis), “JRR Tolkien: the Mind Behind the Rings” (Mark Horne), “The Woodcutter” (Lorn Wolf), “A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War” (Joseph Loc...

Lord of the Rings; Harry Potter; The Dragon Prince; Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – what do all have in common with a verse from the book of Hebrews? Spoiler Warning for “The Dragon Prince” show from Wonderstorm! (Also, be aware that this series contains abundant LGBTQ+ content and some dark themes.) Currently Reading: “The Woodcutter” by Lorn Wolf; “J. R. R. Tolkien: The Mind Behind the Rings” by...

Karlissa’s mind made a connection between an astronaut interview and a CS Lewis quote. Is there something there that will help us find stories that “cool us” and give us a bigger perspective on the world? This tangent leads her and Jason into discussing the book of Revelation and Dante’s Divine Comedy as they search their minds for stories that can fill this role for the average person. Episode Re...

Do we over-emphasize romantic relationships to the detriment of our understanding of friendship? And where can you find good friendship stories in Christian fantasy, and fantasy in general? Currently reading: “Thrawn Treason” (Timothy Zahn), “Leoshine Book 1” (N. MacCameron), “The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis” (Jason M. Baxter), “The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (Akira Himekawa).

We’re back for this podcast’s second year of adventures through fantasy! On this episode we tease what’s ahead for 2024! Currently Reading: “Thrawn Treason” (Timothy Zahn), “Tales Before Tolkien” (edited by Douglas A. Anderson), and “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” manga (story and art by Akira Himekawa).

What creative goals do we have in mind for 2024 and beyond? Tune in to find out!

We have invited an author onto our show for the first time – not really – to do an author interview! Karlissa J talks about her books, her inspiration, and the life experiences that have shaped her as an author. Karlissa is currently reading: “On Stories” by CS Lewis (hence her multiple CS Lewis references). Further notes: the Blackhawks won.

What would it look like for Christian fantasy to tackle more difficult subjects and questions? We give some ideas, like drawing from deeper history and acknowledging complex emotions. We also give writing updates, and thoughts on how Christian norms affect our writing. SPOILER WARNING for Tales of the Diversity trilogy (Karlissa J)! CORRECTION: in The Great Divorce , Lewis does mention that the me...

In a subgenre – Christian fantasy novels – largely aimed at youth, is there even room or desire for tackling difficult or complex subject matter: like mental illness, tragedy, or denser theology? What are the Christian expectations for fantasy novels? Why don’t more people know about or read C.S. Lewis’ adult fantasy stories: The Cosmic Trilogy and Till We Have Faces ? How ought authors to challen...

Does Christian fantasy need more ‘mature content’? What IS maturity? What is the role of spiritual maturity, difficult themes, and deeper thinking in fantasy? We will be exploring these questions and more in our series on mature content, as we take a look at classic literature and what authors like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien can teach us. Don’t worry, this episode’s content is suitable for all...

Does constantly reaching for the familiar stunt our creativity? In this episode, each co-host answers how he/she makes a point of stepping outside the box of familiarity to strengthen their writing abilities.

The evolution of the word stereotype, the invention of the term Mary Sue, our dislike of James Bond, what Ironman has in common with Paw Patrol… our discussion of Mary Sue and Gary Stu characters leads to multiple random reflections!   Dictionary.com article on Mary Sue: https://www.dictionary.com/e/fictional-characters/mary-sue/ The actor who plays Superman in the CW’s “Superman & Lois”...

Karlissa came up with a list of ten fun things to say about John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings , The Hobbit , The Silmarillion , and multiple short stories! “Christian Fantasy 101” has become To Narnia and Beyond ! Explore the fantasy novels of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, George MacDonald, and Madeleine L’Engle, and how they each expressed their faith in their writings. Lea...

Do we have a type? Can a villain be a favourite character? Can a character be separated from their story? We explore our thoughts on favourite characters! SPOILER ALERTS: George MacDonald’s “Lilith,” “The Dragon Prince” (Wonderstorm). Other books mentioned: “The Silmarillion” (JRR Tolkien), “Tales of the Diversity” (Karlissa J), “Till We Have Faces” (CS Lewis), Sonic Comics from IDW, “Rise of the...

Which are better: characters that exemplify who we wish to be, or ones that remind us of who we already are? Jason and Karlissa discuss the Bible, superheroes, Sonic the Hedgehog, and even throw in a reference to Disney's "Treasure Planet"! “When a character is relatable, the audience can see themselves in them, and they are more likely to invest in their story.” - neilchasefilm.com/relatable-char...

Jason and Karlissa discuss magic: a topic that sometimes gets brought up in Christian circles concerning fantasy. Together, they consider the complexities that often get overlooked. Resources used: “The Gospel According to Tolkien” (Ralph C. Wood); “Narnia, Middle-Earth, and the Kingdom of God” (Mark Worthing); “The Fellowship: the Literary Lives of the Inklings” (Philip and Carol Zaleski); and a...

Jason tells the story of how he discovered Brian Jacques’ Redwall series; then he and Karlissa give some ideas on where to find fantasy books. Books Mentioned and Corrections: The Heart of George MacDonald (edited by George MacDonald scholar Rolland Hein), The Gospel According to Tolkien (Ralph C. Wood), The Green Ember (S.D. Smith), Tales from the Perilous Realm (J.R.R. Tolkien). This episode is...

Karlissa and Jason share their lists of fantasy books that deserve more attention: forgotten books from renowned authors, personal favourites, and recognized classics that are just hard to market. Recommended books: Phantastes (George MacDonald), The Children of Hurin (J.R.R. Tolkien), Lilith (George MacDonald), The Thrawn Trilogy (Timothy Zahn), Out of the Silent Planet (C.S. Lewis), Tales of the...