Grasping for the Wind

E-zine Review: Mindflights

Mindflights follows the stated purpose of the publishers “to provide quality fiction, poetry, and exposition, all in means that respects traditional values and Christian principles.” With a layout that looks a bit too much like Myspace for my taste, although without nearly as many ads, Mindflights publishes fiction, poetry, articles and columns on or by Christians in the Science Fiction and Fantasy genre.

While this may seem to be an immediate turn off for some, as it would make the reader feel that the stories are then way to full of an agenda to be enjoyable, let me assure you that this is not the case. Many of the writers who have appeared in Mindflights have gone on to publish stories in several of the anthologies I have reviewed before. Many of the stories I have read have little to no agenda, and have in actuality explored the human condition, much as much SF does today, and to tell adventure stories, or feats of heroism, as is the standard for fantasy fiction.

The editors of Mindflights have worked hard to ensure that the stories and poems contained the ‘zine are good as stories first, and that support the values they espouse second. I think no matter where you come from on the spectrum of belief; you can enjoy a good tale, even when you may not agree with the preconceptions of the author.

As I mentioned before, the layout feels a bit like Myspace, and while the reader can choose from 15 different skins to serve as a background, the backgrounds often overwhelm the content, even on the more subtle skins like skin 6. But the reader should be able to find at least one skin that is not too overwhelming.

Like its predecessors, Dragon, Knights, and Angels and The Sword Review, Mindflights continues to require the reader to make two clicks to get to the full story. While some readers might like this option of getting a preview of the tale before downloading a pdf or reading an entire html file, I have always found the need to double click annoying. This is especially true since there is a synopsis on the homepage for each story. Still, it is not difficult to navigate.

The author submission guidelines are clear and comprehensive, and potential contributors would do well to familiarize themselves with them, as they have significant differences from the standard guidelines of other e-zines. The also have an easy to use submission system that allows for pretty quick and easy feedback. I once submitted an article for their review, and the various editors came back with a fair assessment of why they would choose not to publish my work (the biggest issue being it was a republication of work, not an original piece.)

If you are writer looking for a market for your stories, an artist whose work is not finding a home, or a non-fiction writer trying to break into the market, Mindflights might be a good place to look. It is off the beaten path, but is fair, has a significant readership, and caters to a marketplace (Christians and “values voters” specifically) that is very different from the standard readership of science fiction and fantasy. It’s worth a look.

This review is part of the Christian SF&F Blog Tour, others on the tour include the following:

Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Jackie Castle
CSFF Blog Tour
Gene Curtis
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Kameron M. Franklin
Beth Goddard
Andrea Graham
Todd Michael Greene
Katie Hart
Michael Heald
Christopher Hopper
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Kait
Carol Keen
Mike Lynch
Terri Main
Margaret
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Pamela Morrisson
John W. Otte
John Ottinger
Rachelle
Steve Rice
Ashley Rutherford
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Rachelle Sperling
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Robert Treskillard
Linda Wichman
Laura Williams
Timothy Wise

Christianity in Space: An Interview with Chris Walley

Chris Walley is the author of The Lamb Among the Stars a series set in the far future that has a unique setting. His novel discusses good and evil within the context of Christian understanding, something very unlike its contemporaries. Walley was kind enough to answer of a few of my questions about his series, his life as a geologist, and the relationship between science and faith. (You can read my review of his first book here.)

Grasping for the Wind: Tell us a little bit about the genesis of your speculative fiction trilogy, The Lamb Among the Stars. Where did the idea come from?

Chris Walley: I was converted into a Christianity of the sort of reformed tradition that took the Puritans seriously. I was intrigued that many of them held the view that there would be a great and long time of blessing before the End came. As I thought about that the question came to me ‘what it would be like to be at the end of such a Golden Age?’ At the time, I was working in Beirut during the civil war and issues of good and evil were brutally on the agenda. Finally one day, I had this image of my hero walking across the wintery landscape of a made world and things started to come together. But it’s been a long haul!

GFTW: Christians writing science fiction is a rare thing. Why do you think this is?

CW: I don't think it should be a rare thing, but I agree it seems to be. I am very concerned that, unlike our ancestors, many Christians have rather given up on any sort of future. Indeed, there is a slightly despairing mood around that basically says ‘all we need to do is hang on until the Rapture’. Well the end may be imminent – I will be delighted to be wrong – but my reading of Scripture is that we are to prepare for the long haul. We have also become scared of science. Shame on us!

GFTW: On the blog Speculative Faith, you have claimed that science can do a great job in explaining spiritual matters. How is this so?

CW: I think there are several reasons why science is of help. The first is that even if they do not understand science (how many of us can explain the principles on which a cellphone, GPS or even an aircraft operate?) people acknowledge that it must be true because it works. In doing so the great agnostic argument ‘I cannot believe in your God because I cannot understand him’ is undermined. The second reason is that the world revealed by science is very complex and very strange. After you have read anything of modern physics the doctrine of the Trinity or predestination seems far less problematic. A third and related reason is that science is enormously humbling.

GFTW: You are a geologist and teacher by trade. Why did you feel called to study what we here in the US often call “Rocks for Jocks”?

CW: Actually, I never felt ‘called’ to study geology. I was not a Christian when I became a geologist, but despite my repeated attempts to be called to the other things (I am quite open to becoming a successful full-time writer!) God has seen fit to keep me in the rock world. There are actually a lot of parallels between geology and writing fiction. To examine a sequence of dull, dusty rocks and conjure up from that some ancient world of steamy swamps and vanished ecosystems is a considerable exercise of imagination.

GFTW: Your science fiction novel The Shadow and Night is deeply philosophical rather than action intensive. Why did you spend so much time exploring the philosophical implications of the entrance of evil into Farholme society?

CW: I hope the ‘deeply philosophical’ isn’t too off-putting! The action increases in the series and by the time we get to the The Infinite Day any philosophy or theology is largely discussed while the characters are either running or reloading. But I am unrepentant about taking time to set the stage in the first volume. One of the problems of the world that we live in is that we have become utterly blasé about evil. We assume that it is normal and it has lost its shock value. What I have tried to do is paint innocence first so that the true nature of evil is made clearer. It is long-felt belief of mine that by relegating evil to truly monstrous men and women doing appalling acts of bloodshed we overlooked the fact that the vast majority of evil is quite undramatic but equally damning.

GFTW: Merral is both deeply flawed and truly heroic. Was his character modeled on anyone in particular?

CW: Merral’s weaknesses are my own; Merral’s heroism is imagined! I have however tried to make him very much an Everyman; a figure that we can all identify with. What is, I think, particularly compelling about Merral is that this is a man who we first meet in a state of innocence who is forced to become the greatest warrior of his age. He never quite loses the horror of having blood on his hands.

GFTW: Why did you have Merral be so dependent on outside help (i.e. Vero, Anya, Perena, the angel of the Lord) for success?

CW: Another fascinating question! Let me suggest two reasons. One of the problems of action novels is that we tend to create heroes with such mighty abilities that they do not need grace. I can't identify with such people and I'm not sure your readers can either. As an aside, they are not actually very interesting creatures. A second reason is the terrible subtlety of evil; how concentrating on a spectacular external evil may cause us to overlook the no less deadly evil within us. Merral’s greatest enemy is always himself.

GFTW: Did you find it difficult to mesh the science (which is based in what we know in 2008) of the Made Worlds with the Christian culture of the Assembly when you were writing?

CW: Handling advanced science is very difficult. I first started drafting ideas for the first novel 20 years ago, and some of the technology I dreamed of then is now available in the shops today! I have actually largely minimised science innovations; one of the great emphases of the Assembly is that it has a great deal of caution about science and technology. Someone has commented that the Assembly are the ‘Amish in Space’; it's not entirely true, but there is something in it. So other than travel between stars through Gates and gravity modification there is very little that is new in the Assembly technology. However as readers soon find out, there are other cultures about who have no such limits.

GFTW: What can you tell us about how the story progresses in The Dark Foundations and The Infinite Day?

CW: Well I'm not going to give you any plot spoilers, but rest assured that soon enough the action comes fast and furious. There is also a progressive escalation of scale. We start off in a quiet, cosy rural world where nothing has happened and we end up with bloody battles in a war that involves a trillion people and a distance of 600 light years. Someone made the off-the-cuff comment that he thought the series was as if C. S. Lewis had written Star Wars. It’s a bizarre thought, but I take it as a compliment and a reflection on the scale of what happens. What I can promise is that evil is defeated but it is not defeated easily. A price is paid.

GFTW: What speculative fiction novels would you recommend other than Tolkien or Lewis?

CW: Ah, here you have embarrassed me! Because I had always had to squeeze my writing into my spare time I have not read as much as I should of late. Where I have read fantasy recently, I have been rather disappointed. Modern British fantasy, for instance, tends to be either dark and gloomy. That’s partly why I write my own tales! I've promised myself that some day I will go into my local bookshop and buy a great pile of speculative fiction. But in the past I’ve enjoyed both Arthur C. Clarke and Asimov – his Foundation trilogy in particular is a great story and probably a subtle influence on my own works.

GFTW: Any parting thoughts?

CW: Only to say that I'm grateful for all the questions. Writing is a lonely pastime, and sometimes you need external questions to make you think about what you're actually doing and trying to achieve. Oh and if anybody reads the books and wants to comment or contact me they can get me either on what is now becoming a pretty well populated facebook fan site [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2216305373] or via my own website [www.chriswalley.net].

This interview is part of the February 2008 CSFF Blog Tour. Other participants include:

Brandon Barr; Jim Black; Justin Boyer; Grace Bridges; Jackie Castle; Carol Bruce Collett ; Valerie Comer; CSFF Blog Tour; Gene Curtis; D. G. D. Davidson; Chris Deanne; Janey DeMeo; Jeff Draper; April Erwin; Marcus Goodyear; Rebecca Grabill ; Jill Hart; Katie Hart; Michael Heald; Timothy Hicks; Christopher Hopper; Heather R. Hunt; Jason Joyner; Kait; Carol Keen; Mike Lynch; Margaret; Rachel Marks; Shannon McNear; Melissa Meeks; Rebecca LuElla Miller; Mirtika or Mir's Here; Pamela Morrisson; Eve Nielsen; John W. Otte; John Ottinger; Deena Peterson; Rachelle; Steve Rice; Ashley Rutherford; Chawna Schroeder; James Somers; Rachelle Sperling; Donna Swanson; Steve Trower; Speculative Faith; Robert Treskillard; Jason Waguespac; Laura Williams; Timothy Wise

Book Review: The Shadow and Night by Chris Walley

* Genre: Science Fiction
* ISBN: 1414313276
* ISBN-13: 9781414313276
* Format: Hardcover, 640pp
* Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
* Pub. Date: October 2006
* Series: The Lamb Among the Stars
* Read the First Chapter
* Read an interview with Chris Walley

AMAZING! There is simply no other word to describe Chris Walley’s speculative fiction novel The Shadow and Night. I just could not put this one down. Actually a combination of two books previously published, The Shadow and Night is the first novel in a three part trilogy called the Lamb Among the Stars (originally published in four volumes). Walley spent many years perfecting this series, and his efforts have born fruit in this grand space opera.

In The Shadow and Night mankind has reached the stars. But he has found that only Earth supports any life beyond the minutest of single-celled organisms. Yet man has learned to make worlds suitable for his own life. Due to what is know as the Great Intervention (a spiritual revival of humanity in which all come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ) a great peace has existed for eleven centuries. During this time, Earth and all the many Made Worlds have prospered so that mankind serves one another in peace and love, and evil (as we know it) is a thing of the past. On the far edge of the universe, the Made World Farholme has only just begun its young life.

Merral is a young forester on the Made World of Farholme. In the course of his duties, he comes across some very strange occurrences. Strange, alien beasts are seen on the surface of Farholme, and human beings begin to act strangely, cruelly toward each other, shattering the peace that has existed for millennia. And then the unthinkable happens, and contact with the other worlds is lost. Merral is forced to a take on the mantle of leader, a title for which he is gifted but that he despairs to take.

The Shadow and Night is told entirely from Merral’s perspective. Merral’s inner struggles and outward failures and successes become our own. Walley has excellently crafted a man of great ability but who is flawed at his very core. This is a character anyone with the least humility can identify as themselves. He is a man who understands evil as a concept, but when forced to experience it firsthand, almost crumples under the strain. Merral is an exceptionally compelling character, and I read on mostly because I wanted to know how Merral would deal with the philosophical and physical conundrums Walley forces him to experience.

The novel is long at over 600 pages so reading it is not for the faint of heart. Walley has also chosen to build a slow tension for his story, rather than leaping from action sequence to action sequence. I think some readers might find this dull, although his character study was so intense and engrossing, that I didn’t feel the loss. He takes time to ponder the effect of events on his characters, and to have them grapple and wrestle with philosophy, although in a practical way. For instance, when faced with evil, at what point should a person fight against it, and at what point is diplomacy in order? When confronted with temptations, how should a person react? These are struggles Merral goes through, and to a lesser extent his supporting characters, but it is Merral who we most identify with.

As I have said, there is little action in the story. The story takes place on the planet of Farholme (in a sense reminding me of the way Dune takes place on only one planet) and has little space action. There are three big action sequences, so readers look for epic space battles or hand to hand combat will be disappointed. The Shadow and Night is about the battle between good and evil, mostly within yourself, especially in the face of evil circumstances. It is this that drives the plot. The slow build of the tension only makes the final confrontation all the more epic.

There are some predictable elements. There is an obvious set-up for a particular character to be killed, but I still felt the loss. Walley also overuses the word “suddenly”. As I would read the sentences with the word in it, I felt that many times he could have done without and have been just as effective in communicating his point, sometimes even more so. Some of the early dialogue is a bit wooden, but as the characters deepen from two dimensions to three during the narrative, this feeling disappears.

Some readers will also take exception at the explicitly Christian nature of the novel. Walley creates a setting in which all people believe in the Christian view of Heaven and Hell, and believe in the salvation offered by Jesus Christ. The setting is based in a Christian postmillennial view of history, but the novel is not proselytizing in any way. (For more on the belief system he uses, check out “Puritans in Space”.) Walley himself stated “the purpose of this book is not to open a theological debate nor engage in ‘fictionalized theology’; it is simply to sue this as a setting for a grand tale.” (from an accompanying letter to the book) And I think that he has truly fulfilled that goal. In its way, this novel is no more proselytizing than any book written by a secularist or agnostic. It is simply a narrative that uses one of the great beliefs of our day to create a setting and story set far into the future.

Walley, a geologist and teacher, also weaves great science into the story. His machines are believable, and the science behind them solid. The Shadow and Night weaves religion and science together so that there is continuity between the two. With the culture he has set up, the scientific feats of Farholme make sense. He is also very descriptive, drawing on his Welsh heritage to write a novel as filled with description as the sagas of the ancient Celts. Although perhaps not as poetic as those sagas, his writing shows a love of the land and nature.

This is a not a fast paced novel by any means. Yet, I couldn’t put it down. I sped through the pages, desperate to find out what was to happen to Merral and Vero, Anya and Perena. Walley builds the tension so slowly and subtly, it is like reading a John Grisham thriller. When the final culmination of events came, I was literally sitting upright on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this novel. The Shadow and Night is a literary speculative fiction novel, and needs to be read by anyone trying to understand “the need to fight evil without becoming evil” (from an accompanying letter to the book). The Shadow and Night is a tale that fans of authors like George R. R. Martin, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Frank Herbert are sure to enjoy, if not agree with philosophically. This book is a must read for all science fiction fans.

This review is part of the February 2008 CSFF Blog Tour. Other participants include:

Brandon Barr; Jim Black; Justin Boyer; Grace Bridges; Jackie Castle; Carol Bruce Collett ; Valerie Comer; CSFF Blog Tour; Gene Curtis; D. G. D. Davidson; Chris Deanne; Janey DeMeo; Jeff Draper; April Erwin; Marcus Goodyear; Rebecca Grabill ; Jill Hart; Katie Hart; Michael Heald; Timothy Hicks; Christopher Hopper; Heather R. Hunt; Jason Joyner; Kait; Carol Keen; Mike Lynch; Margaret; Rachel Marks; Shannon McNear; Melissa Meeks; Rebecca LuElla Miller; Mirtika or Mir's Here; Pamela Morrisson; Eve Nielsen; John W. Otte; John Ottinger; Deena Peterson; Rachelle; Steve Rice; Ashley Rutherford; Chawna Schroeder; James Somers; Rachelle Sperling; Donna Swanson; Steve Trower; Speculative Faith; Robert Treskillard; Jason Waguespac; Laura Williams; Timothy Wise

The Manga Bible

Found out about this today. I should have seen it coming. Still, it might be interesting to take a look at it, even if it seems a little off the wall. The Manga Bible is a new product from Doubleday that is trying to bring the Bible relevance, especially to young folks who like Manga style books.

The New York Times article says that:

In the Manga Bible, whose heroes look and sound like skateboarders in Bedouin gear, Noah gets tripped up counting the animals in the Ark: “That’s 11,344 animals? Arggh! I’ve lost count again. I’m going to have to start from scratch!”

Abraham rides a horse out of an explosion to save Lot. Og, king of Bashan, looms like an early Darth Vader. The Sermon on the Mount did not make the book, though, because there was not enough action to it."

Personally I think while it might be entertaining to read (I mean the Bible is chock full of sex and violence, its like Terry Goodkind on steroids) it is sacrificing relevance for truth in a lot of cases. And it isn't complete anyway.

So would you read it? The US edition only costs $12.95.

What do you think of the idea of a Manga Bible?

Book Review: Bound by Iron by Edward Bolme

* Genre: Fantasy, Shared World Fiction
* ISBN: 0786942649
* ISBN-13: 9780786942640
* Format: Mass Market Paperback, 310pp
* Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
* Pub. Date: April 2007
* Series: Inquisitives Series

In Bound by Iron, Edward Bolme has written some unique characters in a plot with a surprising ending for this stand alone novel. In a story reminiscent of a John Grisham thriller, Bound by Iron begins with a murder and leads the heroes into a web of lies, deceit, and greed. Bound by Iron is the first novel in Eberron’s Inquisitives series.

Bolme’s inquisitives are three characters, acquaintances, who are working together to solve the murder of Torval Ellinger. Torval was a former Karnnathi soldier and member of the elite Iron Band company whose body washed up at the Korth docks. The story takes place two years after the end of the Last War. The primary character, Cimozjen is a former Iron Band leader who has the unfortunate luck of discovering the murder. Initially thought to be the culprit, he is exonerated and teams up with Minrah, an elven free lance journalist and extremely observant person. Finally, there is Four, a warforged that the two of them pick up during the search for the murderer of Torval.

Bolme explores the themes of justice, honor and righteousness in this novel. Cimozjen is a paladin, a warrior of the Sovereign Host whose sense of right and wrong is strong. Minrah the journalist, on the other hand, is what is often called a “chaotic good” character. She does not do evil things, but will do whatever it takes to get what she wants, especially in pursuit of a story, even to the point of putting her companions in harm’s way. Four, the warforged, provides a tabula rasa that the other two characters are trying to imprint with their own values. Each character walks away from the story being changed, for better or worse by their contact with each other.

At several points in the novel, Minrah and Cimozjen argue about truth and what is right. Cimozjen is a paladin, but he believes that his faith is freeing, not constraining. Minrah on the other hand, is a free woman, willing to sleep around, lie, and connive to get her story. The two have several debates about pragmatism versus doing the right thing, especially after Minrah tries to seduce Cimozjen, who is a married man. This was an element of the story I thought moved it beyond simple entertainment into the philosophical. Four would often cut in with a humorous comment at the end of Cimozjen and Minrah’s arguments, to add a little levity to the interchanges.

In Bound by Iron Bolme uses, to great effect, flashbacks to Cimozjen and Torval’s time together in the Iron Band. This gives the reader a more heartfelt connection between Cimozjen and the murdered Torval, and provides a reasonable explanation for Cimozjen’s drive to seek justice for his murdered comrade. Bolme also chose not to enter the mind of any of the villains, but only to sequentially tell the story as the three main characters experienced it. Additionally, while Bolme continues to subscribe to the theory that sometimes, things “just happen” in a story his coincidences are better tied into the story than in The Orb of Xoriat. When a key clue is discovered simply due to the characters walking about town, this seems unlikely but plausible. What before could be dismissed as deus ex machina in Bolme’s writing is not so easily labeled as such anymore.

Some readers will find the ending disappointing, but I thought it fit neatly in with the characters Bolme had created. They followed their beliefs to the end, even if that provided for an ending that was anything but the crowning of the hero. In a way, Bolme was reflecting the reality of the situation whenever a crime is committed. The resolution or punishment is never truly satisfying, and never really ends the evil.

This novel was a more enjoyable read that Bolme’s The Orb of Xoriat. The story has better continuity and the characters are more well-developed. I readily identified with Cimozjen and his quest for righteousness and justice, and his unwillingness to always be pragmatic. On the flip side, Minrah’s pragmatism did lead to some success. Four the warforged provided some humorous moments since he had no social graces and limited language skills.

I liked this Eberron novel. Some readers may find the dialogue a little contrived, but I didn’t. The mystery aspect of it was simple, so fans looking for fantasy noir won’t like this novel. It does give a soldier’s eye view of some of the major events of the Last War on the Eberron world. Cimozjen and Torval’s comradeship was a well-written aspect of the story, and in a way reminded me of Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front in the way it delved into the mind of the front-line soldier, if in a more simplified way. Even with the philosophical aspect, it was still a good adventure story with lots of sword action. Bound by Iron is a fun reading diversion. Its unique characters, unusual ending, and detailed fight scenes gave hours of reading enjoyment.

Christian UFOlogist?

Interesting discussion going on over at Worldmagblog, where writer Lynn Vincent discusses her encounter with a UFO and her Christian beliefs. The top comment also has a link to a lecture by a self identified Christian UFOlogist named Michael Heiser who is also a credible academic and author of a novel about Area 51, UFO's and the like called The Facade.

This has kind of been on my mind lately because I am currently reading The Shadow and Night by Chris Walley, an explicitly Christian science fiction novel set eleven thousand years in the future, which so far is absolutely engrossing. Nice to know others struggle with such strange things. After all, how does a Christian write about alien races or genetic science without seeming to be anti-science?

Weaving the Colors: An Interview with Jeffrey Overstreet

In one of the most enjoyable and well-answered interviews I have ever done, Jeffrey Overstreet has covered the gamut of topics from his debut novel Auralia's Colors to Christians in fiction to review writing methods. (Here is my review of his debut novel.) I hope you enjoy his thoughts as much as I did. For more of his thoughts, check out his oft posted to blog.

Grasping for the Wind: How did you become a fan of fantasy fiction, and why did you choose to write in this particular genre?

Jeffrey Overstreet: Do you remember those “long-playing records” that Walt Disney produced for each of their movies? You’d put the needle to the record and listen to a narrator tell the story, while excerpts from the movie’s soundtrack gave the characters distinct voices. That’s how I learned to read — listening to those records over and over again, on a plastic Mickey Mouse turntable. The needle was right under Mickey’s index finger on this plastic arm.

Most of those Disney stories were fairy tales. My family didn’t watch much television, and we didn’t go out for entertainment. So I found drama sitting in my room and listening to Pinocchio and Winnie the Pooh and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Around the time I turned seven, my neighborhood librarian took me up to the next level, introducing me to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, and Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain. Then came Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (I’d read it through more than once by the time I was 10), and Richard Adams’ Watership Down, which remains my favorite novel.

I write fantasy today because those stories — whimsical and wild as they are — continue to speak meaningfully to me, as much as any more “realistic” or sophisticated art. Fantasy explores spiritual mysteries through metaphor, giving shape to ideas that we can’t easily express with everyday stuff. We invent fairies, monsters, elves, trolls, dragons, and magic beans to give shape to ideas and virtues and fears and wonders. And that helps us live more fully, engaging with realities beyond what we can see and hear and touch.

GFTW: Before writing Auralia’s Colors you were widely acclaimed for your movie-going memoir Through a Screen Darkly. Why did you choose to write a book about the simple pleasure of going to the movies?

Overstreet: Movies, like fairy tales, have had an enormous influence in my life, shaping ideas, inspiring questions, giving me an appreciation for beauty, and helping me understand how the world looks to my neighbors (who have often had very different experiences).

I grew up in a rather conservative community in which moviegoing was viewed as a suspicious, dangerous, “worldly” activity. But I also came to see that when we cut ourselves off from art for fear of “contamination,” we lose one of the greatest gifts humanity has to enjoy, something that helps us understand each other, something that humbles and inspires us.

So I wanted to share my own story about how movies have changed my life, how conversations with moviegoers, movie makers and movie stars have taught me a great deal about art and life. It was also a way to write a thorough answer to those who send me emails demanding to know how I can call myself a Christian and still be an enthusiastic fan of filmmakers like Woody Allen, Paul Thomas Anderson, Martin Scorsese, and Krzysztof Kieslowski.

GFTW: Auralia’s Colors, your debut novel, is a fantasy with echoes of the traditional fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen. Like their stories, your story is also an allegory. What moral or cultural truth are you trying to convey to your readers?

Overstreet: I’m glad you find echoes of fairy tales there. I suppose that’s inevitable, since I grew up on those stories.

But I don’t consider Auralia’s Colors to be an allegory at all. I did not intend to teach moral lessons or write a commentary on culture. I imagined a different world, threw in some characters, and then I started asking “What if?” The characters then led me into a story I hadn’t expected.

Now, that doesn’t mean readers won’t find anything meaningful in the story. The story reveals all kinds of things—and that just goes to show that art sometimes knows more than the artist. The characters in Auralia’s Colors are struggling with questions about freedom, responsibility, power, faith, and art. But I didn’t conspire to put any lessons in there. I discovered them after I stood back and thought about the story I’d written. I keep hearing from readers who are finding implications in the story I’ve never considered. That’s exciting.

I get bored with stories that can be boiled down to a simple meaning. In an allegory, characters are really just symbols. And the reader starts solving the puzzle: “Okay, so this character represents Jesus, this one represents Satan, this one represents a Christian, this one represents Judas, etc.” Allegories are like algebra. I’m more interested in storytelling. I do not have any characters that represent Jesus or God or anybody. Certain characters might behave in a Christ-like manner, or in a devilish way, just as many different characters in everything from The Lord of the Rings to Harry Potter to Buffy the Vampire Slayer have moments of Christ-likeness. But Auralia isn’t Jesus. The Keeper isn’t God.

GFTW: Much of your prose reads like poetry. A lot of the book is given over to descriptions of sight and sound, smell and touch. Why did you focus so much on the sensory aspects of your tale?

Overstreet: I grew up reading stories that had musical, poetic language. Literature wasn’t just meant to be read — it was meant to be read out loud. I want to write paragraphs that taste good and sound good.

Also, I’ve learned that natural beauty can make even the most ridiculous movie worth watching. I believe that nature “speaks.” I believe that the things God made mean something. It makes a difference if Auralia is running through a forest instead of a field or a canyon. And it matters what kind of forest that might be, what trees are there, what they smell like, and what colors are in their leaves.

When I read a story in which the author has paid attention to those details, I feel a much more powerful sense of immersion within that world. I’ve read a lot of forgettable fantasy novels. But I go back to Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, Patricia McKillip’s The Book of Atrix Wolfe, Richard Adams’ Watership Down, and Mark Helprin’s Winter’s Tale, because I feel like I’ve lived in those places.

GFTW: You are a vocal Christian who is unafraid to make your beliefs known. What effect has this had on the reception of Auralia’s Colors both in the Christian and secular marketplace?

Overstreet: It’s too early to say, I think. I’m encouraged, because I’m getting mail from all kinds of readers, all ages, and very different worldviews. Some Christians write stories to “present the Gospel” or “convey a message,” but I don’t. Some people write for Christian readers; I don’t. I want to write books that I would have enjoyed reading, and that I think others will enjoy. I think everybody likes a good story. People are drawn to excellence.

If there is some truth to a work of art, or some beauty, poetry, and passion — that’s can give the audience an encounter with God, even in the artist doesn’t believe in God. I’ve read an awful lot of Christian books that were poorly written, derivative, boring, and sloppy. That doesn’t do me any good. And my faith has been encouraged and transformed by artists who would never call themselves Christians. It doesn’t matter much who is writing the story — it’s the story that matters. It doesn’t matter what color that candle’s made of — it’s the light and the heat the draws people in. You’ve probably heard it said, “All truth is God’s truth.” I would add that all beauty is beautiful because it reflects God’s glory.

I hope that Auralia’s Colors has enough in its pages to give people an engaging and meaningful experience. We’ll see what happens.

GFTW: What effect does your Christian faith have on your writing?

Overstreet: Because I believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead after we killed him, I believe that there’s hope, even hope that death does not have the final word. I believe there’s meaning in the world around me. I believe that there are, as Hamlet said, “powers in heaven and earth” that we cannot fathom.

If I believe those things, how can I write a story that isn’t hopeful? I would have to tell a lie. I can’t help but write stories in which there are powers greater than the characters, powers in conflict.

But no, I don’t deliberately write “Christian stories”, just as I don’t bake “Christian cookies.” I just want to write a good story. And I think all good stories draw us because they reflect God’s glory… even if they’re shelved somewhere outside the “Religion” section at Barnes and Noble.

GFTW: Your novel lacks any clearly defined “evil” characters or clearly defined “good” characters. Why did you avoid the standard good vs. evil theme of fantasy?

Overstreet All of my favorite stories avoid dividing their characters into false categories of “Good Guys” and “Bad Guys.” I don’t believe in “Good” and “Bad” people.

I believe that all of us were designed by God, in God’s image, and that we have “eternity written in our hearts.” That means that everybody will give evidence of goodness in some way, even the worst villains.

But I also believe that we are all broken, deceived, and depraved in our appetites. Thus, even the best heroes will have moments of doubt, make mistakes, and sometimes behave irresponsibly.

When we insist on stories in which there are “bad people,” and suggest that the solution is the elimination of those “bad people,” that can carry over into devastating behavior in the real world. We live in a culture that perpetually abuses labels and categories for the sake of judging other people. Genocides begin with the idea that we can divide people into the “good” and the “bad.”

Now, in stories for small children, I think it’s useful to have simplistic “good guys and bad guys” because you are giving children figures that represent fears they must overcome, or virtues they should strive to imitate. But when storytelling becomes more sophisticated, it’s important to discourage any interpretations that will cause people to judge others and exalt themselves.

GFTW: My favorite quote from the novel is on page 254. “You want a gift from the king? Hear this: if you allow Abascar freedom, some people will choose what they shouldn’t. … But take away that freedom, and no one has opportunity to choose what they should.” Why is having a choice so important?

Overstreet: Wow, that’s a question that would take a book to answer! Here are a few thoughts:

In Auralia’s world, the king and queen of House Abascar take away their people’s power of creative expression. And they also forbid them to tell certain stories. The people of Abascar become resentful, because they are not able to ask certain questions, investigate mysteries, and express the mysteries within themselves. They can’t be human.

The king tells them that the world outside is dangerous, so he makes them stay inside the walls. And the world is dangerous. But if the people are forced to obey the king, without any choice in the matter, they have no chance to develop discernment. And worse, when they become afraid of the world around them, they become starved for beauty. Sure, they might be safer from some dangers inside of Abascar’s walls, but by walling themselves off from the world they’re creating an enclosed space, and new dangers will arise and flourish within that space. Worse, the people remove their chances of making a difference beyond the walls, so the world outside just spirals out of control.

It reminds me a bit of my own experience growing up. I was taught to avoid the world beyond the church because there were so many temptations out there. But as a result, my Christian community became rather isolated and had very little effect on the surrounding culture. We talked about “loving our neighbors,” but in truth, we were repulsed by our neighbors and we tried to create a society in which we could live apart from them. And guess what? Temptations and sins of all kinds festered within that community, so we were fooling ourselves by thinking we could withdraw from “the sinful world.”

We need freedom. And yes, freedom is dangerous, which is why we also need to be responsible and discerning.

GFTW: The ale boy, one of your primary and perhaps most interesting characters, lacks even a name. Why did you choose to make him nameless throughout the novel?

Overstreet: The reason is rather simple: I liked the sound of it.

It kindled my curiosity. And while some storytellers like to solve of the mysteries for the reader, I prefer reading books that leave mysteries, big and small, for me to ponder. This is one of those small mysteries in Auralia’s world.

As I began to write Auralia’s Colors, the ale boy was a minor character. My friend Danny Walter is an actor who pays close attention to characters and their voices. He started asking me questions about the ale boy. I started exploring possibilities, and realized that the ale boy had a much bigger part to play in the story.

I’m finishing the sequel, Cyndere’s Midnight, and I’m still discovering more about the ale boy. He has a particular call that he’s following, and it’s leading him into some rather horrifying places.

GFTW: What has been your favorite reaction to Auralia’s Colors from a reader or critic?

Overstreet That’s a tough question. I’ve been bowled over by the enthusiasm in the letters I’m receiving.

I thought I had made up the name “Auralia.” I experimented with combinations of letters from other names and words I like: aura, Laura, Leah. But then I received a letter from someone named Auralia. She bought the book simply because her name was on the cover! She informed me that the name means “golden lion of God.” That kind of freaked me out. I had no idea.

I had to chuckle when a fellow at Amazon gave the book a low rating because it reminded him of the writing of George Macdonald. Hey, I’ll take that as a compliment!

But my favorite responses have come from two extraordinary artists whose work has not received the kind of attention it deserves. They both wrote to say that they felt related to Auralia, because of her relentless creativity and her frustrations at how others take what she does for granted. That made the whole project worthwhile.

GFTW: What can you tell us about the sequel to Auralia’s Colors, Cyndere’s Midnight?

Overstreet: You could call it my version of Beauty and the Beast. But my version has two beauties and a whole pack of beasts.

Auralia’s Colors focuses on House Abascar. Cyndere’s Midnight takes you into a world of monsters — the ruins of House Cent Regus, where people have fallen under a curse that turns them into murderous beasts. You’ll catch glimpses of these beastmen in Auralia’s story, and you’ll learn about the mysterious monster who crept into Auralia’s hideaway in the first book.

It’s also about House Bel Amica, the wealthy and powerful society beside the sea. You’ll meet the heiress to the throne, Cyndere. Cyndere has the scandalous idea that there is a better way to deal with the beastmen than just hunting and killing them.

Things get out of control quickly when Auralia’s Colors bring together the heiress and a beastman, as well as the ale boy, Cyndere’s beautiful helper Emeriene, an ambitious soldier named Ryllion, and that dreamer from House Abascar named Cal-raven.

GFTW: Beyond the usual authors recommended (like Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Madeline L’Engle) whose works would you recommend that fantasy enthusiasts read?

Overstreet: When I first read Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin, I was enthralled. And I ended up marrying the woman who first recommended it to me. It’s set in New York, but it’s a New York so richly imagined that it’s a whole new wonderland. Helprin writes so beautifully that it could make you want to just give up writing.

I love the way Guy Gavriel Kay tells a story. In books like Sailing to Sarantium and The Lions of Al-Rassan, he imagines new worlds, but they’re firmly rooted in the details of actual human history. He gives us many different perspectives on a single world, from the rich to the poor, the young to the old. That is not only creative, but it’s compassionate. It trains us to consider other people’s perspectives, which is good for our hearts.

I also recommend Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast, for his exaggerated, spectacular descriptions; Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow, a powerful work of “theological science fiction”; and a little-known story by Michael Ende called Momo, which is a fairy tale just waiting for someone to turn it into a fantastic feature film.

GFTW: As a professional movie critic, what advice would you give to people (such as myself) on the best way to critique a work of art like movies or literature?

Overstreet: I spend quite a few pages in Through a Screen Darkly telling stories about what I’ve learned about writing film reviews. And I’ve included a guide there for movie discussion groups. I highly recommend starting a movie discussion group. We learn a lot about each other when we compare our responses to a work of art.

There are a lot of questions to consider when watching a movie, or reading a book for that matter: Don’t just ask, “Did you like it?” Talk about what worked and what didn’t. Ask what the artist’s intentions seemed to be, and then weigh whether you thought those goals were achieved. Consider the film’s intended audience: Who are they, how old are they, and will this film serve them? Consider the technical aspects of the film: Whose performance was memorable, and why? What did the filmmaker’s choices regarding color, design, editing, and music do for the film? Did anything in the work draw too much attention to itself?

But I’d also encourage people to examine their own feelings about the film. It may have been powerful, but did it reveal anything true? If it was disturbing, why did it disturb you? Was it a film condoning evil, or was it exposing evil so we can understand both good and evil better? Did it make you feel good? If so, how? Was it sentimental, or honest? Was it telling us what we want to hear, or was it telling the truth? Did it preach its message, or did it show us something and let us think for ourselves?

GFTW: Any parting thoughts or comments?

Overstreet: If anyone is interested in discussing Auralia’s Colors… or movies for that matter… everyone is invited to visit me at LookingCloser.org. That’s where you’ll find my archive of film reviews, and my blog, which I update almost every day.

GFTW: Thanks for taking the time.

For more, read Fantasy Debut's Interview with Jeffrey Overstreet.

This post is part of the CSFF blog tour for January 2008. Read posts from these other participants in the tour:

Brandon Barr Jim Black Justin Boyer Grace Bridges Jackie Castle Carol Bruce Collett Valerie Comer CSFF Blog Tour D. G. D. Davidson Chris Deanne Jeff Draper April Erwin Marcus Goodyear Andrea Graham Jill Hart Katie Hart Timothy Hicks Heather R. Hunt Becca Johnson Jason Joyner Kait Karen Carol Keen Mike Lynch Margaret Rachel Marks Shannon McNear Melissa Meeks Rebecca LuElla Miller Mirtika or Mir's Here Pamela Morrisson Eve Nielsen John W. Otte John Ottinger Deena Peterson Rachelle Steve Rice Cheryl Russel Ashley Rutherford Hanna Sandvig Chawna Schroeder James Somers Rachelle Sperling Donna Swanson Steve Trower Speculative Faith Jason Waguespac Laura Williams Timothy Wise

(Photos © Fritz Liedtke or Jeffrey Overstreet)

Book Review: Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet

* Genre: Fantasy
* ISBN: 1400072522
* ISBN-13: 9781400072521
* Format: Paperback, 336pp
* Publisher: WaterBrook Press
* Pub. Date: September 2007
* Series: Auralia Strand Series
* My Interview with Jeffrey Overstreet

In the story of Esther, a young woman marries a king and changes the kingdom for the better, at least in the case of the Jews, the lowest caste. Auralia’s Colors, by Jeffrey Overstreet, is reminiscent of this story from the Old Testament. As with Esther, Auralia is a young woman of beauty and talent that changes the society that shuns her so much that it can never return to the way it was.

Overstreet, a nonfiction writer known for his movie reviews and perspectives on art and entertainment, has turned to fantasy for his first foray into fiction. A psychological and emotional story, Auralia’s Colors tells the story of Auralia, a foundling gifted with the ability to weave the items of the forest into beautiful cloths. House Abascar’s attempt at creating equality by removing colored items from all people and only distributing it by the king’s favor has only deepened the gulf between the poor and the rich. People have become more selfish as they have sought to curry the King’s favor an the caste system has only become more deeply striated. Auralia’s ability with color upsets all that the people of Abascar had come to know in the last twenty years since color had been outlawed, and this fragile house, led by a drunken king, is unlikely to withstand the torrent her power unleashes.

More a series of character studies than a comprehensive novel, the narrative follows Prince Cal-raven, his betrothed Stricia, the ale boy, Auralia, and a few others as the seek to live in the deeply broken society of House Abascar. Each character suffers under various pressures and each reacts differently. Some rise to heroism, some devolve into selfishness, and some becoming something more than they thought they were, and all because Auralia had walked through their lives.

The novel focuses on the emotions and reactions of the characters not description of the events that occur. I felt that the narrative was thinly woven together and that I didn’t really know what was going on throughout the story. It made the narrative seem broken and disjointed, as most the action was seen only through a veil of thick emotion, making it harder to understand what was going on. Overstreet prefers to use metaphor and simile to describe what is going on, rather than using direct description. This gives the novel the feel of poetry, but for those readers who are dense with poetry, this is more frustrating than entertaining. Additionally, Auralia’s Colors has lots of things happen, but it seems as if Overstreet kept changing his mind as to what story he was trying to tell. Is it the story of the ale boy? Or Auralia? Or Prince Cal-raven? I couldn’t tell, and the lack of clearly defined hero or heroine was unexpected and difficult for me as a reader. In fantasy, writers usually have a clearly defined evil, and a clearly defined good, even when an anti-hero drives the narrative. Auralia’s Colors is weaving together several lives into a garment of brilliant colors that will change the future of House Abascar irrevocably. The disconnected threads of the story are only brought together in the final few chapters.

But some readers may like this fact. It is often very hard for people to know what is evil and what is good. When should a subject break a king’s laws? At what point has benevolence moved into dictatorship? And is it the place of the king to create equality among his subjects? Overstreet brings this third question to the fore on page 254, “You want a gift from the king? Hear this: if you allow Abascar freedom, some people will choose what they shouldn’t. … But take away that freedom, and no one has opportunity to choose what they should.”

If as a reader you are looking for a philosophical novel this book will be good for you. It addresses themes of right and wrong, government and the people, hope and despair. But it should not be a book the reader picks up expecting to read quickly or easily. It will make its readers think and will challenge them as they turn the pages.

Auralia’s Colors is very well-written. Although its narrative seemed to lack cohesion (it doesn't, it just seems to) for its majority, the questions about life it raises are worth exploring. Although none of the characters are particularly compelling, the interplay between them is. The tapestry woven through their stories is beautiful and is completed through a cataclysmic event that brings all the threads together. The descriptions have the feel of poetry and the narrative is vibrant with color. Auralia’s Colors is the first in a series of books that weave together the threads of different lives, changing the world and society that they are a part of into something completely new. I recommend Auralia’s Colors as a good but challenging read.

You should also read the reviews by Graeme's Fantasy Book Review, Fantasy Debut, Fantasy Book Critic and OF Blog of the Fallen, as their perspectives are quite different from mine.

This post is part of the CSFF blog tour for January 2008. Read posts from these other participants in the tour:

Brandon Barr Jim Black Justin Boyer Grace Bridges Jackie Castle Carol Bruce Collett Valerie Comer CSFF Blog Tour D. G. D. Davidson Chris Deanne Jeff Draper April Erwin Marcus Goodyear Andrea Graham Jill Hart Katie Hart Timothy Hicks Heather R. Hunt Becca Johnson Jason Joyner Kait Karen Carol Keen Mike Lynch Margaret Rachel Marks Shannon McNear Melissa Meeks Rebecca LuElla Miller Mirtika or Mir's Here Pamela Morrisson Eve Nielsen John W. Otte John Ottinger Deena Peterson Rachelle Steve Rice Cheryl Russel Ashley Rutherford Hanna Sandvig Chawna Schroeder James Somers Rachelle Sperling Donna Swanson Steve Trower Speculative Faith Jason Waguespac Laura Williams Timothy Wise

A professor from my tiny alma mater writes a dystopic SF novel

According to my good friend Irresponsible Journalism, a professor who was recently added to the staff of our alma mater, Covenant College, has published a science fiction novel with Xulon Press (a POD Publisher) called The Dreamers of Allianz.

The publisher summarizes the book this way:

"In the aftermath of the Great Digital Meltdown, human culture has been politically and technologically reinvented. The world’s population now stands divided between a fast growing Cognit implanted majority and a nonimplanted minority – respectively, the privileged and the excluded. For the followers of The Name, this means struggling against the evil Allianz Federation and the great deception of its popular dream-based metaphysical teachings, the Path of Transcienz. In the American South, members of a worldwide, faith-based Resistance movement have attracted the wrath of the Allianz leadership. Meanwhile, another type of dreaming – among non-implanted children – threatens the future of the entire Federation. As repression against enemies of the Allianz Code increases, the worldwide Resistance is forced to strategically move underground. Great peril and amazing hope collide in this gripping novel about the global underground Church decades in the future, during a time when non-conformity with the world system means persecution and risking everything for the glory of The Name."

Read a student review here.

You can purchase the book at the college's bookstore The Tuck Shoppe, for cheaper than at the Xulon website if you are interested.

I will be reading it and reviewing it in the near future.

A Year of Reading 2008

This is a continually updated list of all the books I have read in the year 2008. Links are to reviews I have written for some of these books. You can also look at my list for 2007.

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

January

Series 65: Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam Manual by Kaplan Financial
The Prodigal Troll by Charles Coleman Finlay
Instant Knowledge by the editors at mental_floss
The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes
In The Beginning by the editors at mental_floss
Eberron: Bound by Iron by Edward Bolme
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy edited by W. H. Horner
Hunter's Run by George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham
A Bit of Madness by Emmanuel Civiello and Thomas Mosdi
Goblin Hero by Jim C. Hines
The Shadow and Night by Chris Walley
Dragon Outcast by E. E. Knight

February

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams
Breach the Hull edited by Mike McPhail
Confessor by Terry Goodkind
Blood Ties by Pamela Freeman
Sojourn Volume 6: The Bezerker's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
Forgotten Realms: Neversfall by Ed Gentry
Infoquake by David Louis Edelman
The Golden Cord