by J.A. Webb | Mar 15, 2025 | Blog post
As I read The Old Gods Waken by Manly Wade Wellman, I began to wonder . . . should Christians read stories about White Magic?
Amid completing final edits on my upcoming novel, Inheritance, I took a much needed break to spend a few hours away from the keyboard. I used that opportunity to listen to a new book, at least new to me- a recommendation from a friend . . . (thanks Rick!).
Even better- this book was read by my favorite narrator of all time- who now voices my own books. Multi-Grammy, Nebula, Audie, etc. Award-winning narrator Stefan Rudnicki, of Enders’s Game fame. What a great voice!
The Old Gods Waken by Manly Wade Wellman led us on a thrilling excursion into the Appalachian mountains of the United States. There we left the modern world behind and entered one peopled by unpretentious mountain folk, their simple ways, their folk wisdom — and by Others — shadows from another age . . . one much older. Darker.
Here in these craggy mountains are things of an unseen world, forgotten by modern history, dismissed by modern science. But all too well remembered in the lore of these deep-rooted mountain folk. And these folk know well how to respond when suddenly, those dark entities attack.
The main character- John, better known as John Silver, plays the central role in a series of five novels and dozens of short stories. In this, the first book of the series, he and his friends fall victim to unseen attacks by practitioners of dark magics. They band together and take the offensive in a thrilling tale of good vanquishing an unquestionable evil.
The characters jump off the page, each with their own vibrant personalities, the picture of each painted with the elegant, unobtrusive brushstrokes of a master storyteller. The story line is straightforward, the prose spare and unobtrusive. Crisp. Clean. The regional dialects are well portrayed and real-to-life. And while the plot and the antagonists might at first glance seem to be a bit campy, the mastery on display in the development and portrayal of the protagonists evidence the fact that this might be intentional. I think it is.
Why? Because this is pulp fiction at its best. A fun, thrilling story, an escape from the pressures and perils we face in our own world- every day. A story that doesn’t offer more existential angst, but less. A stress-free adventure the reader might inhabit, join John and his cohorts, and defeat the evil enemy. Never having to fear elevating their own cortisol levels.
In short- a fun read. But one which does acknowledge the existence of the unseen worlds. And the entities which inhabit it. Including our own Creator God.
One thing I love about this story is this- the magic system in this world is not one which has been made-up from whole cloth. The author portrays the very real world, the very real Powers and Principalities that we all struggle with, as Paul so appropriately points out in Ephesians 6:12. Our world needs more stories which explore this topic- of True Magic. Our age has too long denied its presence.
An aside- for the purposes of these discussions, I will define magic as anything which violates the laws of physics, of time and space. Not my definition, and if I knew where I’d first heard it, I’d give credit. But I don’t.
The point is this. Who can do the impossible? Who can freely defy these laws? Of course, our Creator God can, and does. So, it seems, can the heavenly host. The angels. Both those who serve Creator God, and those now in rebellion.
This story explores this unseen world of True Magic, both dark and light. Not creating a new fictional reality, but drawing upon the knowledge of the real- folklore, both biblical and arcane. Occult.
But should Christians read stories about this unseen world? The occult?
I contend that the unseen world is as real as that which we inhabit. As real as all we see, touch, and feel. And though we can’t ordinarily perceive that unseen world, we should be aware of that reality and stand against those dark, unseen forces. After all, Paul says “we struggle” against them. “Struggling against” is not a “willful ignorance” of. The Apostles, other disciples, and even Jesus often waged war against the dark forces- casting out demons . . . saving all who would accept the Truth- a truth itself hailing from the unseen realm.
A caveat. To be too pruriently interested in the things of the occult is not healthy, and I’m not encouraging that. I am encouraging a healthy, well-informed knowledge of the enemy, that we might guard against his wiles.
Which brings me to my second point as it relates to this story. What are the weapons we are to employ against this unseen enemy? Paul makes it clear in Ephesians 6:11– this is the armor of God, the armor of light. I refer you to the teachings of Paul, rather than expand upon this subject here. But in short, when doing battle with our unseen enemies we are to employ- or more rightly deploy- His Truth, His Righteousness, the covering of His Salvation, the Gospel, and the Word of God. Not with our own strength, but His.
So back to our story. Did Silver John and his companions follow Paul’s exhortations? Did they enter battle with the prescribed armory? Calling upon His power? The answer is not clear-cut. Prayer is mentioned as a weapon, as is God. But many of the tactics used during “magical battle” hearken more of white magic than they do of true spiritual battle. Is this done simply for the sake of a thrilling story with a bit of “magical world-building” thrown in- drawn from real folklore? Is it done for the sake of story simplicity?
After all- stopping the action cold for a three chapter treatise on Ephesians 6 might not be a great storytelling tactic. Tom Clancy might get away with a multi-thousand word treatise on the construction of nuclear weapons- right in the middle of a thriller novel- but the rest of us aren’t Tom Clancy.
So- should Christians read this story of White Magic? Will the remainder of the Silver John saga bring more spiritual clarity? Will this story which, quite accurately portrays the unseen worlds and the dark entities which inhabit them, eventually portray the bible and the gospel with equal accuracy? Though some commentators do suggest the Silver John stories flesh out a “primitive gospel-based Christianity”, I don’t know the answer to these questions. Yet.
Either way- this is a fun story of good vanquishing evil, of the unseen realms. And I, for one, will be continuing this journey with Manly Wade Wellman.
Besides. Be honest. Wouldn’t you, right now, love to take a few evil bad guys to the woodshed? I’d bet a few are coming to your mind, even now.
by J.A. Webb | Feb 22, 2025 | Blog post
Must Christian men turn to the past to find great fantastical tales?
Are there any undiscovered jewels lost among the dusty tomes lining the shelves of stories past? Read on, as we tell a tale of our recent journeys, and decide for yourself.
Having despaired of locating modern Fantastical fiction — written for adult — (dare I say it . . . Men?), we turned our attention backward in time, a path our feet have so often gravitated toward when frustrated by the dearth present in modern day writing.
But in this disheartened rout, unlike so many other times, we passed by the admittedly tempting safe harbors of Lewis and Tolkien, where so often we’ve taken shelter, crying all the while “oh where are the great modern day Christian authors, who would write for such as we?”
But as we marched wearily onward, a faint cry reached our ears from the depth of a wood by which we were about to pass. Though it were the blackest of woods, we could not but heed the call, and gladly there we met author John Buchan. As the sunset and the blackwood encroached, he whispered to us a tale set in Scotland of the 1600s, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
Witch Wood is a speculative tale of ancient pagan magic and a battle between true godliness, variations of false religiosity, and the unseen world. There are no anti-heroes here, no pale pastels, no gray areas or moral ambiguity. Only good and evil, true heroes fighting self-sacrificially for the right, unsympathetic villains, the banally self-ignorant, and the willfully sinful.
The supernatural elements of the story are so elegantly portrayed as to cause the hairs to rise on the back of the neck. Better, the author does not make the mistake that so many modern Christian authors do, namely, the monster is never shown in the light of day. One only catches glimpses of him as he darts between the deep wood shadows, never losing the power of dread.
The setting is gorgeously illuminated in the imagination of the reader. The characters are vibrant and true to life. The story and the stakes were such that we often found ourselves clenching fists and gritting teeth.
In short, we’ve found, finally, a “new” fantastical tale worthy of the attention of Christian men. It’s so satisfying to say that!
P.S.- It would be unworthy if I didn’t give credit where credit was due. I discovered this story when Leo Vaughn mentioned it in a recent post on his Substack blog- Resurrecting the Real.
He’s a writer of Christian fantasy himself, frighteningly smart, and his blog is a great read. Check it out!
by J.A. Webb | Feb 8, 2025 | Blog post
Should Christian men read Kathy Tyers’s space opera Firebird?
The search for thrilling fantastical fiction for Christian men is sometimes so difficult I’ll take a risk when I discover an older title that seems to have promise.
I took one of those risks this month on Firebird by Kathy Tyers. The second edition was released in 1999 and is described as Christian science fiction. When the (audio thank you!) book opened, I was quickly hooked by a romping space opera complete with thrilling space battles and tooth-grinding political corruption and intrigue.
In short, I was having a great time and was quite proud to have discovered a hidden gem in those dusty archives. Then, as if the protagonist’s X-wing fighter stopped mid-air- the munitions aimed her direction frozen mid-flight, the book devolved into an unmitigated romance.
Not a fan of romance, myself, I nearly DNF’d the thing. Yet the first third of the book was so good, I stuck it out, and once the story had cleared its romance-loving throat, the action picked up and finished with a satisfying conclusion.
One of the most interesting things about Firebird is the presentation of the Christian faith- and though not named as such, the references are obvious. The faith-centric story line even features a conversion experience complete with an epiphany. One that was well-written, true to real-world experience, and emotionally evocative. Good stuff.
So- should Christian men read Firebird? Any guy who loves a little battle-intensive space opera will enjoy this story . . . as long as they are able to endure the romantic middle. Of course, for anyone who likes space opera and romance- this is the book for you. A well-written thrilling read (except for the romance shoved in the middle — or did I already mention that?).
So although my search for great masculine fantastical fiction for Christian Men continues unrequited, our journey into the far reaches of space did not return altogether void.
by J.A. Webb | Feb 8, 2025 | Blog post
Should Christian men read Nobledark fantasy?
Possibly- if they enjoy stories about flawed heroes mired in a world of incredible darkness, overcoming crushing odds and battling to reach the light.
Particularly- if the author happens to be a Christian.
Positively- if that Christian author weaves the gospel message throughout.
For the Christian reader, aside from the grim world and an often violent story, the problem with most secular Nobledark fantasy is how the hero achieves the goal. Often, these stories feature heroes who overcome and achieve admittedly worthy goals — but strictly by their own strength. This is true even where that strength is supernatural. Magical. It’s still a power of them, not of God.
Worse, what it means to do good is often based only upon what is good in their own eyes, but not in obedience to the one and only Higher Power of the universe. Oh, the story often does feature “gods” of some sort, but the hero will never find the ultimate Truth. Because the real God of Creation will not be found in those pages.
Therefore, though the hero may experience some sort of transformation, they will never experience the one transformation that matters.
In Darkness Cast, much like other Nobledark fantasies, is set in an incredibly dark world. It’s violent. Terrible things happen.
As Western Christians, comfortable in our own sheltered worlds, we often shrink from such. But to do so is to forget that many genuine heroes have braved that darkness, the violence. Have seen terrible things . . . many of those terrible things happened to them.
They’ve willingly done so that the innocent (you and me) might live in freedom- experiencing no such thing themselves. Never even imagining such.
So it will behoove us to acknowledge that the darkness exists. To realize that even if grittier, dark stories aren’t our preferred reading fodder, they serve a purpose for some Christian readers. These stories mirror real world experience, touch some at a soul level. Engage those readers with the Power of Story for God’s Glory- men whose inner being will never resonate with stories of romantic suspense or even the supernatural suspense and intrigue of my own story world.
So- again the question. Should Christian men read Nobledark fantasy? My answer is yes, if it’s Jonathan Shuerger’s In Darkness Cast -because in Jonathan’s story, the God of Creation plays a leading role. The Gospel and the redemption of the sinner, even the chief of sinners, is a central theme, shining light where “darkness has been cast,” illuminating that lost world. Revealing the path to an eternity worth fighting for.
The author has woven these eternal truths into his story in a way that’s not intrusive. Is natural. Inevitable. Not cheesy or forced.
So finally, after such a long and arduous journey, we can report the acquisition of the long-sought prize- a fantastical story I wholeheartedly recommend to adult male Christian readers!
May this be the first of many.
by J.A. Webb | Jan 23, 2025 | Blog post
Robert A. Heinlein- I wish he’d been a Christian.
Heinlein, my favorite author as an unsaved young man, is a cautionary tale. Imagine what such a genius might have produced, had his writing have been informed by a biblical worldview!
Let me explain.
I’m in the middle of a stack of Christian-made fantastical novels- many of which you really should run out and read. Right now. Really, really exciting stuff.
But- you’ll have to wait for the next newsletter to find out about them. 🙂
Because, at a recent get together of Christian authors, I was in conversation with a new friend (hey Zachary!) who had just read Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. For the first time. Ever.
In that conversation we talked about what a master the man was, and how (sadly) so few of his books could, in good faith, be recommended to another adult Christian without content warnings. I’d add that, in many cases, my conscious would dictate that I warn the reader to steer clear altogether. (Don’t you wish for a Christian author of Heinlein’s talent and prolificity?)
In the case of some books, a reader might fast forward through the occasional content-rated scene — as long as they kept their “world view” and “unstated assumption” armor strapped firmly in place. In the case of others, the rot is set too deep, and there is no morsel one might safely sample without violating the admonition to “guard your heart and mind”. Some things really can’t be unseen.
It should go without saying (but I’ll say it here anyway) that most books which one might recommend to an adult with caveats would have to be considered off-limits altogether for the younger reader. Adults, at least those who stand on the firm foundation of a Biblical worldview, might more safely withstand the wiles of the enemy. Younger people, whose abstract reasoning abilities are neither fully developed nor fully trained; are more susceptible to sophistries, unstated assumptions, or outright lies . . . pleasant lies, well crafted lies, and so easily assimilated. I may yet publish the blog post I’ve started a million times, but have not yet completed, entitled How reading “great literature” helped make me a militant atheist.
As a very, very, inappropriately young reader, I discovered Heinlein, and devoured everything he wrote. Sadly, without any such guidance or worldview. I’d like to save others from the same mistake, without placing all of his work off-limits. Much of it deserves no such fate.
So I left that conversation motivated to create my own list of Heinlein’s work, with “content warning levels” for each. Here it is! I hope it’s helpful.
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Rocket Ship Galileo, 1947
YA hard sci-fi, and obviously an early, somewhat clumsy, work- but thrilling to me as an aspiring young would-be astronaut. Suitable for all readers.
Beyond This Horizon, 1948
A Sci-fi novel in the vein of Brave New World, Truly visionary- Reads like a prophesy of issues and events from today’s newsfeed- including genetic engineering and UBI. But carries a content warning. Heinlein’s bent toward eastern spiritual mysteries rear its head in this story, including a belief in reincarnation and ESP.
Space Cadet, 1948
YA hard sci-fi, much deeper and more polished that Rocket Ship. Suitable for all readers. Some political posturing. Belay that- he does that in all his works, so take that as a given. 🙂
Red Planet, 1949
YA hard sci-fi, very well written and suitable for all readers.
Sixth Column, 1949
Hard sci-fi. One of my favorites as a young reader, and suitable for all ages
Farmer in the Sky, 1950
Juvenile/YA hard sci-fi and suitable for all ages
Waldo and Magic, Inc., 1950
Adult Fantasy. Waldo is a great story with the content warning that the entire premise depends on a New Age understanding of the multi-verse and untapped human capacities. Magic, Inc. is wholly based on, and full of, occult magical practices- presented as completely benign. Extreme caution.
Between Planets, 1951
YA (edging toward adult) hard sci-fi, suitable for all ages
The Puppet Masters, 1951
Hard Sci-fi, later released in movie form and a truly great story- but with a caveat. There are two versions; the original release has some mildly rated sexual content. In the later, expanded release, the same content is not mild. Go with the early release, and that with guidance.
The Rolling Stones, 1952
YA Hard Sci-fi, suitable for all ages.
Starman Jones, 1953
YA (edging on adult) hard sci-fi which can be enjoyed by adults, suitable for all ages
The Star Beast, 1954
YA Hard Sci-fi, suitable for all ages.
Tunnel in the Sky, 1955
YA (edging on adult) Hard Sci-fi, suitable for all ages. One of my favorites.
Double Star, 1956
YA (edging on adult) Hard Sci-fi, suitable for all ages, but with a mildly rated romantic interest. Interesting for the appearance of an unreliable narrator.
Time for the Stars, 1956
YA Hard Sci-fi, suitable for all ages. Cautions include: ESP dominates the storyline, but with more of a “fantastical” bent than the New Age flavor of later novels. Protagonist ends up marrying his own great-great grandniece. Probably benign enough, if I didn’t already know of Heinlein’s later literary deviancy. As it is- makes me cringe- but that’s probably just me.
Citizen of the Galaxy, 1957
NA (edging on adult) Hard Sci-fi, suitable for all ages and one of my favorites.
The Door into Summer, 1957
Adult hard sci-fi. Warnings include portrayal of a nudist colony and Heinlein’s advocacy for free love, which grows even stronger in his later works. But a good story, aside from these flaws.
Have Space Suit, Will Travel, 1958
Juvenile/YA, suitable for all ages. The first of Heinlein’s that I read.
Methuselah’s Children, 1958
Adult hard sci-fi. Warnings include opening scenes portraying casual, unmarried sex. Yet, I still love the story.
The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathon Hoag, 1959
Adult Fantasy. A mind-bending, and suitable for mature readers (it may be a bit scary for younger readers not familiar with darker forms of suspense). The only guarded caveat would be the presentation of the creation/fall/and post-millennial universe, which is at odds with the biblical view. In short, Heinlein has created his own theology with this one.
Starship Troopers, 1959
YA Hard Sci-fi, suitable for most ages. Notable for introducing the idea of powered armor, and arguably marks the birth of military sci-fi. Much better than the movie.
Stranger in a Strange Land, 1961
Adult hard sci-fi. And such a waste. What could Heinlein have blessed the world with had he been a Christian? Instead, we got this incredible, epic masterpiece which I can’t, in good faith, recommend to anyone.
Free love, communal utopianism, eastern mysticism, and the belief in untapped godlike powers innate in the human mind are so interwoven into this story that they can’t be avoided. One might say they are the story. The concept which the book pushes with missionary zeal, namely “Thou art God”, should give the shivers to anyone with any shred of biblical understanding.
I once loved this book, when I was an atheist. Now I can say only this- sometimes even great art isn’t worth the territory one must walk through to approach it.
Avoid this one.
Podkayne of Mars, 1963
YA Hard Sci-fi, suitable for most ages
Orphans of the Sky, 1963
YA/Adult Hard Sci-fi, suitable for most ages except some R rated violence and cannibalism.
Glory Road, 1963
Adult Fantasy. An Alice-in-Wonderland tour of alternate universes inhabited by strange and exciting worlds. Would be a great, if only not for the constant X rated content, including pedophilia. Pass- the content is too pervasive.
Farnham’s Freehold, 1964
Adult post-apocalyptic Fantasy. Would be a good story, if not for the sexual content and defense of marital infidelity. Seeing a pattern here? On the other hand, this was the book which taught me how to make ersatz dynamite, so maybe a wash?
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, 1966
YA Hard Sci-fi. One of my favorites of all time, and envisions Artificial General Intelligence at a time when computers were dumber than your first smart phone. Content warning- sexual mores on the moon are non-existent. It’s a free-for-all out there. Be prepared.
The Past Through Tomorrow, 1967
YA Hard Sci-fi. This is a collection of short stories, classic Heinlein, and all, with few exceptions that I recall (such as Methuselah, which is rated separately here) are suitable for all readers with no content warnings.
I Will Fear No Evil, 1970
Adult Dystopian Sci-fi. Another great story needlessly ruined by pervasive sexual content and New Age metaphysics. Difficult to separate the tares from the wheat with this one. Avoid it.
Time Enough For Love, 1973
Adult Hard Sci-fi. Another book which could have been a greatest of all time, if every page had not been needlessly steeped in sexual perversion. Sadly, best to avoid it.
The Number of the Beast, 1980
Adult Sci-fi fantasy. And not a good book, even if the content warnings weren’t so high. Avoid it for both reasons.
Friday, 1982
Adult Hard Sci-fi. A real adventure and would be a fun book, if not for the pervasive content. I’m going to save my fingers and start using ctrl-c. Sorry, not a good enough story to warrant wading through the muck.
Job, a Comedy of Justice, 1984
Adult Fantasy. Not recommended for anyone- unless you’d like to enjoy (vicariously, of course) a pleasant weekend partying in Texas with Satan, going to and rejecting heaven (full of the narrow-minded and crotchety and no fun at all), and instead preferring hell, which is presented as a pleasant place . . . the place everyone would go, given the choice.
After Job, I couldn’t follow where Heinlein was leading- too cringy even for (at the time) a confirmed atheist; so for Heinlein’s works after 1984 I can only say:
The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, 1985
Avoid it
To Sail Beyond the Sunset, 1987
Avoid it
For us, the Living: A Comedy of Customs
Avoid it
So, to recap, though some of Heinlein’s work still merits attention, none of it can be classified as Christian; so my epic search for great fantastical Christian fiction for adults– (adult males? Please?) -continues apace . . . and still unrequited.
by J.A. Webb | Dec 27, 2024 | Blog post
Review of Lord Foul’s Bane– The Chronicles of Thomas the Unbeliever Book 1
by Stephen R. Donaldson
Content warning- this review of Lord Foul’s Bane includes references not suitable for young audiences.
I really, really wanted to like Lord Fouls’ Bane, mainly because Donaldson’s prose was so very pretty at times. And a ten-book series? Who wouldn’t love that?
I even stuck through the rape scene in the opening chapters, hoping the book would eventually redeem itself- make that terrible experience fulfill some purpose.
But sadly, no. Three fourths of the way through the book I realized my error. There would be no redemption.
Oh, to be fair- Donaldson may, in fact, be planning to redeem his protagonist, or at least the story. I’ll never know. I’m unable to read on.
The good-
THE PROSE-As I mentioned above, the prose was rich, deep, sometimes evocative.
THE WORLD- Is well-imagined- big, highly creative, fitting for a story of epic scope.
SOME CHARACTERS- Drew me to them. Were likeable.
THE BATTLE- Between good and evil- a perfect stage for a great, rambling epic story.
The bad-
THE PROSE- Although sometimes a joy, often tried a little too hard. And sometimes words were used too creatively for their own good- I’ll not get into it here but do a web search for “Thomas Covenant +clench”.
THE WRITING- I realize this was written in 1977, but The Elements of Style has been around much longer than that- so age is not really a fair excuse for all the telling and head-hopping going on in this book.
THE CHARACTERS- Some were likable. At moments. The main protagonist was not one of them.
He was not even a strong anti-hero (and we really don’t need more anti-heros do we? Give me a real hero). I was unable to cheer for him or cry for him. In the end I couldn’t even urge the protagonist to go on any longer, but found myself urging the author, instead, to do something with what had the makings of a great story- but he let me down, too.
THE WORLD- Although creative, features a bit too much earth-worship. Too much for my taste, and too much for the good of the story- it seemed a bit forced, an axe the author wanted to grind.
THE STORY- Seemed to wander, go nowhere. I kept yawning. Probably because I was unable to really care about any of the characters, most of whom were cardboard cutouts.
THE BATTLE- between good and evil had potential to be one of great scope. Instead the author gave us milk-toast, sniveling villains which he then further destroyed by showing them to us in the opening scenes- as campy, predictable portrayals of demons with little power, encouraging the reader neither to fear nor to enmity.
Furthermore- the theology is flawed and reduced the scope of what could have been a great battle. These evil entities were minuscule, and then were portrayed as EQUALS to the creator god. If the god of all creation is that small, how could there ever be an awe-inspiring final battle? Your god inspires no awe.
So- my search for great Christian epic fantasy– or in this case non-Christian fantasy which Christians might enjoy- continues. Unrequited.
J. A. Webb
