Christian men might reasonably wonder- “Why bother to read a Time Travel Dystopian Magical Fantasy written in 1889?”

But if you are asking yourself the same question right now- read on. If you pass this one up because of it’s age you’ll be missing a treat.

As a grade schooler, I so loved The Prince and the Pauper that I grabbed the next book in the Mark Twain section- which happened to be this one- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. I, like the character of the story, was immediately transported to a new world. One of which I had never imagined. And like him, one I never wanted to depart.

And speaking of being transported into a story- this story is available in audio, narrated by Nick Offerman of TV’s Parks and Rec fame. Give that guy a snow white mustachio and he might be Samuel Clemens. Fantastic work!

But why, as a Christian man, bother to read a book written in 1889? Much less love it? And one of Time travel?? With our modern understanding, such an outdated tale is a waste of our time, no?

That depends. Do you love dry humor or sarcastic barbs? Dystopian social commentary so skillfully woven into the story that you’ll miss it as it slides right past your awareness and into a deeper part of your consciousness, where it will set up shop and begin to remodel the way you see your own world? In a historical setting, no less? Quite a trick, that!

No?

Then how about time travel, non-stop action, political intrigue, soundly beating weaselly bad guys, rescuing both fair maidens and the down-trodden- both at the same time? Would you enjoy a tale of a stalwart man, a defender of right-striving to mightily take hold of his world and correct all the many wrongs he observes- and succeeds? An epic saga of hard work and entrepreneurial genius? Of independence and rugged self-reliance? Of valiant battle against injustice, of social systems which both literally or figuratively enslave those trapped within that society?

“But,” you say, “I hate reading 19^th century prose. It’s so stilted, deciphering the story is such work. Won’t flow.”

I get it. But you’re out of excuses.

This book reads as naturally and as cleanly as if written yesterday. If I hadn’t told you, you’d not have known it was older than your grandpa. Or your great-grandpa.

“Oh,” you say, the beginnings of a knowing smirk glimmering in your eye. “You say this book is a great read for Christians, but I happen to know Mark Twain was a heathen. Not a Christian. What do you have to say about that?”

Hmm. Well, I can’t speak to Twain’s eternal condition. But perhaps I’ll share a few phrases from the book and let him speak for himself, such as:

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“ . . . Concentrated power in a political machine is bad and an established church is only a political machine.”

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In context, Twain was speaking of a government established religion- and it’s hard to disagree with that. I’d love a bit less concentrated power and fewer political machines in our time, wouldn’t you?

How about this one?:

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“ . . . We must have a religion, it goes without saying . . . “

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I could go on, but that’s not what this article is about- and plenty of others more qualified than I have already written about Twain’s supposed religious beliefs- well after his own death- coincidentally- so he can’t even have a say in the argument. And not one of those experts seems to agree with the other, by the way.

The point is- while we wait for the modern-day Tolkien to appear, or the Christian Heinlein or Asimov, there waits a fantastical tale that lies forgotten in the dusty tomes of your library. Dust it off. Join our intrepid traveler on his journey back in time.

Like him, you may never want to return.

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