“Guilt can be a good thing. It’s the soul’s call to action. The indication that something is wrong. The only way to rid your heart of it is to correct your mistakes and keep going until amends are made. I don’t know what you didn’t do or what you should have done, but the guilt… the guilt means your work is not yet finished.” Father Paul Lantom, “Daredevil,” Season 2×4 – “Penny and Dime” The second season of Daredevil opens not with a guilt-stricken Matt Murdock wrestling with what he’s about to do wrong but reveling in the very thing …
Gift Giving Guide for the Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reader in Your Life
Books make the best Christmas gifts. Unwrapping a book is like having a magical journey dropped in your lap. Once you crack open the pages, you know you will meet people you will never forget, experience heart-pounding adventures, and visit places that are wilder than your wildest dreams. Giving just the right book to just the right reader makes the experience truly magical. So, we decided to help you out with this Gift Giving Guide! For the Jedis, Starfleet Cadets, and Brown Coats in the Crowd Whether you’re a fan of the original Star Wars trilogy or have become …
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Between the Lines: Let the Devil Out, Part I
“I’m not seeking penance for what I’ve done, Father. I’m asking forgiveness… for what I’m about to do.”—Matt Murdock, “Daredevil,” Season 1×1 – “Into the Ring” With that line, coming at the end of a heartfelt confession, Marvel launched Daredevil in 2015. It was the first of the true superhero shows made for Netflix television by the powerhouse studio, not counting Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which has always been about the heroes behind the supers. This was a bold move in many ways, in part because the last outing for the character was a disastrous Ben Affleck version that hit screens …
Seven Questions with Morgan L. Busse
Today we are excited to have Christian fantasy and steampunk author Morgan L. Busse! She’s a writer by day and a mother by night. Her works include the Follower of the Word series, the recent Carol award-winning Soul Chronicles, and this month her latest fantasy novel releases, the Mark of the Raven. During her spare time she enjoys playing games, taking long walks, and dreaming about her next novel. Welcome Morgan! 1) What is your favorite part of speculative fiction? The imagination! There are no boundaries to speculative fiction. And I don’t just mean fantastical creatures like dragons or …
Seven Questions with Chawna Schroeder
Today we are excited to have fantasy author Chawna Schroeder with us! Chawna loves stretching both the imagination and faith through her novels. Living in Minnesota, she dreams of far-off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, and princes in disguise. When she isn’t committing her dreams to paper, you can find her studying the biblical languages, working with fiber, or teaching about the importance of discernment. Beast is her debut novel. Welcome, Chawna! 1) What is your favorite part of speculative fiction? The freedom to explore the vastness of God and the logical outcome of my faith. The genre’s otherworldliness allows me to …
Allegories: Dated and Dusty or Relevant and Rich
Jesus’ parables were allegorical. An allegory is a story where symbolic figures, actions or representations express deeper truths. In the parable of the prodigal son, for instance, the father represents our heavenly Father, while the son represents every person who has ever wandered off the right path before returning to the Father’s welcoming arms. Early Christian Allegories The Christian tradition has a long history of allegorical writing, the best known probably being John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678), which tells the story of “Christian” on his way to The Celestial City. Hannah Hurnard’s Hind’s Feet on High Places (1955), is …
Seven Questions with Steve Rzasa
This month we are excited to Steve Rzasa with us! Steve is the author of several novels of science-fiction, steampunk, and fantasy—with a bunch more in progress. His third novel, Broken Sight, received the 2012 Award for Speculative Fiction from the American Christian Fiction Writers. The Word Reclaimed (Enclave, 2009/2016) was a finalist for that award. The Word Endangered (Enclave, 2016) and Man Behind the Wheel were also finalists for the Realm Award. He’s been a journalist and librarian, father and husband. (You can check out his novels with Enclave here.) Welcome, Steve! 1) If you could travel anywhere for book research (all expenses paid) where would …
Chosen For a Quest – Will You Go?
You have been chosen for a Quest. Adventure is sure to await but the path will also be perilous and filled with obstacles and enemies. Are you willing to go? Fragment of Truth in Fantasy Fiction explored how fantasy writing often reflects fragments of biblical truth. Quests are such a fragment. The fantasy genre’s most common plotline is the quest. Like Bilbo leaving his comfortable hobbit hole to join the company of Dwarves as they set off to defeat the dragon Smaug and reclaim their homeland (The Hobbit, Tolkien). Or the Pevensies stepping through the wardrobe, to be …
Seven Questions with John W. Otte
Today we have the amazing John W. Otte with us! John is a life-long writer. He started with badly drawn comic books in the fifth grade. When he realized that he was a lousy artist, he moved on to badly written novels in middle school. He’s tried his hand at screenplays (don’t ask), stage plays (a little better), fanfic, teen mysteries, and religious fiction. But his first love has always been speculative fiction. His debut novel, Failstate, was published by Marcher Lord Press in April of 2012, and was a finalist for the Christy Awards in 2013. He has gone on to …