I’m a reader. I read anything and everything. I’m always on the lookout for new authors and good fiction. I went to the bookstore tonight and browsed the Christian fiction section and didn’t see anything that jumped out at me. So I browsed the Literature/Fiction section and perused a number of books that had New York Times recommendations and other awards but I put them down because, so often, I find these books are well written but ultimately devoid of any hope or meaning.
I’ve read at least five books this year that I had hopes for that about halfway through just got slogged down in despair and meaningless where the denouement consisted of the main character essentially shrugging their shoulders and just accepting the meaninglessness of an accidental life on a rock hurtling aimlessly through space. Blech!
So I’m truly asking for your recommendations for well written modern fiction that has a bit of hope and faith. And I’m not talking just about “beat you over the head” Christian fiction where you overlook the awful writing in exchange for a good message.
July 13, 2011 at 4:40 am
almost anything by michael obrien. Bud mcfarland The surrender series. My journey through hell. Motherless and Fatherless. Marcus Grodi How Firm a Foundation
Hope it helps
July 13, 2011 at 5:20 am
Pretty much anything from the Bible. Talking serpent, talking donkey, fictional creation myths, women suffering in childbirth because of "Eve", worldwide flood that never happened, false genealogies of alleged messiahs. If you're into fiction, it's got what you need. God provides everything for us, even our fairy tales.
July 13, 2011 at 5:23 am
Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas.
Terry Pratchett. (I highly recommend the Night Watch group of Discworld.)
July 13, 2011 at 10:58 am
Try the bible.
July 13, 2011 at 11:18 am
Christian fiction? You might try anything written about Catholicism by the NY Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post, etc.
July 13, 2011 at 11:39 am
Motherless and Fatherless were really good. The third book in that series is coming out this fall and I'm really looking forward to that.
July 13, 2011 at 2:25 pm
Just finished Motherless. Eerily close to the mark. Great food for thought.
July 13, 2011 at 2:39 pm
I know you requested posting to the Register but I didn't want this one lost in that long list.
"The Sisters Brothers" by Patrick deWitt. I just read this in two days, passed it to my non-reader 19 son who, in turn, read it in two days.
I picked it up in the "new releases" at the library on a lark (I do, in fact, judge a book by it cover). I haven't read any reviews…think I'll do that now. You all should, too. The writing style was refreshing, the characters were…quite the character's.
July 13, 2011 at 2:40 pm
The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis.
July 13, 2011 at 2:43 pm
My husband really enjoyed Dean Koontz's Frankenstein series. He picked it up at an airport bookshop–not his usual fare. He even wrote Koontz a letter after asking him if the Catholic imagery in the books was intentional, etc and Koontz, who is indeed Catholic, wrote him back.
July 13, 2011 at 2:51 pm
I was going to cut and paste a review of "The Sisters Brothers" from this site but they were all so different and good that I decided to post the site.
http://patrickdewitt.net/press.html
Because, I want everyone to read it. And after you do, you can tell us what you think of it. Beside, you can probably pick it up at the local library.
July 13, 2011 at 2:54 pm
Dean Koontz is an amazing writer! I know he is known as a horror writer, but actually, his books are deeply spiritual. I love the Odd Thomas books, and I have enjoyed most of his other novels. They are definitely not for kids, most of them have more adult content than I care for, but he uses it to take you through reality to something at the edge. There is always a truth and always a profound message.
Thanks to all for many great suggestions! What a great thread!
July 13, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Coming out of lurker status to recommend anything by Connie Willis. It's time travel fiction, plus chaos theory, plus lots of redemption and beautiful writing.
July 13, 2011 at 3:26 pm
I am glad other posters mentioned the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz. It is fantastic.
Bridget N