Request for Christian fiction titles for college-age dd --

[Gwen in VA]

I had such a wonderful response when I asked for book recommendations for my 14-yo reluctant reader that I am back again, this time for Christian fiction for my college-age dd.

We give Christian books to our kids each Easter -- sometimes fiction, sometimes biographies or non-fiction. This year we're giving my older son Idols for Destruction. I think that my dd would appreciate a more "fun" read than that, though we're going to give it to her later in the year.

I would really appreciate any suggestions. When I say "Christian fiction," I do not mean necessarily something that is sold by CBD but rather something that is rooted in the Christian worldview. If it is not a classic, the chances are greater that she has not read it yet, but I would appreciate any suggestions.

Thank you -- my bookshelves are slowly beginning to reflect some of the book titles you ladies have shared over the past!

[Sandy in Indy]

I just finished reading a couple of books by a new author (new to me anyway). The Restorer and The Restorer's Son by Sharon Hinck. They're sort of a Narnia take off but I enjoyed them very much.

[Anne in Hawaii]

One of my all-time favorite books is Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss. It's fiction, but it feels like you're reading someone's actual journal.

Marilynne Robinson's Gilead is a good one. The Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy (Sigrid Unset) is one I enjoyed, too. If she likes Jane Austen, she'd probably enjoy Pamela Aidan's Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman trilogy.

[happykids]

Thoenes:
Zion Covenant
Zion Chronicles
Zion Legacy
and many more

The Circle Trilogy and a few others by Ted Dekker

Deadline, Dominion, Deception and all others by Randy Alcorn

Francine Rivers is also a wonderful Christian author.

These are a few of my favorites.
Blessings,
Sabrina in NY

[Moira in MA]

I second the Kristen Lavransdatter trilogy.

Also, anything by Elizabeth Goudge -- would have to be used because she is out of print -- especially City of Bells.

HTH

[Michelle in MO]

Janie of Seasonal Soundings, about the Inklings, although I have not read them. They sound good, though!

http://www.amazon.com/Inklings-Oxford-Chronicles-Melanie-Jeschke/dp/0736914366/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1202247318&sr=1-1

The first one is called The Inklings and there are two others.

I also second the books by Bodie and Brock Thoene. I alway especially liked The Twilight of Courage and Shiloh Autumn.

I know you're asking for fiction books, but I also like the non-fiction books by Lee Strobel, and just read What's So Great About Christianity? by Dinesh D'Souza.

[Chris in VA]

Francine Rivers has an excellent series called Mark of the Lion. It's about a Jewish Christian young woman who lives in the first century. It really is wonderful.
Also, one of my favorite allegorical works is Hinds Feet on High Places.
Lastly, I love the Frank Peretti books. They are about Spiritual Warfare, and I think, fairly well-written.

[Plaid Dad]

C. S. Lewis's Space Trilogy wins my vote. The individual titles are Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength. The last volume can be read on its own, although it's much richer in the context of the whole trilogy.

A couple other modern novels come to mind: The Children of Men by P. D. James and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Both deal with moral conflicts that fall under the general heading of "pro-life issues."

Enjoy!

[Beth in TN]

I love the book In His Steps by Charles Shelton. It's about a pastor who challenges himself and members of his church to live their lives after asking themselves "what would Jesus do" in their situation. It is very inspiring.

Amazon has an except from the book.
http://www.amazon.com/His-Steps-Barbour-Christian-Classics/dp/1593106823

[Hillary in KS]

Stepping Heavenward (Prentiss) I also really like "The Chataine's Guardian" by Robin Hardy.

Christian worldview mind-candy: Books by Janette Oke, "Streiker's Bride" by Hardy, and the Glenbrooke series by Robin Jones Gunn.

[Lori D.]

- Aurelia's Colors (Overstreet) -- novel; creative fantasy
- Peace Like A River (Enger) -- novel; modern-day/realistic, redemptive
- Leaf by Niggle; Smith of Wooten Major (Tolkien) -- short stories; moving fantasy
- The Man Who Was Thursday (Chesterton) -- novel; adventuresome romp, thought-provoking
- Father Brown (Chesterton) -- short story; mysteries with paradoxes
- The Man Born to Be King (Sayers) -- play; powerful gospel of the life of Christ
- Flatland (Abbott) -- Victorian novella; lightly satirical, not quite allegorical
- A Canticle for Leibowitz (Miller) -- novel; Catholic sci-fi
- Father Elijah: An Apocalypse (O'Brien) -- novel; Catholic sci-fi/spiritual thriller
- The Samurai (Endo) -- novel; 16th century Japan; powerful and tragic
- novels by Charles Williams
(an 'inkling" and friend of C.S. Lewis; his books are "spiritual thrillers" -- much richer/deeper/complex than the Frank Peretti books; War in Heaven is probably the most accessible; my favorites are Descent into Hell, and All Hallow's Eve)


While I don't know that these authors are Christians, Christian themes are *powerfully* evident in these books:

- The Great and Terrible Quest (Lovett) -- novel; medieval-like setting
- Tombs of Atuan (LeGuin) -- novel; fantasy
- Gilead (Robinson) -- novel; modern-day, realistic

[Nissi]

nt

[strider]

Francine Rivers--definitely the best!!!

Angela Hunt

Brock and Bodie Thoene--They research their historical novels exhaustively. You can trust the history you find in their books.

[Cynde]

I second any of the series by the Thoenes.

Some other recommendations:

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon and the rest of the series
Love Comes Softly series by Janette Oke

[6packofun]

A couple other modern novels come to mind: The Children of Men by P. D. James and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Both deal with moral conflicts that fall under the general heading of "pro-life issues."

Enjoy!

I felt that Never Let Me Go dealt with sex in a very cold manner--appropriate for the subject matter because of what the young people were living for, but still not a Christian viewpoint at all in that respect.

[Gwen in VA]

Thank you so much for all the suggestions. I have requested a bunch of these from the library -- I am going to have fun reading through many of them and deciding which one to give her!

[Plaid Dad]

I felt that Never Let Me Go dealt with sex in a very cold manner--appropriate for the subject matter because of what the young people were living for, but still not a Christian viewpoint at all in that respect.

Yes, it's certainly not ideal. But the whole point of the book is to show up the flaws in treating human beings instrumentally, as if they were only bodies and not soul-and-body unities. For an adult Christian reader, the message comes through analyzing what's wrong with an instrumentalist ethic as compared to a personalist one. The relationship at the end of the book, while certainly not a Christian marriage, has some hallmarks of grace, which I think shows almost more than anything else the real humanity of the characters. But that's just my take on it.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I would really appreciate any suggestions. When I say "Christian fiction," I do not mean necessarily something that is sold by CBD but rather something that is rooted in the Christian worldview. If it is not a classic, the chances are greater that she has not read it yet, but I would appreciate any suggestions.

I recently found Dorothy Sayers' mysteries. I really like them. One of my favorites is one of the last, Gaudy Night, which also finsihes the romance between Lord Peter Whimsey and Harriet Vane.
I might suggest three books with both Peter and Harriet: Strong Poison, Have His Carcase and Gaudy Night. One thing that I really appreciated was that the story deals with strong smart women and what kind of man can be a good partner to them. A strong antidote to some of the silliness that is out there.

BTW, I think I've read all the Whimsey books now. Five Red Herrings is a hard read with lots of dialect. Nine Tailors is good but moves slowly.