Best historical fiction books for christians according to redditors
We found 117 Reddit comments discussing the best historical fiction books for christians. We ranked the 45 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Laurus is excellent.
Sadly, I don't think this is going to be a remake of the classic David Bowie movie. I checked out Amazon to buy the book before seeing the movie and lost interest. It appears to be an middle-of-the-road (review wise) novel about finding the holy grail.
I don't really read enough mystery/thriller to give recommendations, but here are some Japanese "normal" books I recommend (all Amazon links):
Night on the Galactic Railroad
ICO: Castle in the Mist
The Book of Heroes
I Am a Cat
Silence
The Samurai
Kokoro
He's good but no way I am I going to recommend him to someone new to philosophy. I actually really like Fr. Spitzer's The Souls Upward Yearning for a good holistic approach for intellectually approaching God. He uses anthropology, literature, and a few philosophical arguments to build a very convincing picture of why God is more likely than not. David Bentley Hart's The Experience of God is very good as well. While Anglican, I find C.S. Lewis to be very enjoyable and persuasive as well, so you should definitely check out The Screwtape Letters and The Abolition of Man.
But don't just read philosophy all day either or you will want to claw your eyes out. There's Catholic literature that did as much to shore up my faith than any argument. The best two are J.R.R Tolkiens The Silmarillion and Dante's Divine Comedy. A great book by a Russian orthodox author that came out last year is Laurus.
There are some books like this, you can check amazon books by story character (say Esther or David) or you can check out the bible as a novel--which is fairly well written. I read it before I became an atheist. Ezekiel is the best chapter though.
A Gospel Grotesque by Fr Photius Avant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBOR5LQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1YE4DbQ56N365
From it’s Amazon review: The equivalent of the literary progeny of C.S. Lewis' "The Screwtape Letters" and the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil", this deceptively easy read is one that should give every Christian serious pause. We think we can identify evil. We purport to hate all that Satan espouses. However, we have no idea how deliciously simple his job is when it comes to temptation. We are clueless as to how often we've invited the devil himself into our own homes and surrounded ourselves with the very things that will lead us straight to hell.
Written from the point of view of Lucifer, this book delves into his emergence, life and works...and his complete consternation with and total lack of understanding of The Enemy. While referring to God, His Son and anything that is good and true as "The Enemy" takes some getting used to, the book does provide a gripping tale of Christ's time on earth from the perspective of the one who would do anything to take Him out. The ease with which Lucifer and his minions lead humans around by their noses - including those closest to Jesus - is enough to give the reader a lifetime of horripilation.
In the words of Sun Tzu, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles...If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
Know your enemy. Read this book.
Not exactly about this guy, but I've found out that he was the source material for The Samurai by Shusaku Endo. I had heard about this book before, but am now even more interested to read knowing there was a real-life inspiration for the novel.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009EKOXF0?ie=UTF8&redirectFromSS=1&pc_redir=T1&noEncodingTag=1&robot_redir=1
If you're in for some fiction I recommend The Brothers Karamazov which is a classic read and highly influenced by Dostoevsky's faith. Laurus by Eugene Vodolazkin is a short, modern work and also a great work of fiction influenced by faith.
A Mighty Fortresses (hymns of the west)?
It's not my own personal list. Just the first list I found.
Also, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? is a wonderful book from my adolescent days.
Yes, but not in that series. The Lost Letters of Pergamum: A Story from the New Testament World by Bruce Longenecker is very good. Ben Witherington, Priscilla (review here) and Paula Gooder, Phoebe (review here). Phoebe is only about half novel, the other half are "notes" on the story.
Hope this helps...
Not to mention that Nogaret was King Philip's Chancellor - one of three - that did most of the work. It's like writing a story of Eric Holder betraying Obama and running away down the steps of the capital. It makes very little sense historically and as you said, practically.
A better story that's pretty close to the actual events is Knight of the Temple: https://www.amazon.com/Knight-Temple-Brennan-Smith-ebook/dp/B01N0VYSI3/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Gary Jennings - Aztec
Stephen Pressfield - Gates of Fire
Stephen J. Rivele - A Booke of Days
>All religions start with one person realizing emptiness
Not necessarily. The "one person realizing emptiness" may come later. The starting point may be generations of stories told in social settings, and gradually a mythological "hero" figure might take shape, purely (or 99.9%) an invention. The person called Jesus of the four gospels http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Puzzle-Christianity-Mythical-Christ/dp/0968601405 is such, and the Buddha likely also is such.
Have you read James Goldberg's "5 Books of Jesus"?
I would absolutely agree on the NIV as a good general purpose bible, however there are some alternatives out there depending on what you are looking for. I would highly recommend either The Book of God by Walter Wangerin or The Message by Eugene Peterson, both of which are a re-imagining (read: they should not be used as a reference!) of the biblical stories, the former as a novel and the latter as a bible where the stories are told using language you or I would.
I also greatly support using a study bible, the good ones will give helpful context or reference to the stories you read, or you can just go all the way academic and grab a copy of the Oxford Annotated Bible (but from the sounds of it you wouldn't want that).
Although workingmouse, I would disagree that the KJV is the go-to bible these days for protestants, largely for the reasons you gave. Speaking of definitely not kosher, has anyone read the book Lamb? It's a pretty humorous read, but you really need to be ready to hold nothing sacred for a few hundred pages. =)
Good luck in your search OP!
If you get a chance, read Shusaku Endo's The Samurai, which is a great novelization of this story.
Hmm. Tough question. The Alchemist is the first one I ever read and it is very good. It's the one that most people have heard of and is all about following your dreams and how if you want something badly enough that the entire universe conspires in helping you to get it, so long as you aren't afraid of it when it comes. It's really quite extraordinary and I think the message and inspiration from that one is my favorite. But just for the sake of reading its not my favorite. There is a short description in that link.
I think my favorite is either Eleven Minutes or By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. Eleven Minutes is about sex and love and its the setting is wondrous and the characters are fascinating. The story is a bit more modern than the story in the Alchemist so its a bit more fun to read, just to read. I think my favorite might be By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept though. It is a story about forgiveness and the writing is beautiful and the places he takes you are beautiful and the characters are all likeable most of the time and the story is interesting. I'd highly reccommend any of those. But they're all good.
Despite being more religious than most of his, I actually really loved The Fifth Mountain. Its one I bought without knowing anything about it and the story is almost biblical (still not preachy though) but it was more about choices and duty and honor and I really liked it. Not my favorite, but very good.
Sorry, I'm long winded when talking about his books lol.
Some of the quotes are from The Fifth Mountain: A Novel Paulo Coelho. I read that book multiple times. Also I would recommend 7 habits.
upvote, because [booke of days] (http://www.amazon.com/Booke-Days-Novel-Crusades/dp/0786704624)
someone give this man a beer!
My two favorites are :
The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson
and
Byzantium by Stephen Lawhead
Two of my favorite novels about Vikings. Frans Bengtsson is a renowned Swedish historian, and thus does a fantastic job with his book. Lawhead is pretty decent, but makes up for it by making his book about twice as long as Bengtssons book. Either way, you won't be disappointed by either.
Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:
amazon.co.uk
amazon.ca
amazon.com.au
amazon.in
amazon.com.mx
amazon.de
amazon.it
amazon.es
amazon.com.br
amazon.nl
amazon.co.jp
amazon.fr
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Fiction: Laurus is a great story about God using a sinner to do good things.
Saint: I can think of two off the top of my head.
Mary of Egypt
Moses the Black
Go read this: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0968601405/favoritespanishr/
read this (has citations at bottom) http://www.nobeliefs.com/exist.htm
read this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genealogy_of_Jesus
It's not hard to see that Biblical Jesus exists/ed no where but in the Gospels
I haven't read this though it has been recommended to me....
https://www.amazon.com/Book-God-Walter-Wangerin/dp/0310220211
It's very literally what you're asking for lol.
eee on Kindle Ebooks :) <3
I'm currently reading the last book in the Northumbrian Thrones series by Edoardo Albert. It's historical fiction set in early Medieval England, which at this point isn't united but is made up of many small petty kingdoms, much like the seven kingdoms in ASOIAF. There are three books in the series, each focusing on the reign of a king of Northumbria. It's themes are political intrigue, warfare, and the clash of Christianity and Paganism. The series has been endorsed by numerous other successful authors of historical fiction, such as Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden.
I think people who enjoy ASOIAF may like it as it's historical fiction, so it's grounded in reality, but it's set in a time in which myth and magic were very much a part of people's beliefs, and this is conveyed in a realistic way. It's also told from the perspective of multiple characters, and they are all very well written. The writer is also clearly a fan of ASOIAF, as there are a few little references.
Here's a link to the first book on Amazon. Any fan of ASOIAF won't be disappointed.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IXNI9MW/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&amp;btkr=1
You didn't even read the comments, since that first paragraph not only does it put words in my mouth that I never said. It tells me you just refused a proven idea. Read the books.
You need to read if you want an argument. stop being lazy. If you want to understand my point of view you have to enter to the discussion with knowledge of why I believe what I believe. It's not only the God presented in Christianity, it's more than that; that's why I sent you to read Leo Tolstoy and Gandhi too.
If I notice you miss information that unproves your dialog, I gave you the ways to find that missing information. I won't babysit you; no wonder you just repeat everything. I answered and explained everything you asked for; you didn't like the responce, I told you where you can find more information, you say "nope, i dont' want to".
You show no interest in learning or even thinking on others opinions. You simply refuse them without validation, you just stayed in your own mentality and think that anything that challenges your ideals is not worth the effort. That's being closed minded and ignorant. So I guess you're right, the conversation lost it's value when you decided to ignore the points being discussed.
I answered all of your questions. That you don't accept them is not my problem.
I'll leave the books here for people that find this thing and aren't afraid to challenge their knowledge.
The kingdom of God is within you
Gandhi an Authobiography
The fifth mountain
When God doesn't make sense
It’s finally here. Check it out on amazon https://www.amazon.com/Over-My-Dead-Body-Supernatural-ebook/dp/B07GDTQBGM
https://www.amazon.com/Patent-Leather-Really-Reflect-Classics/dp/0829421432
All these other very worthy suggestions would fill in the time nicely and provide many hours of enjoyment but I was just thinking about those books that stuck in my mind as being just a bit different. Could be the age I was or the place I was in my life but I think I'd be happy to pick all of the following for a sojourn on a desert island
The Collected Tales - Nikolai Gogol. Surreal, humorous, short story supremo, I'm especially fond of The Nose!
Frankenstein - Mary Shelly. You think you know the story. Think again.
A Rebours - Huysmans. Decadance defined.
Maiden Voyage - Denton Welch. Great observational writing from a tragically short life
The Samurai - Shusaku Endo. Duty and honour strained for a lost cause.
The Complete Sherlock Holmes - A. Conan Doyle. Because every home should own one and the mix of short stories and novels are perfect for long flights.
There are more of course but the real joy is in coming across your own favourites, not other peoples so be brave!
These might be outside of the typical fantasy but I would recommend:
Loki - Retelling of the Norse myth cycle much from Loki's point of view.
Byzantium - No magic here, just an alternate history of an Irish Monk kidnapped by Vikings and pulled along on a mistaken attempt by the Vikings to sack Byzantium.
Kind of an answer to #1, The Lost Letters of Pergamum is a fictional account of correspondence between Luke and Antipas (the martyr mentioned in Rev. 2).
No doctrinal issues that I noticed, though I think he overlooked the commonality of pastors in the early church. From his description of the gatherings, it made it sound like no one was in charge.
This is a free, not-so-wonderful copy of my 2013 novel "Early One Morning". Apparently, if your book gets enough attention on Inkitt, they will attempt to market it to a traditional publishing house, and they encourage you to promote your entry on Reddit, so here I am.
The Amazon page is here: http://www.amazon.com/Early-One-Morning-Priestess-Book-ebook/dp/B00G8GJ0R4/ | You can also buy it on B&N, Kobo and iBooks
If you like it, feel free to review on Amazon or GoodReads. (Or anywhere you regularly review books.) If you hate it, don't tell me...I'm not going to get rid of it. If you want some more of it, here's the sequel: http://www.amazon.com/Exilium-Priestess-Book-D-S-Ryelle-ebook/dp/B00TSZ7JUM/
If you want a prequel, please be patient. :)
(I rate this 17R: ages 17+ with a trigger warning for rape. 17R is my highest personal rating.)
Labyrinth and Sepulchre by Kate Mosse are kind of like that, though it's couched in terms of reincarnation and recovered memories instead. I didn't particularly enjoy these books because they felt contrived.
While he's not Orthodox, I've read and enjoyed several books by Stephen R. Lawhead. His works are all thoroughly influenced by his Christianity. Byzantium is one of my favorites.