Fantasy fiction has been widely criticized in the Christian community, and I think this is justifiably so. Much of the fantasy published by Christian companies is little more than an attempt to do one of two things: 1) sell to fans of major phenoms such as Harry Potter, or 2) make fantasy friendly to readers who don't care for the genre. I would like to quickly focus your attention on the second point because in the last few years I have found that most would-be-authors are writing something that is either too generic or too watered down.
In writing my stories, especially in creating The Sword Of The Dragon series, I make the good as bright as I can, and the evil as dark as I can. Why? Because in the contrast of these, readers find the power to move outside of the 'gray' moral area and become the heroes and heroines they wish to be. Light shines brightest when seen against a dismal background.
It is my hope that, when reading my books, readers find themselves drawn to Specter, Ilfedo, Oganna, and other heroic characters. It is my hope that readers cringe in the darkness, then thrust it aside with a cry of "I will not be vanquished!"
Which examples of heroes (or heroines) gives you the courage to stand for God?
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WELCOME TO THE WRITING SITE OF SCOTT APPLETON
"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." -Proverbs 16:24
In a world where morality is forsaken and Christ neglected, wholesome books are uncommon. The themes of my writing are love, self-sacrifice, and honor.
I see my generation turning from God to the gods of this world. I see homes torn apart in the pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification. Children are murdered by the millions every year . . . without ever seeing the world outside their mothers' wombs. Through fiction I strive to encourage those who are willing, to stand against these things and be heroes and heroines; chivalrous, gentle, full of righteous indignation, and the fear and love of their Creator.
In a world where morality is forsaken and Christ neglected, wholesome books are uncommon. The themes of my writing are love, self-sacrifice, and honor.
I see my generation turning from God to the gods of this world. I see homes torn apart in the pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification. Children are murdered by the millions every year . . . without ever seeing the world outside their mothers' wombs. Through fiction I strive to encourage those who are willing, to stand against these things and be heroes and heroines; chivalrous, gentle, full of righteous indignation, and the fear and love of their Creator.
3 comments:
There is good and there is evil. One is light and one is darkness. However, that does not mean that there is not a grey area in which an action can be gauged. In real life, decisions aren't so clear-cut.
But nevertheless, it is an admirable sentiment that I also adhere to. My goal is not to contrast the light with darkness, but to show the light so that it may drown out everything else...including the grey.
Jake, interesting... Which decisions in real life do you consider not clear-cut?
That's the problem. You don't know until you get there. In hindsight, you sometimes can tell what you should have done, but sometimes you don't do what you should.
However, don't get me wrong; I'm NOT saying that there is a morale grey area in which someone can stand. I believe wholly that there is no middle ground in life. But sometimes decisions SEEM to be neither good nor bad. Sometimes decisions are a choice between two bad alternatives; sometimes they are a choice between two good ones. Not every action is good or evil. For instance, I believe that entertainment is neither good nor evil; I also believe, however, that committing murder is evil and that helping the poor is good.
For instance, sometimes I'm unsure of where God is taking me in life. So if I were to go to college, what would I chose to do? Unless God tells me otherwise, what I choose to do is not inherently good or bad.
Do you see what I mean now? :) My point is that not every decision is dark or light, and that makes them harder to make. Inadvertently, in showing everything as "dark" and "light" the false impression may be given that decisions ARE clear-cut and moral ones. Which they usually aren't.
As for the existence of MORAL grey grounds...that's a bit heavy theologically for me to go into. :)
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