An Excellent, Literary, Christian Novel

Last updated on: July 14, 2022 at 5:44 pm by Roger E. Olson

An Excellent, Literary, Christian Novel 2022-07-14T17:44:53-05:00 Roger E. Olson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I have here often decried the lack of good, literate Christian fiction. So much Christian fiction is just bad, cheesy, unrealistic, poorly written. By “Christian fiction” I mean novels in which the main characters are overtly Christian and the “background” story involves Christian thinking about the world and God, etc. I’ve tried reading several such novels, but almost always I have ended up disappointed because the writing is bad and/or the plot is cheesy and unrealistic.

I am re-reading a Christian novel I read some years ago and actually reviewed and recommended here. But most of you probably weren’t following my blog then. Some may have been. For you, this is my reminder to buy this book and read it. You won’t be disappointed.

There’s something else about it (and I will soon reveal its title and author) that is exceptional. The main character is a really, really good father. And not at all the modern or contemporary stereotype of an unfaithful, uncaring, emotionless or just angry and distant father and husband. He is a widower still grieving over the loss of his wife five years before.

The main character is a simple man, a Canadian Catholic Christian, very devout but not pre-Vatican 2, who is obviously well-read, self-taught and influenced by: G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, Charles Taylor, et al. He also reads the Bible and prays daily. But he has struggles understanding God’s ways and is open and honest about them with his priest who is a personal friend.

The book is The Father’s Tale by Michael D. O’Brien. O’Brien is better known for his series of apocalyptic novels (not at all dispensational). The Father’s Tale is a “slow burn.” You have to get way into it before you really fall in love with the main character and his passionate, obsessive search for his lost son. Along the way there is much “talk” (stream of consciousness in the main character’s mind) about art, music, culture, history, books, etc. I assume O’Brien is sharing his own thoughts with us through that “talk” in the main character’s mind (some of it between him and his priest and occasionally between him and strangers he meets on his journey).

You find out almost immediately that he loves his two young adult sons very much but does not have enough, for him, contact with them. They have both gone off to college or university and rarely come home. The book is set in a time before email was commonly used and when cell phones were rare. It’s hard to tell exactly when is the time setting for the story but I’m guessing around 1990.

The writing is exceptionally literate for a novel so overtly religious.

The story is about the father’s search for his younger son who went to Oxford University and then suddenly went “off the radar” making two very quick and covert phone calls to his father, both of which were very enigmatic but pointing to his son being involved with an esoteric cult of some kind. With great difficulty, the father goes off to find his son. What a story. What a journey. I won’t give anymore of it away. But if you like fiction, and if, like me, you think there ought to be more good Christian fiction, and if, like me, you are tired of the way men are treated in popular culture, including fiction, you NEED to read this book. I wish it was available on Audible; I’d love to listen to it this time.

I have forgotten enough of it that re-reading it now, after some years, is still very satisfying. I remember things (people, events) as I come to them but not ahead of time. That’s not because it’s forgettable but it’s because it’s a very long book and sometimes I skim through a chapter when it’s not crucial to the main story line. But I’m a speed reader, so even when I “skim” I “get” the main message.

The title “The Father’s Tale” is a common one; there are several novels with that title. Look for the one by this author with the picture of the boy holding a very large toy boat on the cover. Do it, please, and share your thoughts about it with me/us here.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

July 12, 2022

Are Pentecostals Fundamentalists? Part Two

Next Post

July 16, 2022 What the COVID Pandemic Means for Churches

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Against Liberal Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I wanted a vineyard so badly that my wife arranged the owner's death through false witnesses. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

David Ahab Jezebel Naboth