Books I am Reading

I can't seem to ever read just one book at a time, as one may see from my list of books in the sidebar. I wanted to make a brief notice of two of these, both novels, because I am enjoying them, and think they are worthy of note.

T. M. Doran's book, Toward the Gleam, http://www.ignatius.com/Products/TOGL-H/toward-the-gleam.aspx is a mystery set in and around Oxford, following the adventure of one John Hill, an Oxford philologist, who accidentally discovers an ancient manuscript which contains the legends of a lost civilization. The character of John Hill is built around the actual J. R. R. Tolkien--the author creates an alternative history, to create a mystery-adventure story. Along the way, the reader is introduced to G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, and others friends of Tolkien.

Another novel with an Inklings background is Looking for the King http://www.ignatius.com/promotions/looking-for-the-king/ by David C. Downing. Also set in the environs of Oxford at the beginning of World War II, the story follows two young Americans who set out to follow the legends of King Arthur and along the way are introduced to Lewis, Charles Williams, and others.

Both of these titles are published by Ignatius Press. This publisher has produced some excellent fiction in recent years. Worthy of note from Ignatius is also the series by Michael O'Brien, http://www.ignatius.com/Products/FE-P/father-elijah.aspx including Father Elijah, Sophia House, Strangers and Sojourners, and several more. If you haven't tried him, you should.