Sometimes the best insights regarding our Faith are found in novels, especially those who purposefully write utilizing Christian themes. The following books are ones read by members of the SOS team and come highly recommended. While there are many more wonderful books published that are not listed here, these may be a good start.
Spiritual Fantasy:
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
The story follows the letters between a junior and senior devil describing how to influence humans to sin. Sometime comical, but mostly deadly serious, it provides a real opportunity to deeply reflect on your sinful behaviors and how to identify your openness to temptation.
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The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
This allegory takes the reader on a bus ride to heaven or hell depending on the riders the ability to forsake sin and move toward heaven or hold onto their sin and move closer to hell.
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The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
This literary classic takes you through Dante’s journey through Hell to Purgatory and finally to Paradise. It is a masterpiece of storytelling, but can be a challenge to understand, without a good translation and commentary. We recommend the version translated by John Ciardi.
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Joshua, a Parable for Today by Fr. Girzone
Rooted in a scrupulously accurate reading of scripture, Joshua is a profoundly moving, deeply inspiring book that no reader will ever forget. Sometimes it happens. After two thousand years, the human race may be given a second chance.
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Epics:
The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
This fantasy classic recounts the quest to destroy the ring of evil. It is the epitome of good versus evil storytelling. While the story is tremendously creative and entertaining, it is filled with Catholic imagery and morality.
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The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia has captivated readers of all ages for over sixty years, enchanting them with fantastical talking creatures, epic battles between good and evil, and magical doorways into new lands.
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Dystopian Fiction:
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley's profoundly important classic of world literature, Brave New World is a searching vision of an unequal, technologically-advanced future where humans are genetically bred, socially indoctrinated, and pharmaceutically anesthetized to passively uphold an authoritarian ruling order–all at the cost of our freedom, full humanity, and perhaps also our souls.
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1984 by George Orwell
Written 75 years ago, 1984 was George Orwell’s chilling prophecy about the future. And while 1984 has come and gone, his dystopian vision of a government that will do anything to control the narrative is timelier than ever.
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Animal Farm by George Orwell
George Orwell's timeless and timely allegorical novel—a scathing satire of a downtrodden society’s blind march towards totalitarianism. .
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