Influence of Christian Fiction

I had the privilege in college of being exposed to some great christian authors. Many were textual analysis of the Bible, others historical accounts, and some were commentary on certain passages. The books and authors that have had the most influence on my life have been fictional. It isn't so much as understanding how to live as a Christian but understanding who God is. I find that I have a very vivid imagination especially when reading good writing. Being able to picture God or visualize heaven helps me to get a better feel for the nature of the Creator.

Here's a brief list of books, read not just in college, that have been particularly influential:

Perelandra, C.S. Lewis  A great retelling of the temptation of Adam and Eve in the setting of a new planet, I feel like it has one of the best descriptions of how sin works on us. Near the very end Lewis also paints an amazing picture of the intertwining nature of God with the rest of the universe and humankind.

The Shack, William P. Young  An amazing glimpse at the subtleties of the Trinity, Young crafts an incredible journey of a man grieving after the murder of his daughter. I don't exactly know if everything is "biblical" per se, but I feel as though I understand the interaction of the Godhead better. It also helped dissolved my allusions of God as a being with sex or gender: he is a spiritual entity that is neither male nor female but has traits of both.

Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien  The book taken as a whole might be more of a "faery tale" in the words of Tolkien himself, but the opening chapter is a great portrayal of the creation of the world and how sin entered into it. The Creator creates a symphony of sorts, composing the music and creating what we know as the world today. A Satan figure causes dischord, but this itself is woven into the sound of universe.

Narnia Books, C.S. Lewis  These children's novels are fantastic and contain much of Lewis's theology. The content isn't very deep, being intended for a younger audience, but the message is just as powerful. Highlights of the series:
      Magician's Nephew: Another picture of the creation of the world and how sin entered it. Interesting to me is how Lewis, like Tolkien, also uses music in his creation. They were friends after all.
      The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: A story mirroring the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
      The Last Battle: The end of the book is a great image of the end of times and judgement day. It's in this book that Lewis describes earth as the "Shadowlands": merely a glimpse of what will come to us in heaven, if we travel "further up and further in."

Leaf by Niggle, J.R.R. Tolkien  Thought to be somewhat autobiographical, Tolkien writes about a poet's journey from life through death and on to heaven. He compares our life here on earth with how it might be after death.

The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis  Another perspective on Heaven and Hell and how we get there. Since I like to climb, his description of heaven as a far off mountain range that we travel to and climb hits home to me.