Q: How do you define Christian Fantasy?

For the purpose of this website, we will define Christian Fantasy as follows:

1. The author must be a Christian. No exceptions.
2. The book must fit into the standard literary definition of the fantasy genre. This does not include Christian science fiction or supernatural, which are classified under the broader term of “Christian Speculative Fiction.”
3. The book must have been written to glorify Christ in some way (hopefully subtly and/or allegorically), and that purpose and motive must be evident to a large percentage of the readership.

Q: How are books chosen to be included on this website?

I am constantly on the lookout for new Christian Fantasy novels and authors. The decision of whether those findings are added to this site is governed by these basic requirements:

1. The book should be mainstream published. No self-published work will be added unless the entire manuscript is provided for review. Self-published books will be expected to adhere to a high standard of writing, editing, and storytelling, or they will not be added to this website.
2. The book should meet our definition of Christian Fantasy (please see question above).
3. The book must not contain offensive content (language, sensuality, excessive violence, etc.) The rare exception to this would be when an offensive incident occurs, but is not glorified, and is treated in a Biblical manner. An example of this would be the short scene of sensuality in Karen Hancock’s The Light of Eidon.

Q: Can you explain the book review system?

The categories for rating each book are explained below. Please note you are not required to rate each one. For instance, if you want to give your overall rating of the book, but don’t want to rate the plot, that is fine. You may leave a star rating for whichever categories you choose.

If you are leaving a rating, it is appreciated if you explain why you rated the way you did.

You may comment multiple times if desired, but please rate each book only once, otherwise your extra ratings will be deleted.

1. Overall Rating: This is simply your opinion of the book as a whole.
2. Plot: Did you enjoy the overall premise (or point) of the novel? Did the events keep moving and keep you interested? Did conflict build well throughout the book? Did the novel end well? Was the conflict resolved and loose ends tied up? Or if it is part of a series…did you feel satisfied but wanting the next book?
3. Characters: Did the characters come alive? Did they feel real? Did they interest you and make you want to know more about them? Did they act in a believable manner considering their personalities?
4. Setting/World Building: Was the fantasy world real and believable? Was it consistent (with its own rules, not necessarily ours)? Does the culture fit and flow with the fantasy world? If other races are present, do they fit well with the world and culture?