Why Is Most "Christian" Fiction Utter Dreck?
I recently read a relatively new book by a star of the Christian publishing firmament: Showdown by Ted Dekker. I can honestly say that I read it with an open mind - open, that is, in terms of being willing to appreciate and enjoy the writing.
However, the book is rather bad.
Mr. Dekker should receive some kind of anti-award for foisting an appallingly dreadful book on the reading public. I won't go into the specifics because I'm simply not interested in mining my memory to that degree and, to be honest, Dekker's book does not deserve that sort of in-depth analysis. To be succinct, the plot is tedious and unbelievable, the characters do not develop, and his use of words is uninspired. Furthermore, the story as dreary parable is exceedingly heavy-handed and beats the reader over the head with carefully infused meaning. To place this in metaphor, reading Showdown is the literary equivalent (what's the word for writing that is non-literary?) of having a woodchuck munch on your ankles due to thinking them willow saplings while listening to the Chinese national anthem performed by a trio of tone-deaf tenors. Well, probably not that interesting but certainly just as painful. Another apt metaphor would be that the book is the sensory equivalent of a three-day-old bagel.
The experience of having suffered through this book brings me to my question: Why is most "christian" fiction utter dreck? The attendant questions must then be: Are those who read and enjoy such fiction mentally impaired? Are the fiction editors of publishing houses such as Westbow, Thomas Nelson, Tyndale, etc., mentally non-existent? Where and how was their taste formed? Is my reaction largely due to the jealousy of an unpublished writer?
Let's explore the potential answers another time.
However, the book is rather bad.
Mr. Dekker should receive some kind of anti-award for foisting an appallingly dreadful book on the reading public. I won't go into the specifics because I'm simply not interested in mining my memory to that degree and, to be honest, Dekker's book does not deserve that sort of in-depth analysis. To be succinct, the plot is tedious and unbelievable, the characters do not develop, and his use of words is uninspired. Furthermore, the story as dreary parable is exceedingly heavy-handed and beats the reader over the head with carefully infused meaning. To place this in metaphor, reading Showdown is the literary equivalent (what's the word for writing that is non-literary?) of having a woodchuck munch on your ankles due to thinking them willow saplings while listening to the Chinese national anthem performed by a trio of tone-deaf tenors. Well, probably not that interesting but certainly just as painful. Another apt metaphor would be that the book is the sensory equivalent of a three-day-old bagel.
The experience of having suffered through this book brings me to my question: Why is most "christian" fiction utter dreck? The attendant questions must then be: Are those who read and enjoy such fiction mentally impaired? Are the fiction editors of publishing houses such as Westbow, Thomas Nelson, Tyndale, etc., mentally non-existent? Where and how was their taste formed? Is my reaction largely due to the jealousy of an unpublished writer?
Let's explore the potential answers another time.
posted by ToadRocket at 7:51 PM
4 Comments:
We concur. (Although Dekker's a family friend and we hear he's a great guy...but so am I and my fiction is well under par...oh and I'm not a guy...)But why? Where is Lewis and crew for today? Please do tell.
Oh and 1800 pages. Bravo! Don't hold back. It's not a question of lucrativness but obedience to who you are, eh? Or at least that is my current learning curve.
Clark is Lionel's sexy nickname - I like changing in phone booths in crowded town squares.
You know, I disagree with your article. I actually enjoyed Dekker's book on the 'Miracle Child' or something (can't remember the name). A couple Sudays ago we were at church and the music (worship) was distractingly bad to the point where when I lifted my hands to worship they didn't quite made it past my ears. And yet everyone around me including my wife were very touched and totally into it.
Likewise the majority of Christian readers are tone deaf. As for me, I usually just stick to reading the WORD OF GOD.
Eek. Sorry to rag on a family friend. Lionel, I haven't read his non-fiction (such as whichever one you were talking about); however, check out one of his fiction books. It's an eye-opener if you reflect that he's the top of the game in christendom (odd reflection on the average christian's reading tastes).
Actually Miracle Child ('Blessed Child' is the correct name)is one of his fiction works. Read that and tell me what you think? I didn't make it through his other ones.
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