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Original poster

vaguely religious

39 replies

DoctorGilbertson · 16/12/2013 20:57

Hi,

I like fiction with religious settings or references - not books about religion just religious contexts. (like Chaim Potok or Patrick Gale)

Any thoughts?

Thanks

OP posts:
RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 16/12/2013 21:35

King's, 'The Stand' isn't religion as such but it is good v evil, with characters representing angel and devil figures (have put that v simplistically, so as not to spoil etc).

Philip Pullman's Dark Materials series.

Liz Jensen's, The Rapture (but it is a bit daft at times)

Douglas Coupland's, 'Life After God'

DoctorTwoTurtleDoves · 16/12/2013 21:33

Try the Charlie Parker series of books by John Connolly. There's bags of religious symbolism in there along with action and terrific writing that even an atheist like me can love.

joanofarchitrave · 16/12/2013 21:32

Rumer Godden? Black Narcissus?

How do you do with George Eliot?

Shallishanti · 16/12/2013 21:31

We had Gilead in our book group, it was brilliant, very moving and a real insight into what it means to have a deep faith (irreligious person here)

ancientbuchanan · 16/12/2013 21:29

The Father Brown stories? The innocence if Father Brown. Being a priest is important but not critical to the resolution of the stories.

marceline · 16/12/2013 21:28

Stephen Lawhead - Song of Albion, the Pendragon series, and more. He is one of my favourite writers. He writes beautiful Celtic historic fantasy - there is a Celtic/Christian theme running through his books, they are utterly gripping and masterfully written.

CardiffUniversityNetballTeam · 16/12/2013 21:25

Don't do yourself down for reading Grisham, Baldacci etc. just because none of it is Booker prize winning material. Reading should be for pleasure, not a chore. That said there is nothing wrong with reading to develop yourself either if that's what you want to do. Smile

highlandcoo · 16/12/2013 21:22

You could look at the Starbridge series by Susan Howatch - novels which trace the development of the Church of England in the 20th century.

Also, the first Shardlake book by C J Sansom, Dissolution, is set in a monastery in Henry VIII's time.

And Karen Maitland writes medieval thrillers with strong religious content.

Shakey1500 · 16/12/2013 21:21

Patrick Tilley- Mission

Original poster
DoctorGilbertson · 16/12/2013 21:20

Ah yes, have read and enjoyed - should have thought of it as an example ...

OP posts:
Takver · 16/12/2013 21:18

Have you read the Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver - seems to be enjoyed by a very wide range of people

Original poster
DoctorGilbertson · 16/12/2013 21:16

Ah now, I have Gilead as a gift from my sister sitting unread in a pile of books so I probably should dig it out.

Why? Well, I'm not very good at getting going with books - I mostly read stuff like David Baldacci, John Grisham, Katie Fforde, but kind of want to read stuff that is a bit more substantial.

But - I'm not very good at getting going with books so I thought a bit about what I have read and religion is a theme in the more substantial stuff that I have stuck with (teen fiction is another I re-read Diana Wynne Jones, KM Peyton, Cynthia Voigt over and over) so I kind of wondered if there were recommendations of books that I might have a chance at sticking with

Re: Brideshead revisited - interesting - I very seldom stick with "classics" so don't often investigate but I might try it

OP posts:
Hassled · 16/12/2013 20:59

Brideshead Revisited? There's religion all the way through that - the "twitch upon the thread" that pulls key characters back to their faith.

MamaMary · 16/12/2013 20:59

Can I ask why?

Have you read Marilynne Robinson? Housekeeping, Gilead and Home.

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