Category Archives: Feature Friday

Never Nude Elwin Ransom of C.S. Lewis’ Classic ScFi, and A Note on Puzzling, Lazy, Irrelevant, Racist, Sexist, and Infelicitous Book Cover Designs (Friday Feature)

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

Ere long and ever ago when this blog was young, I wrote about the “Worst Book Description Ever” from C.S. Lewis’ science fiction classic, Out of the Silent Planet. As is sometimes so in the burdens of experience, I have since … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday, Reflections, Reviews | Tagged Arrested Development, Book Cover Art, books, C.S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, racism, Science Fiction, sexism, The Dark Tower, The Ransom Cycle, The Screwtape Letters | 2 Comments

3 Upcoming Signum University Thesis Theatres on The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s Legendarium

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

I’m pleased as the week closes to offer a rich set of opportunities to dive meaningfully into Tolkien’s imaginative worlds. There are three upcoming Signum University Thesis Theatres on The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien’s Legendarium (all times Eastern): … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday, News & Links | Tagged J.L. Austin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Literary Theory, pacifism, research, Shakespeare, Signum University, Speech-Act Theory, subcreation, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, war | 2 Comments

L.M. Montgomery’s The Story Girl, “Such Stuff as Dreams are Made On”: Chapter Reading, the L.M. Montgomery Readathon, a Montgomery Conference, and Other Things I am Working On (Friday Feature)

Posted on April 1, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

I thought I would use today’s “Feature Friday” segment of A Pilgrim in Narnia to highlight some L.M. Montgomery adventures this spring and in the months ahead. My Chapter Reading for the L.M. Montgomery Readathon For the L.M. Montgomery Readathon … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday, Fictional Worlds, L.M. Montgomery, Reflections | Tagged Anne of Green Gables, Benjamin Lefebvre, Dan Brown, fantasy theory, L.M. Montgomery, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Mary Henley Rubio, The Story Girl, theology and literature | 6 Comments

“Stuff We Liked in 2021” by the Rabbit Room (Friday Feature)

Posted on January 14, 2022 by Brenton Dickieson

I have mentioned before that I am a fan of the good folks at The Rabbit Room, including songwriter and storytelling brothers Andrew and Pete Peterson. Last fall they Hutchmoot: Homebound online, a digital conference of thoughtful speakers, sesssions, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday | Tagged A.R. Peterson, Andrew Osenga, Andrew Peterson, Austin M. Farrer, Brandi Carlile, Bruce Hornsby, Dallas Willard, Dorothy L. Sayers, Frank Herbert, Hannah Hubin, Hutchmoot, James K. A. Smith, JJ Heller, Jon Foreman, Lana del Rey, Loren Wilkinson, Marilynne Robinson, Mary Doria Russell, Mythgard Academy, Needtobreathe, Olivia Rodrigo, Pedro the Lion, Piranesi, Robert Farrar Capon, Spiderman, Steve Guthrie, Steve Taylor, Sufjan Stevens, Susanna Clarke, Taylor Swift, The Beatles, The Gray Havens, The Green Knight, The Killers, the Rabbit Room, The War On Drugs, Wendell Berry | Leave a comment

Announcing the Nightmare Alley Series on A Pilgrim in Narnia

Posted on December 20, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

Following months of rumours and all-too-enticing hype for eagre film-lovers in a lean year, last week finally saw the release of Guillermo del Toro’s critically acclaimed new film, Nightmare Alley. Guillermo del Toro is a genius of dark fantasy with … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday, News & Links | Tagged Abigail Santamaria, Bradley Cooper, C.S. Lewis, Cate Blanchett, dark fantasy, Guillermo del Toro, Joy Davidman, Mary Steenburgen, Nightmare Alley, Pan's Labyrinth, Rooney Mara, The Shape of Water, Willem Dafoe, William Gresham | 7 Comments

“Nightmare Alley,” the Official Teaser Trailer of the William Gresham Adaptation by Guillermo del Toro

Posted on September 17, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

We have heard the rumours for months, fuelled by short news pieces that sounded promising. And now we have it, the teaser trailer of Nightmare Alley, a Guillermo del Toro adaptation with a huge cast, including Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Willem … Continue reading →

Ursula K. Le Guin’s Manifesto Against Genre Snobbery

Posted on August 27, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

One of our greatest speculative fiction writers, Ursula K. Le Guin, has never been one to turn down a fight. A genius in two of my favourite genres, science fiction and fantasy–especially planetary SciFi and magic-world fantasy–Le Guin has also … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday, Memorable Quotes, On Writing, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged fantasy, Frankenstein, genre, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jane Austen, Madeleine L'Engle, Margaret Atwood, Science Fiction, SF, speculative fiction, The Birthday of the World, The Hainish Cycle, The Lord of the Rings, Ursula K. Le Guin | 15 Comments

What if you were held accountable for every word you ever said?” Malcolm Guite on CBC’s Tapestry with Mary Hynes (Feature Friday)

Posted on April 23, 2021 by Brenton Dickieson

I am part of a great session in Eastern Europe on imagination and the Inklings later today (7pm East Europe time; 12noon Eastern EST) with poet-theologian Malcolm Guite and George MacDonald scholar and life-rich resonator, Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson. You can … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday, News & Links | Tagged C.S. Lewis, CBC, George MacDonald, Inklings, Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson, Malcolm Guite, Steve Bell, Tapestry with Mary Hynes | 6 Comments

Crystal Downing, Subversive: Christ, Culture, and the Shocking Dorothy L. Sayers (Book Launch, Friday Feature)

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

I am pleased to share the video of the Book Launch for Crystal Downing’s new book, Subversive: Christ, Culture, and the Shocking Dorothy L. Sayers. Famous detective club novelist, strident correspondent, generation-leading scriptwriter, essayist, lecturer, and controversialist, and the producer … Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Friday, News & Links | Tagged Crystal Downing, D.L. Sayers, Dante, david downing, Dorothy L. Sayers, feminism, Literary Theory, Marion E. Wade Center, Mind of the Maker, Postmodernism, The Divine Comedy, The Man Born to be King, theology and literature, Theology of Culture | 16 Comments

Neil Gaiman on Discovering the Author in Narnia (and a note on beards)

Posted on July 9, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

I love this little clip by Neil Gaiman about “the book that made me an author.” While Gaiman is one of the most important fantasy authors of our age and a great reader in his own right, there is a … Continue reading →