C. S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia are Wordcandy classics, and I am afraid that yes, you do have to read them. If you read them as a kid, it was probably pretty easy to just ignore all the anvil-style Christian allegories and happily inhale the story. But if you somehow missed out on the glory that is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, it's time to belt up and start reading. The fact that is possible, even for adult readers, to overlook the clunky religious symbolism and relax into the sheer charm of this seven-volume series is a testament to Lewis's tremendous skill as a storyteller.

Note: Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings, were close friends. They were academics at Oxford University, and Lewis attributed his return to the Christian faith to a night-long talk in 1931 about religion with Tolkien and fellow scholar Henry Victor Dyson.


Aftertaste:
Uh... Lewis really spat upon subtlety. Seriously. The Bible could sue for copyright infringement.

Availability:
Everywhere.

Other Recommendations:
The Prydain Chronicles, by Lloyd Alexander

A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle

Website:
http://cslewis.drzeus.net/ -