Fantastical Truth

The Pendragon Cycle streaming series began with a slower start for its January release on Daily Wire Plus. Well, this month, everything changed. Based on the first two volumes in Stephen R. Lawhead’s series, The Pendragon Cycle worked its new wizardry to reach the top three shows on Prime Video. Let’s go behind the scenes of the Cycle, touching on controversies but staying pre-political and pre-medieval as we explore how Christian creators fight to build the future. Today we’re joined by The Pendragon Cycle series creator Jeremy Boreing.

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Last week we remembered the Sept. 11 attacks. But some people, shall we say, did not know how to grieve well. That’s for many reasons. One of them is strange yet simple—they can’t fathom that real people could really do something like this. But it’s true that many groups of real bad guys really want to take over the world. So today, author Kerry Nietz, student of futuristic caliphates, returns to the studio to ask which false religions seem the most bent on global domination.

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In the last 25 years, whole human beings have been born, grown up, graduated, married, and become parents. They may not remember that day when our world was gripped by events that seemed stolen from dystopian novels. On Sept. 11, 2001, militant religious terrorists hijacked four planes in the United States and plunged them into the sides of large buildings. Thousands died. Millions mourned. And every real person and fantastical fiction was forever changed.

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Last summer the new He-Man movie kind of failed at theaters. Stephen enjoyed the film! Others did not care so much, especially if they didn’t grow up in the 1980s. But last week, after the death of voice actor Peter Cullen, fans celebrated the legacy of Transformers. And last month, the Masters of the Universe remake film wielded the power of Grayskull to rule streaming media. No matter your age, big franchises from forty years ago have shaped the fantasy worlds we know today. How can Christians look back on this era with discernment and appreciation for good no...

As students return to school, some can’t help dreading their assigned books. Even good readers in good schools will feel burdened by reading classic novels. So how can we remind ourselves and others that we’re not made to read as a duty to adults, but made for reading as part of our joy in Christ? Katherine Briggs, author of The Threshold Duology and part of the upcoming Classics Rebooted series, will teach us how fantasy fans can learn to love timeless classic fiction.[1. Photo by Iñaki del Olmo on Unsplash.]

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Once upon a time, a homeschool father dreamed of helping his children grow their love for writing. So while he worked for 20 years as a computer geek, he also trained to create fantastical fiction. Then, after hundreds of rejections, he broke through with his tale of two young teens who discover their secret ancestries: Dragons in Our Midst. Since then, Bryan Davis has won the trust of thousands of fans with more tales in this world, plus supernatural thrillers and superhero stories. Today we invite Bryan into our own cozy cave to explore how families can teach truth in...

Christian kids, do you recall all those old warnings against fantasy fiction?[1. Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash.] Some people implied that if you made up too much stuff, you’d lose track of reality. Alas. For some cases, they’re absolutely right. Too many people are abusing God’s gift of imagination. They cast people they do not know as villains in a fantasy world in which they are the big moral heroes. This habit is taking over social platforms and podcasts. How can Christian fans respond with wisdom?

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Spider-Man! Spider-Man! Does whatever other heroes can’t. And these days, that means make a good movie. Other super-movies, even in the Marvel world, take on the fake responsibilities of social activism, then are forced to fight the sinister criticism of fans. Meanwhile, Spidey and his amazing friends just keep uniting people in his friendly cinematic neighborhood. How does one hero keep wielding such great power?

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Everyone’s talking about that new release from Christopher Nolan, the feature film that is just so big that it’s one everyone oughtta see. Zack has already seen it. Stephen will see it sometime. Meanwhile, what about that book by Greek poet Homer that changed the course of our world’s epic storytelling? Dramatist and author Phil Lollar—no stranger to that name!—returns to the studio for our tour of The Odyssey.

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That’s how it starts. The fever. The rage. The feeling of powerlessness. That turns good fans … toxic. How does this toxification happen? Or does it happen? Maybe it’s all the fault of big corporations. Or social media. Or foreign adversaries poisoning the discourse. In either case, we need discernment to sort honest criticism from harshest cynicism.

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Mission...

Great tales remind us to love and defend the people close to us, while Scripture says “the glory and honor of the nations” will last forever.

Fans and creators rallied in St. Louis on June 24–28 for the 16th annual conference to celebrate the best Christian-made fantastical stories.

True artists who use these programs as tools may boost some stories and songs, but not if they ignore fans who simply hate the results.

To learn Scripture and practice wisdom, young men and women need resources beyond for-profit fiction or no-profit ministries.

"Doctor Who" fans grieve Russell T. Davies' destruction of the Time Lord. "Stargate" fans insist Amazon un-cancel its revival. And "Star Wars" suffers another box-office defeat.

When evil assaults beauty and buries all hope under dark despair, complex fiction can show our Hero's distant yet dazzling light.

Zackary Russell invites Jon James, Yuval Kordov, and Andrew Gillsmith to explore this subgenre in which priests forge faith into new centuries.

E. Stephen Burnett surveys practical tips to find the best fantastical novels and focus on gaining the most from these literary worlds.

Jesus Christ’s Great Commission applies to all believers, but Christian-made stories are free to share Him in many different creative ways.

Just in time for Ascension Day, Stephen reviews old notions about New Earth, like "it will never be physical" or "it's best not to think about it."

When new game “Pragmata” teamed up a space soldier man and adorable android girl, many players found themselves feeling parental.

While some readers and religious folk prefer safer stories, other fans pursue tales of honor in hopes of leveling up as warriors.

Apollo pioneers like Buzz Aldrin and modern explorers like Victor Glover show that only faith in God inspires us to travel beyond Earth.

Even before AI-powered universal translators, fantastical tales have been crossing culture barriers to help us celebrate shared values.

Critics are writing off famous fantasies, and we concede their demise. We also believe in an Author who surprises us with epic resurrection.

Project Hail Mary reminds us how much we love earnest virtue-based stories more than false “sincerity” or “cool” grimdarkness.

Honest fiction reminds us that armed conflict is terrible, yet can also be heroic and necessary so long as warriors fight for peace.

Often the book was truly better, but sometimes new film and TV versions offer changes that expand and honor the original story.

In all versions, Eiichiro Oda’s pirates-with-powers tales honor the best of human ambition and familial loyalty in an wackily sincere world.

While real outer space is cold and empty, these sci-fi stories teem with human life, romance, and fantastical adventures.

Fiction reveals deep human desire to discover fantastical realities. But even if government agencies revealed hidden truth, we might not like what we find.

Yesterday’s science fictions are coming true today, and we can discern mixed motives of “space barons” on Earth while delighting to explore the heavens.

Most readers trust authors who avoid bad judgments and who share their ideas—generous, personal, and relevant to stories we love.

Fans often cringe at their favorite writers’ sudden or ill-informed hot takes. But false accusations and threats divide the body of Christ.

Some readers want to enjoy fantastical tales non-literally, looking for one-to-one pictures of spiritual truth. But not even Jesus or John Bunyan told stories that way.

Stephen and Zack reveal how these new digital channels with pro livestreams and a fan-focused Book Festival will cultivate writers' imaginations.

Thirty years ago, Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins cowrote a novel of the Earth’s last days, launching the most successful Christian fantastical series in history.

From theatrical flops and streaming slops, to new growth for biblical fiction and fantasy romance, let’s survey all the big issues while planning a happier new year.

In this special live-recorded episode, Stephen and Zack explore Focus on the Family's 2026 theatrical release and franchise rebrand.

When people sinfully judge our story choices, Scripture helps us get ready to answer them with doctrinal truth and personal confidence.