Superhero Sews Own Suit!

Get ready for some fun!

Being in the Lost Genre Guild means I know A.P. first and foremost as a horror writer. Now I'm not into horror at all, so I hesitated a while before finally deciding to read Axiom-man. After all, a caped crusader must be pretty harmless, right? So to be honest, I didn't know what to expect - but the cover looks pretty cool!

As it turned out, I needn't have worried about A.P.'s horror spilling into this book. It's totally harmless, yet anything but gutless! Easy reading, light-hearted and fun, I bet this will be a hit with the kids.

The superhero scenario may be fairly standard, but there are some new twists on it here. Gabriel receives his gift of power from a mysterious messenger who gives him a task to do - but he doesn't give him the suit and cape. Our intrepid hero has to trot off to fabric stores and learn to operate a sewing machine before he can show himself to the world at large. Meanwhile, he continues in his job at the call center and longs to get to know the girl in the opposite cubicle.

Winnipeg's emergencies often cause him to be late for work, which of course causes headaches with the boss. Gabriel is still learning to hide his powers, and rides the bus to work rather than flying. I found the sewing machine a nice touch, and also the backpack worn under the cape to carry his normal clothes for when he has to change again. Makes me wonder - why don't any other flying rescuers carry handbags? I mean, don't they need any stuff? ID and all that? Axiom-man is certainly the cleverest of all superheroes in this respect.

Another nice sideline is the bad guy's online marketing strategy. How to get rich via Internet in the 21st century. Read carefully - you might just learn something really useful! When the two opposing superheroes get in a fist fight, things get a bit messy and the action is a little rough. But I guess that's to be expected in a clash of superhuman powers. There's only a little blood and gore.

You'll find plenty of surprising twists and turns in this highly enjoyable story, and it'll leave you wanting more. The story is far from over, but the end of this book is very satisfying in and of itself. Axiom-man is a delightfully human superhero with true depth and spirituality. I look forward to seeing what A.P. and Axiom-man get up to next!

Sci-Fi Still Too Unpopular with Christians

A quick comment on a very prevalent prejudice among Christians...

The other day I came across a new Christian publisher (who shall remain unnamed) and read through their submission guidelines. Down the bottom was a list of genres they don't accept. There along with erotica and porn and violence they listed sci-fi!

I promptly wrote to them and asked why as nicely as I could, and stated that I was very saddened to see it in a list with porn etc. I also said I don't need them to bend the rules for me, but I do wonder why they exclude a genre with so much potential for touching people's hearts.

A very nice lady wrote back to me immediately and explained the quandary they find themselves in when deciding what is acceptable - the traditional Lost Genre/bridging-the-gap problem we're all too familiar with. After all, the LGG was founded as a support network precisely because most Christians find our genres unacceptable, and most mainstream genre writers/publishers/readers are not interested in God. This same problem pops up all over the place.

Anyway, because of what I said, they had a rethink and took sci-fi out of the no-no list. They still don't want aliens, but futuristic is okay. So those with alien stories will still have to go to Wayfarers' Journal or Raygun Revival.

Slowly, surely, the lost genre moves forward... :) It may seem like a small step, but I was encouraged at how easy it was to point out the prejudice to the publisher, and that they so graciously re-worded their guidelines, at least a little bit...

Review: Light at the Edge of Darkness

“An Anthology of Biblical Speculative Fiction” – a mouthful, yes, but it’s worth finding out what it means. How? By reading it, of course!

Biblical speculative fiction is the hobbyhorse of the Lost Genre Guild – bridging the gap between traditional secular fantasy and our Christian faith as a living, breathing reality. Many have said it couldn’t be done. This book is proof that it’s possible. All it needs is a little tolerance on both sides. Some Christians may need to adjust their ideas of what is acceptable, and mainstream fantasy fans may need to get used to a bit of spirituality. Let me tell you, it’s worth it. When I met this group of authors, I knew they were set to make history... and now they've done it.

The speculative tales in this volume cover a great many sub-genres, such as science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, time travel, cyberpunk, futurism and horror. Now you don’t need to have a soft spot for all of these genres to get a lot out of this book. Take me, for example – I can’t stand horror. Guess I’ve got a delicate constitution in that respect. Easily solved: skip the four stories labelled as horror – it's all defined in the contents list. By the way, you might want to make sure those are kept out of the reach of children, too. If you like a good scare, go for it! For me the enjoyment begins with the other twenty-three tales...

Here begins a journey through fantastic realms near and far, and the occasional true story. Spiritual planes interact with everyday life. Biblical prophecies are fulfilled in rather surprising ways. Futuristic scenarios challenge the faith of those living there, and perhaps your own, too. Don’t be shocked if the undead show up now and again, or if insects turn out to be spiritual, too. Oppressive governments can’t stifle the light within. Saving the children becomes a matter of life and death. And some farcical tales use fantasy elements to make fun of a great many things.

It’s so hard to pick out the best among so many magnificent tales, but I have to say my two favourite stories are “Allison” by Deborah Cullins-Smith, all about a little girl who lives in Heaven – it might just bring tears to your eyes – and “Your Average Ordinary Alien” by Adam Graham, where an abduction scenario isn’t quite like one sci-fi fan imagined it would be.

In short, this collection is a tour of many surprising aspects of the Lost Genre. I enjoyed having my horizons widened once more – laughter and tears and unexpected twists, beauty and hardship, farce and danger, evil and bravery, trials, faith, and the ultimate supremacy of God.

Want more information? Try CFRB and Karina for a great start!
You can place an advance order here.
And if you haven't visited the Lost Genre Guild, you really must...