CSFF: Sigmund Brouwer’s Broken Angel



"Broken Angel" is receiving a lot of praise and its...science fiction.


Publisher's Weekly called the novel a "futuristic Christian distopia". That is not the type of book one usually finds in Christian bookstores.


The labels science fiction, and distopia go hand in hand. Think 1984, Fahrenheit 451, A Canticle for Liebowitz, and Brave New World. These stories could not have been told any other way. Science fiction is a genre that allows one to explore the "What if" questions.


What if a sect of radical Christians began bombing the government. How would America react?


What if the old testament laws were reinstated in modern times?


What if Communism took over the world, and every Christian in the world forced underground?


Science fiction allows us to look at ourselves with fresh eyes; to be introspective without all the usually things that blind us. We are whisked away to a future/parallel world that feels foreign and yet retains enough similarity for us to attach our minds to. It is here, stripped away from life as normal that we can find answers to "what if" questions and have the freedom to be introspective, casting this foreign future world against our own, and discovering we have fresh eyes to see with.


Sigmund Brower's Broken Angel is an example of such a novel. It is a wonder Christian publishers don't put out more futuristic fiction, because it is the science fiction genre that has created some of the great classics of the 20th century, and it will only gain in momentum in the 21st century. It is a huge seller in the secular publishing world, and I predict once the Christian publishers catch on, they will produce some of the finest--and important--works of fiction that have been missing in our culture.

Please check out these other CSFF blog tour sites!


Brandon Barr
Justin Boyer
Keanan Brand
Jackie Castle
Valerie Comer
Karri Compton
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Janey DeMeo
Jeff Draper
April Erwin
Karina Fabian
Mark Goodyear
Andrea Graham
Katie Hart
Timothy Hicks
Christopher Hopper
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Magma
Margaret
Shannon McNear
Melissa Meeks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
John W. Otte
Steve Rice
Ashley Rutherford
Hanna Sandvig
Chawna Schroeder
Mirtika or Mir's Here
Sean Slagle
James Somers
Donna Swanson
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Laura Williams

8 comments:

John said...

I heartily agree with you! Science fiction is always a great "what if" home and it's a shame that more publishers don't take advantage of what they have to say!

Brandon Barr said...

Hi John,
Thanks for stopping in. It's a pity Christian publishers don't put out much science fiction...this is bound to change as they get with the present day interests and ween themselves from prairie fiction.

Anonymous said...

I'll have to take a look at that book seems interesting. I loved Fahrenheit 451, I hope this is just as good.

Anonymous said...

Stopping by to see your review. Good job. And nice blog.
I interviewed Sigmund for my review.
http://janey-demeo.blogspot.com

Janey
www.JaneyDeMeo.com
www.orphansfirst.org

kc said...

I loved this book, and sci-fi isn't even my absolute fave genre. Your blog is cool.
Godspeed.
Karri
www.kcreviews.blogspot.com

Brandon Barr said...

Hi Crunchbite,
Fahrenheit 451 is one the most influential works of fiction I've ever read!

Hi Janey,
Thanks for stopping by, I'll go check out your interview.

Hi KC,
Thanks for the compliment on my blog!

Rebecca LuElla Miller said...

Brandon, good thoughts. All your "what if" scenerios sounded like stories I would want to read. But I'm like Karri--this is not the genre of my first choice. I really liked Broken Angel, though. It was a great story and brought up some issues I think are vital for Christians to think about.

Becky

Brandon Barr said...

Hi Rebecca,

Thanks for stopping by!
Yeah, lots of fantasy fans here. There's just something magical about sci-fi that draws me to it.