Ever since the “Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis, the imaginations of countless adolescent boys and girls have been captured by high-quality Christian allegory and symbolism, combined with Medieval tales of knights, fair ladies, the conquering of evil enemies and the other archetypal features of the period.
This era of European history has an irresistible, romantic lure that feeds daydreams of chivalry and adventure for years. Hand-to-hand combat, horsemanship, camaraderie of boon companions . . . what more could one dream of? From the age of about 11 to 14, Christian boys swoon over these adventuresome Life elements, plus sword fights against fire-breathing dragons; serving a high king — or being one – bestowing generosity, kindness and protection on his subjects; and of course, with heroic and chivalrous intentions, catching the attentions of fair damsels far and wide!
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And because the Biblical depictions of the Messiah are so connected to this historical period, the Christian allegories are very powerful. Christ is the conquering King, the healing King, the gentle Savior-King and He leads His loyal warrior servants into battle, then to healing/ministering service and peace-keeping service to His subjects who are not of the warrior cast of mind.
Very rare is the boy who can resist the lure of this combination of Biblical and Medieval historical story-telling and books of this category are extremely popular. Plus, for the Christian youth of either gender, when well-written, these stories plant, uplift and sustain a positive element of Faith that can renew the spirit for long after the reader has put away the things of a child. There have been 30-year-olds who, in the face of adult despair or depressions, turned to the Chronicles of Narnia to be happily and firmly reminded of the promises of the Lord Jesus and His coming Kingdom on earth. Such refreshment and restoration of the spirit, heart and mind cannot be found anywhere else.
If you have a son or daughter in the age range of 11 to 14, you may want to investigate the excellent literature that is available in this genre and provide them with countless afternoons of character-building, faith-nurturing fun and adventure in the worlds created by skilled authors who love Christ and Medieval adventure!
