The Clive Staples Lewis Award

Details

Written by Emma Engel

Speculative Faith is one of the best sites for readers of Christian Speculative Fiction to get both news and analysis from like minded people. For several years, they offered an award specifically for the rapidly improving genre of specifically Christian fantasy and science fiction...not to mention those other "weird" books we love. The Clive Staples Lewis Awards lapsed for bit, but it's back this year with a spectacularly long list of nominees. How far we've come!

Words in the Wind by Yvonne Anderson (Risen Books)

Daughter of Light by Morgan L. Busse (Marcher Lord Press)

Devil’s Hit List: Book Three of the UNDERGROUND by Frank Creed (Splashdown Books)

Liberator (Dragons of Starlight series) byBryan Davis (Zondervan)

A Throne of Bones by Vox Day (Hinterlands / Marcher Lord Press)

Mortal (The Books of Mortals) by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee (FaithWords)

Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore (Thomas Nelson)

The Telling by Mike Duran (Realms Fiction)

Risk byBrock Eastman (P&R Publishing/Focus on the Family)

Live and Let Fly by Karina Fabian (Muse It Up Publishing)

I Am Ocilla by Diane Graham (Splashdown)

Seeking Unseen by Kat Heckenbach (Splashdown Books)

Remnant in the Stars by Cindy Koepp (Under The Moon)

The Unraveling of Wentwater (The Gates of Heaven Series) by C.S. Lakin (Living Ink Books)

Prophet by R. J. Larson (Bethany House)

Judge by R. J. Larson (Bethany House)

Spirit Fighter by Jerel Law (Thomas Nelson)

Fire Prophet by Jerel Law (Thomas Nelson)

The Spirit Well by Stephen Lawhead (Thomas Nelson)

The Wrong Enemy by Jane Lebak (MuseItUp Publishing)

Alienation (A C.H.A.O.S. novel) by Jon S. Lewis (Thomas Nelson)

Curse Bearer by Rebecca P Minor (Written World Communications)

Rift Jump by Greg Mitchell (Splashdown Darkwater)

Bid the Gods Arise by Robert Mullin (Crimson Moon Press)

Prophetess (Winter Book 2)Keven Newsome (Splashdown Darkwater)

Failstate by John W. Otte (Marcher Lord Press)

Soul’s Gate by James Rubart (Thomas Nelson)

Starflower by Anne Elizabeth Stengl (Bethany House)

Moonblood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House)

Star Of Justice by Robynn Tolbert (Splashdown Books)

Daystar by Kathy Tyers (Marcher Lord Press)

The New Recruit by Jill Williamson (Marcher Lord Press)

Replication: The Jason Experiment by Jill Williamson (Zonderkidz)

Only books published in 2012 were eligible, and only books from official publishing houses. (i.e. no CreateSpace)

And today the first round of actual voting beginnings. If you've read two or more of the books on this list, head over to Speculative Faith to cast your vote! While you are there, check out the great series Rebecca LuElla Miller did on how to choose the best novel overall instead of just the one you liked the most.

Afloat - Erin Healy

Details

Written by Emma Engel

It seems like the perfect community. And of course, floating houses are a draw all their own. But Eagle’s Talon had problem long before the work crew hit a sink hole. Now with the world in chaos, unnatural strangers delivering messages from God, and lights shining deep in the water, a small group of people must try to navigate dark waters. And getting out alive doesn’t necessarily equate with survival.

Merlin's Blade - Robert Treskillard

Details

Written by Audrey Sauble

The theme of this story seems obvious from its title—Merlin, yes, so obviously it’s a story about Arthur. Arthur and Merlin maybe, but most certainly Arthur.

Merlin’s Blade, however, is touted as the story before Arthur—the story of Merlin.

In this, the first book of The Merlin Spiral, Robert Treskillard writes the story of a blacksmith’s son, half-blind, only able to see blurs and shadows, but able to see some things better than most of the stronger, more clear-sighted villagers around him. In keeping with this, the book follows Merlin’s attempts to find his way in the world and his struggle to fit into a broken family.

At the same time, Merlin’s Blade is also the story of the young Merlin’s first encounter with supernatural power, when the old forces of Druidic magic and idolatry invade his quiet home village in Cornwall. And Cornwall, or ‘Kernow’ as Treskillard calls it, is an easy prey as the villagers split between the new way of peace and the old way of fear, superstition, and greed.