- The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien
- by John Hendrix
- Fanfare / Abrams
- Publication Date: September 24, 2024
- ISBN-13: 9781419746345
In 1926, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were on the English faculty in Oxford. Both deeply impacted by the Great War, they found comfort in literature, particularly the northern mythology they had discovered in their youth. This shared love led to a deep friendship which would have a profound impact on the development of fantasy and other contemporary speculative fiction. The story of this literary friendship is narrated by a lion and a wizard, who explore how the two authors influenced each other’s writing and beliefs—including Lewis’s conversion to Christianity, the development of their greatest works, as well as the conflict which would eventually bring an end to their relationship.
Hendrix’s creative biography alternates comic panels with longer blocks of illustrated prose. In addition to the story of Tolkien’s and Lewis’s friendship, Hendrix includes four optional “portals,” where the two narrators dive deeper into the world of fantasy literature, exploring topics like the role of myth and fairy tales in modern fantasy. The detailed illustrations, lightly colored in gold, lavender, and dark blue, bring whimsy and nuance to the story, and often draw upon the metaphorical content of these two writers’ works. Backmatter includes an author’s note and extensive bibliography for further exploration.
Fans of Lewis and Tolkien will appreciate learning more about these two influential writers, and may be inspired to revisit their works after reading about their evolution. Readers who admired Hendrix’s The Faithful Spy, or An Outbreak of Witchcraft by Deborah Noyes will likely enjoy the level of detail and depth offered here.
–Heather Christensen