Hey, everybody! Welcome back to Tumnus’s Bookshelf, where we review any and all books by, about and inspired by CS Lewis and the Land of Narnia. For today’s review we will be looking at David C. Downing’s brand new adventure story, Looking for the King: An Inklings Novel.
Title: Looking For The King
Author: David C. Downing
Publisher: Ignatius Press
ISBN-10: 1586175149
ISBN-13: 978-1586175146
Summary:
American Tom McCord is a doctoral candidate traveling through England in search of the locations for the “historical” King Arthur. He comes in contact with another American, a young lady named Laura Hartman. Guided by three of the Inklings; CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, and Charles Williams, the two Americans embark on a quest that involves the Spear of Destiny. Pursued by sinister agents, the two seek to unravel the mystery of Laura’s dreams and the truth behind the legends of King Arthur. Along the way, Tom makes an even greater discovery, one that will change his life forever.
Review:
To often when we talk of “The Inklings” we speak of them almost in hushed voices, as though they were like a secret society. I suppose such a mental picture is natural. When this inner circle included CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien, men who are credited with creating the modern fantasy genre, such an idea is inescapable. Because of this we tend to forget that they were simply a group of friends who got together for a good talk over a pint of beer and a smoke. That is one of the many things that author David C. Downing conveys so well in his new book, Looking for the King: An Inklings Novel.
At first glance, some may quickly assume this is yet another biography among the many about CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien and the rest of their circle of friends .That is not the case. This book is a work of Historical fiction. It deals with a fictional event but this book is so well written and so well researched that it may as well have happened.
Downing did a top-notch job in his research on The Inklings. CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, Charles Williams, and Hugo Dyson all show up in the course of the story, while others like Dr. Humphrey Harvard and Major Warren Lewis are mentioned in passing. I would estimate that at least 90 % of the things they say is taken from their notes, letters, essays and other writings, yet it doesn’t “feel” that way. These quotes help these characters come across as well educated men talking, and don’t feel at all like words written by men who have been dead for almost half a century. Those curious about the accuracy of their statements will find a very helpful section in the back of the book that cites the original source.
Readers can get a first hand look at what Lewis, Tolkien, Williams, and company really thought about literature, teaching, theology, Word War II, Sir Winston Churchill, and Hitler. The details into their personal lives are so accurate that CS Lewis drinks cider with his lunch (as he was oft to do) and Priscilla Tolkien is but a little girl tending her parents victory garden while Michael and Christopher are off in the War as they had been in 1940. We even see glimpses of the Inklings laughing and joking like a group of good friends at the Eagle and Child pub.
As for their overall roll in this story, the essential function of the Inklings is somewhat similar to that of Denholm Elliot’s character of Dr. Marcus Brody in the Indiana Jones films. They are wise fatherly figures who offer our heroes insight and wisdom into the quest that they may not have otherwise seen.
But what about the story itself? It is indeed an adventure story, but not in the way you think. There are no bar brawls, no gun fights, no car chases and no sensuous women. However there is mystery, suspense, friendship, faith, and even a sinister Nazi stooge lurking in the back ground. The story is also more intelligently written then most “pot-boiler” novels, even those on the Christian market. Most importantly, it’s just a good story. I can honestly say that couldn’t put this book down.
The heroes of this story are two young adults, Tom McCord and Laura Hartman, both from America. They are perfectly juxtaposed with each other: Laura a devout Christian plagued by mysterious dreams hoping to either find rest or answers, and Tom, a fortune hunting skeptic, trying to make a quick buck on the Arthur legend. Their journey through England leads the two of them on a search for the possible resting place of the Spear of Destiny ( also called the Spear of Longinus), the lance that was believed to have pierced the side of Christ at the Crucifixion. The two find kindred spirits among the Inklings and gain more then just a few clues into their mystery.
The story is very well written, and told in a very fast paced manner, fitting for an adventure story. The moments with the Inklings help to give the reader a little time to catch their breath before moving on to the next step in the journey. The cast of characters is pretty small, but this allows for the two main characters to develop nicely on the journey.
Looking for the King is a gripping page turner, with a lot of intelligence behind it. The fictional characters of Tom McCord and Laura Hartman blend seamlessly with the real characters of CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, and Charles Williams in a well told story. I haven’t had this much fun on a quest involving a Biblical relic and Arthurian lore since I first watched Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Five out of Five Shields.
Order the book from Amazon.com