A year or two ago, I bought a couple of novels from an LDS bookstore, read them from cover to cover, though I had to force myself to do so. So, my question for you is: Do you have any recommendations for any LDS-based novels, or non-LDS novels from LDS authors (except OSC, of course, since I've most likely already read it two or three times)? Any genre is fine. Having recovered, I'd like to give it another chance, but hope for a better experience.
(OSC, if you're reading this, how about a column in your "Brother Orson Reviews" column?)
Thanks.
-John
Posted by Theca (Member # 1629) on :
Interesting. I looked up "morman" at Amazon.com, to see if there were actually any books listed, since I've been told that it is just a mispelling of "mormon". But there were actually quite a few books that have apparently been published with morman in the title. I haven't read any of them.
[ June 05, 2006, 02:26 AM: Message edited by: Theca ]
Posted by Magson (Member # 2300) on :
My recommendation would be to not waste your time with all that fluff.
I've read a few "mormon novels" here and there over the years. They have been uniformly appalingly bad.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Where is Zalmoxis? Zal knows what the good ones are. There are a few, although not nearly as many as the awful ones.
Posted by Artemisia Tridentata (Member # 8746) on :
You may have to look in a museum to find a selection. But, arround the turn of the century, there was an author, Nephi Anderson, who wrote some good fiction. As a young guy I enjoyed "Boys of Springtown". (imagine Tom Sawyer in Logan) He wrote "Added Upon". But only the first half of the book is well written, so don't start with that one although it may be the easest to find. Gorden Allred also wrote fiction that was worth reading. His plays are "kind of steep". But his novels are a cut above those folks that write for the Southern California Mormon Market.
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
I'm with Magson. Read good fiction and don't lower individual standards of excellence just because it's geared toward a certain group.
Posted by cheiros do ender (Member # 8849) on :
Folk of the Fringe.
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
I'm personally a big fan of Dean Hughes. "Soldier Boys" is classified as young adult fiction, but I was so riveted by it that I read it in a night (I don't do that often on a school night). He's very good at avoiding the tempation to sugar-coat the Church.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Of course you said no OSC, but Saints is the only LDS novel I ever recall reading that I really thought was good. I'm in no position to bash the genre, though, because it's been years since I've read any of it. (Well, I have read a bit of the Work and the Glory and while I understand why the series has such a large following, it's not going to be for everyone--sappy romance and weak dialogue and stuff.)
Posted by OlavMah (Member # 756) on :
"Baptists at Our Barbeque" by Robert Farrell Smith. My non-LDS mother read this as well and found that she couldn't do so before bed, because she was laughing so loud she'd keep my father up. I haven't cared much for Smith's other novels, but some people love them all.
I believe David Farland (aka Dave Wolverton) publishes some stuff with Covenant, an LDS publishing house.
OSC also has done some publishing of other LDS authors. I believe his house published things like "The Alphabet Year" by Kathy Kidd, though I could be wrong about that. Haven't read the books, myself. There may still be links to them on Nauvoo.com.
Posted by OlavMah (Member # 756) on :
No, what am I talking about? OSC's publishing house is Hatrack Publications, located at:
Sorry... it's Monday.
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
You may enjoy Anne Perry's otherworldy fantasy Talthea and its sequel.
Posted by TrapperKeeper (Member # 7680) on :
Might I ask why you think an author's faith plays a role in the quality of the book he writes?
Posted by OlavMah (Member # 756) on :
Well, the LDS publishing market is itty-bitty. To give a sense of perspective, a "bestseller" is 10,000 copies. Self published, subsidy published, and POD published books can be sold through Deseret Book. So, with regards to LDS fiction being "bad," I think people are talking about fiction published in the LDS market. Its quality is roughly that of a limited, regional market, like you'd see on a "local authors" table in your local Barnes and Noble.
Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
I once read a book called Eddie Fantastic by Chris Heimerdinger. Maybe it's because I was at an entertainment-starved moment in my life, but I quite liked it. Nothing profound or spectacular, but quite fun and hard to put down. It's junior-fiction level sci-fi, and reminded me a lot of William Sleator.
Also, when I was a kid, I loved the Great Brain series of books. It's not Mormon-based as in spiritually uplifting or useful in proselyting, but it's set in a small southern Utah town in the late 19th century, so there's a lot of Mormon culture. It's kind of Mormon-based in the same way that Lost Boys was, but not near as heavy. Fun, quick reads if I remember, although it has been a few decades.
Posted by Artemisia Tridentata (Member # 8746) on :
I;ve done lots of road trips with Heimerdinger books on tape narrated by the author. They were entertaining and kept me awake. But, I've never tried to read one. If thats a recommendation, then go with it. Besides who wouldn't love an author named Chris Heimerdinger!
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Zalmoxis is the man for Mormon fiction and art in general. You should definitely ask him. If you can't find him here, check out his blog, A Motley Vision. He's known there by the pseudonym of William Morris, though, for some reason. Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
I thought I felt my ears burning. Thanks, everybody.
I'm traveling and so can't respond in as much detail as I would like. But here's a link to some of my Mormon fiction recommendations . That list is mainly limited to literary fiction, there's more out there. If anyone has any particular interests, speak up and I'll try to come up with something.
OlavMah's description of the Mormon publishing market is mostly correct -- although see Kent Larsen's posts on A Motley Vision for a fuller perspective. And the market is esp. tough for what I'm most interested in -- literary, but accessible fiction (of all genres) that is faithful but not didactic.
Of course, because of the economics of publishing some of the best Mormon fiction is in shorter form -- short stories and poetry.
Let me also put a plug in for Popcorn Popping , a newly launched online magazine that publishes creative narrative work by and/or about Mormons.
------- TrapperKeeper:
You ask a good question, but I don't see anything above where people suggest that someone's faith has a direct affect on the quality of a work (granted there may be some Mormons as well as members of other socio-religious-ethnic groups who feel this way, but no one that I know on Hatrack does).
If you are asking, why anyone should care about Mormon literature as Mormon literature, then the answer is the same as for any genre, category or discourse.
Mormon literature is of interest to some Mormons because Mormon authors who write it draw upon materials and experiences that are of interest to us and in so doing; hopefully, illumante some aspect or aspects of the Mormon experience.
It really is a rather tautological question an answer. Once could do the same thing with speculative fiction.
Why should I care about speculative fiction? Because I am interested in and accept the discourse boundaries of the genre -- the forms that are acceptable, the questions it asks, the style(s) of the writing, the worldviews it draws upon, etc. -- the fundamental principles that form it as a genre.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Zal, thanks, I think you've introduced me to a new addiction (Popcorn Popping)!
Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
I'm pleased to hear it.
A lot of people put a fair amount of time into it (I'm one of them, but I've been slacking of late) so it's always gratifying to hear from people who understand and support what we are trying to do. Major credit goes to our authors, of course, who really have put their trust in us editors, considering that it's such a new, different venture for the world of Mormon arts and culture and, more especially, considering that we allow folks to comment on the work we publish. :-)
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