Editor’s Choice
- Focuses on forgiveness and reconciliation as the solution to sin and evil
- The story connects with the reader at a deep level
- Available in Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle
Best Overall
- Fonts are large and very readable
- Paperback boxed set
- Interior black-and-white art by the original illustrator
Budget-Friendly
- Beautiful illustration of life in biblical times
- An inspiring read for anyone who feels they have lost hope
- Very well written with engaging characters
If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best Christian fiction book is then I’d recommend The Chronicles of Narnia Box Set + Trivia Book by C.S. Lewis as the best one.
Every chance I have during my free time, I’d prefer to get a good book and read. I love how I could escape into other worlds all from the comfort of my sofa. Reading makes me experience and learn things I would never otherwise get to experience. One of the genres I’d learn to love is Christian Fiction among others.
So often, when people ask me what I read and I answer “Christian fiction,” I receive a blank stare. Many people simply don’t understand what makes Christian fiction different from other fiction books in the market.
As Bestselling Author Francine Rivers wrote,
If you pull out the Christian thread from the plot and the plot unravels, it’s Christian fiction.
Whether you are new to the faith or surrendered your heart to Christ many years ago, this is for you. Christian fiction will help strengthen your faith and open your eyes to God’s love in new ways.
Here are the Best Christian Fictions we’ll be reviewing:
- The Chronicles of Narnia Box Set + Trivia Book by C.S. Lewis
- Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
- The Shack by WM. Paul Young
- A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette
- If I Were You by Lynn Austin
What is a Christian Fiction?
Since the parables in Jesus’ time, Christians loved a rich story-telling tradition. Our lives find their form in narrative from the stories we shared to our testimonies about our salvation or God’s work in the world.
Christian Fiction is a literary genre dedicated to the narrative representation of Christian theology and ethics. They are stories written by novelists whose Christian worldview is interlaced with the plot and character development.
Most Christian Fiction writers often retell biblical stories in parallel to the modern world. They demonstrate how the principles they’re illustrating apply to readers’ lives by carefully making their stories relatable. The divinity of Christ and the authority of the Holy Scripture are the fundamentals of all works of Christian fiction. No matter what context, Christian Fiction expresses the ideas of salvation only through Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Bible as God’s word and law to humanity. The writer has to convey at least these basic building blocks of the Christian faith.
Christian Fiction is a genre that focuses on Christian principles to draw characters away from their hell-bound path, and God always gets the glory.
What Makes the Best Christian Fiction Books?
Picking out good Christian books has a lot of scrutinizing and research. It does not mean if they are tagged as Bestselling Christian Books that they are that good. Our goal is to look for clean books, free of explicit content, and not promote harmful or evil things. What sets a good Christian Fiction book apart is that they unfailingly point to Jesus in some way. Here are some points you need to consider.
Sharing the Gospel
A good Christian Fiction book focuses on sharing the gospel. The writer has to tell the good news that Jesus is real without coming across as preachy. The best Christian fiction weaves the truth to the story without beating anyone over the head with it.
Learn from the Life Lessons
One of the takeaways of good Christian Fiction is the life lessons from the characters of the story. They take you on a journey of so many decisions and choices and consequences that when faced in real life you know a little better.
Show Spiritual Growth
The level of spiritual growth of the characters should be shown depending on their starting points. We are not perfect and Christian life is all about obedience to God who is the author of our life.
Points to Jesus
A good Christian Fiction always glorifies Jesus in the end. It should not be about following your heart and waiting for a prince to save you, it does not work like that. It is believing that Jesus will get you through the best and worst circumstances.
Bestselling Christian Fiction Authors
One of the characteristics of a good Christian Fiction author is when they point us back to Christ. Most of them have several things in common. Their love for God is the main reason why they write for us. They also have the desire to share God’s character and love with the world. There are so many awesome authors today that it is so hard to tell who is the best of the best. But here are some Christian authors to keep an eye out for.
Classical Fiction authors are still popular and widely accepted as remarkable works. After all, they have stood the test of time. They may have been around for some time but their works are still powerful, meaningful, and relatable today. Some of the best in this genre are C.S Lewis, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Charles Sheldon, and JRR Tolkien.
Lynn Austin, Sarah Sundin, Laurine Snelling, and Penelope J Stokes are some of the best in Historical Fiction. We have a chance to explore what it was like to live in so many times and places because of their research, creativity, and generosity.
Contemporary Christian Fiction is a good mix of reality, suspense, romance, comedy, and fun. Books written by Lori Wick, Sharon Srock, Hallee Bridgemann, and Alana Terry are awesome to read. Beth Moore is one to watch out for with her best-selling Bible studies.
As far as Biblical Fiction authors, you want to keep your eye out for Tessa Afshar, Mesu Andrews, Connilyn Cossette, and Jill Eileen Smith. They can captivate and encourage you to experience firsthand their Biblical fiction accounts.
Christian Novels of the Suspense genre are quite intense, but not overwhelming. Joel C. Rosenberg, Jerry B. Jenkins, Robin Caroll, and Ginny Ytrupp are fantastic.
These talented and amazing Christian fiction writers know how to hook you and point you back to Christ every step of the way.
The Chronicles of Narnia Box Set + Trivia Book by C.S. Lewis
You can’t go wrong starting with the classics. The Chronicles of Narnia Box Set + Trivia Book by C.S Lewis is a series of seven fantasy novels. This book is regarded as a classic of children’s literature. It is C.S. Lewis’ best-known work having sold over 100 million copies in 47 languages. It has also been transformed into three major motion pictures. This book is a must-read for all ages.
The adventure is set in the fictional realm of Narnia. A place where you can experience a fantasy world of magic, mythical beasts, and talking animals. The Chronicles of Narnia set the stage for battles between good and evil and of epic proportions. The series narrates the adventures of siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie who are magically transported to Narnia. They are brought in by the lion Aslan to defend Narnia from evil and bring back the throne to its rightful line.
This box set spans all seven titles in The Chronicles of Narnia—The Magician’s Nephew; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Horse and His Boy; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair; and The Last Battle. They are presented together with a Narnia Trivia book in an illustrated slipcase.
Pros:
- Fonts are large and very readable
- Paperback boxed set
- Interior black-and-white art by the original illustrator
- Includes colorful maps and illustrations
- Pages are of high quality and have a nice glossy finish
Cons:
- The bindings are glued, not sewn
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers is one of the leading authors of women’s Christian fiction around the globe. She continues to triumph in both industry acclaim and reader loyalty with nearly thirty Christian themes published novels.
Redeeming Love was initially published in 1991 and became one of the all-time favorite books on the market. It is loosely based on the biblical story of the prophet Hosea. It brings us a powerful retelling of the story of Gomer and Hosea. In Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers tells a redeeming story of God’s all-consuming and unconditional love.
Set during the 1850s gold rush of California, we see through the story of Angel and Michael how deeply God’s love can restore and forgive us. Michael Hosea is a farmer who listens to God’s prompting to marry Angel, a local prostitute. Angel is relentless in her stubbornness to accept Michael’s love because of her brokenness from years of abuse and injustice. It is a story of an all-consuming love that won’t let go —no matter what!
Pros:
- Morality is fairly high, holding to Christian standards
- Comprised a six-part reading group guide
- Available in Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle
- It has touched lives all over the world for 20 years
- The timeless biblical themes are perfectly portrayed and brought to life through the unforgettable characters.
Cons:
- The first 6 chapters have an in-depth painful emotional description of sexual and physical child abuse
- The author painted a morbid picture of sin, often disturbingly graphic
The Shack by WM. Paul Young
The Shack is a self-published debut novel by William P. Young. It was written by a Christian father for his children. This is to help them understand his relationship with God. The book conveys the most grueling of all theological dilemmas, the goodness of God and the problem of evil. You will find yourself asking where is God in the midst of pain and suffering? How can a good God allow us to experience these kinds of horrific evil?
The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity is a beautiful picture of transformation. It tells us about Missy, the youngest daughter of Mackenzie Allen Phillips, who was abducted on a family holiday. The pieces of evidence that she could have been brutally murdered are found deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four decades after, Mack receives a note, seemingly from God, enticing him back to the abandoned shack. Against his better judgment, Mack arrives at the shack and uncovers something that will change his world forever.
Pros:
- Focuses on forgiveness and reconciliation as the solution to sin and evil
- The story connects with the reader at a deep level
- Available in Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle
- The novel was written with vivid description and profound insight
- Well written and a must-read for struggling bereaved families
Cons:
- It has so many non-biblical doctrines
- The theology is spotty and poorly explained
A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette
Cities of Refuge is a series written by Connilyn Cossette that focuses on God’s people settling in the Promised Land. Six books all with riveting fictional accounts of biblical history. It is a Biblical fiction genre based on the six cities of refuge assigned in the days of Moses/Joshua.
A Light on the Hill takes us to the promised land of Abraham. It is about the journey of a woman kidnapped, branded with the mark of the Canaanite temple gods, and accused of murder. Moriyah has yet to find her peace as she hides behind her veil because of a shameful mark on her face.
Moriyah seeks refuge in Kedesh, a newly-established Levitical city of refuge. It is a shelter for those accused of the death of another without intent. Engaged to another, she falls in love with a family member of those she is accused of murdering. Follow Moriyah’s dreams and pride and how they shaped and controlled her life and chance at happiness.
Pros:
- Beautiful illustration of life in biblical times
- An inspiring read for anyone who feels they have lost hope
- Very well written with engaging characters
- With a good storyline and an interesting plot twist
- Flawless attention to historical detail
Cons:
- Improper use of Hebrew and English words
- Content includes idol worship and some derogatory terms
If I Were You by Lynn Austin
If I Were You is a heartbreaking and yet heartwarming story of friendship, war, love, and life. It is masterfully created by bestselling and eight-time Christy Award-winning author Lynn Austin. The story comes alive on the streets of 1940s London as German bombs fall from the sky and terrorize the city and surrounding countryside.
If I Were You talks about the lives of two women who met as girls and became friends. Eve and Audrey share a friendship impossible in those days because of different social statuses. Set against the backdrop of WW2, the war events altered their lives and threatened to destroy their newfound faith in God. Journey with these two women who’d lost nearly everything dear to them, seek forgiveness, find joy, and even strength in each other.
Pros:
- Well-researched historical facts
- The faith elements are light yet profound
- The history is deeply rich and powerful
- The characters are so well crafted
- With alternating dual-narrative from both Eve’s and Audrey’s points of view
Cons:
- A lengthy novel with the same information and emotions towards the end
- There’s a lot of inconsistency in the characters
Conclusion
Christian Fiction could be a top portion of a reader’s book series as it has so much to offer. Yes, we look for books free of explicit content, and not fostering harmful or evil things. But the best Christian fiction books unfailingly point to Jesus in some way. Our listing of the best Christian fiction books spans collections from bestselling writers and promising authors. Their books comprise stories filled with elements such as love, suspense, history, faith, friendship, and forgiveness.
The best Christian Fiction I’d recommend is The Chronicles of Narnia Box Set + Trivia Book by C.S. Lewis. Readers get to enjoy the clever fusion of Christian and classical elements, with effortless storytelling, fantasy, and mythical animals. There is no way to conquer the power of the story without reading it. It is not only well written but it turns our hearts to eternal matters.