The Mythmakers, The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien (2024)

By John Hendrix

Illustrated by John Hendrix

4Rbooks                                    6/6                    grades          7-12

Amazon                                     4.8/5              grade level: none listed

Goodreads                                 4.60/5          

Common Sense Media               5/5                  age 12+

218 pages

Synopsis

            C.S. Lewis (known as Jack) and J.R.R. Tolkien (known as Ronald) were two English boys who would never have guessed they would grow into two of the most influential writers, ever. They grew up overcoming family issues to attend college and fight in The Great War (WWI). After the war they both ended up teaching at Oxford where they were introduced and began a long-term friendship.

            They were both writing but had not had a book published yet.  Tolkien had begun the work that would eventually become the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings.  Based on a challenge with Tolkien, Lewis would write the beginning of his space trilogy, Out of the Silent Planet. The two were part of two different writing groups that discussed ancient works (Dead Poets Society type club) and shared personal works.  The group provided productive criticism to the authors involved.

             As their success as writers took off, sadly the friends grew apart over the years, but they never completely lost touch with each other and remained supportive of each other’s work.

Parental Guidelines:    low

Mild depictions of war-time horrors.

In depth discussions of literature, mythology, and theology.  Younger readers will need guidance.

C.S. Lewis journey from atheist to theist and finally Christian is documented.

Recommendation

            This is an in-depth look at two of the greatest writers of the 20th century.  It details their lives and their works, intertwined with details of their friendship which helped to shape both of them as people, and as writers.  The reader is guided through the story by a wizard (Tolkien) and a lion (Lewis) who also lead them through education journeys of mythology, fairy tales, legend, folklore, and even science fiction.

            The artwork is amazing, the story compelling, and their writing fascinating. Fans of their work will appreciate noticing how parts of their lives show up in their work. More than likely you will find new bits of information that you never knew.

This is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel for adults that could be appropriate for junior high and high school students who are interested in these two authors and their works.  It looks like a fun book that any child would want to read, but weaker readers will get bogged down in the descriptions and details. Fans of Tolkien and Lewis should absolutely love this look at their work, their inspirations, and their relationship.