List of Christian Novels and Fiction Books

Novels and Fiction with a Catholic/Christian Perspective

by Fr. Gary Coulter

Current efforts at spreading the faith in "Novel" form - A listing of some of the more Catholic-themed fiction, especially more recent releases.

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See my many other Book Recommendations

Note that my page of Intellectual Catholic Books already has a number of selections by category: Fiction, Historical Novel and Novels about Saints

Recent Novels
Classic Novels
Online Novels

Modern and Recent Novels

Michael O'Brien, published by Ignatius Press: New: Island of the World - a dramatic novel of religious faith and divine providence in the midst of great evils, war, suffering, and radical injustice.
Children of the Last Days series of apocalyptic novels explores the fate of the Catholic Church in the end times. Click on the above link for information about the order they should be read. The books in order of publication date are:: Father Elijah; Eclipse of the Sun; Strangers and Sojourners; The Plague Journal; A Cry of Stone; Sophia House
Michael O'Brien is also the author of A Landscape With Dragons: The Battle for Your Child's Mind - an important work on the power and value of literature, with a helpful, lengthy appendix of good books for children of all ages, arranged by level of difficulty and author.

"Dorsetville" series by Katherine Valentine, published by Doubleday
This series focuses around the life and times of the inhabitants of a small New England town. The books in order of publication date are:: A Miracle for St. Cecilia's; Gathering of Angels; On a Wing and a Prayer

Brother Cadfael Mysteries by Ellis Peters
Marvelous mystery novels that are a delightful blend of mystery, history, and romance (in the old and best sense of the word).

Alice Thomas Ellis
An English writer who died just a couple years ago. A Catholic convert, mother of seven, and a great cook, she wrote on food, family, and faith, with an incredible caustic wit. Some of her novels include:: The Inn at the Edge of the World; The Sin-Eater; The Birds of the Air; The Summer House Trilogy; The 27th Kingdom
Alice Thomas Ellis also has some collections of Catholic essays, both attacks on modernism.: God Has Not Changed; A Cat Among Pigeons

"Loyola Classics" series, edited by Amy Welborn, published by Loyola Press This series features re-released versions of classics by Catholic authors. The books include:: Catholics by Brian Moore; Cosmas, or the Love of God by Peter Hebblethwaite; Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? by John R. Powers; Helena; In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden; Mr. Blue by Myles Connolly; North of Hope by Jon Hassler; Saint Francis by Nikos Kazantzakis; The Devil's Advocate by Morris L. West; The Edge of Sadness by Edwin O'Connor; The Keys of the Kingdom by A. J. Cronin; The Last Catholic in America by John R. Powers; The Silver Chalice by Thomas B. Costain; The Unoriginal Sinner and the Ice-Cream God by John Powers; Things as They Are by Paul Horgan; Vipers' Tangle by Francois Mauriac; Cosmas or the Love of God by Pierre de Calan; Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy by Rumer Godden; Son of Dust by H.F.M. Prescott

My Visit to Hell by Paul Thigpen: An exciting new book (May 2007) by a prolific Catholic author. Read an interview with the author of this novel in line with Dante's Inferno.
A World Away: The Quest of Dan Clay: Book One by T.J. Smith: First in a trilogogy (others to come 2008 and 2009). This Catholic author creates a cliffhanger adventure novel that will be enjoyed by adults and teens alike, teaching morality and faith through fiction.
New (May 2008): The Grand Inquisitor by John Zmirak: A Catholic stand-up comic writes a graphic novel of intrigue and entertainment that actually appreciates religion and defends Catholism. Read an interview from the author of The Bad Catholic's Guide to Good Living and The Bad Catholic's Guide To Wine, Whiskey, And Song

A new Fiction work from Loyola Press:: The Shoemaker's Gospel: A Novel by Daniel Brent
Some other novels like "The Shoemaker's Gospel" that touch on a deeper understanding of Jesus:: Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt by Anne Rice (2004) - a moving and credible portrait of the young Lord and His family in their home at Nazareth.; Joshua: A Parable for Today by Fr. Joseph Girzone (1994); The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream by Paulo Coelho (1995); Dinner with a Perfect Stranger: An Invitation Worth Considering by David Gregory (2005)

Sister Mary Catharine Perry O. P.: Amata Means Beloved - A story of life in the cloister and forgiviness. Is one coming closer to God or just trying to escape the world?
Josue Raul Conte: Contemporary author of several Catholic novels: The Stones Cry Out! and The Chancery Murders
Bud MacFarlane Jr offers Free Novels: Pierced by a Sword, Conceived Without Sin, and House of Gold
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger, a young American Evangelical Christian: Although not Catholic, faith permeates this novel, but it's not sweet piety of the shallower sort, but a truly Christian novel with both humor and plot. It includes a dramatic story (about murder and repentance), a portrait of Christian fatherhood (and manhood), the struggle with personal sin, injustice, and humiliation.
Dean Koontz: A multi-million, best-selling author, Koontz is a Catholic who mostly writes in the "horror" genre. Therefore some of his books may contain disturbing scenes including violence, gore, frightening portrayals of great evil, and some sexuality. Yet many praise the novels deep themes and Catholic elements, such as faith and morality, the confrontation of evil and the supernatural.; Perhaps his most Catholic works are the series about Odd Thomas, including Forever Odd and the most recent Brother Odd; Again, none of his works can be considered Christian fiction, but the themes are still there, books such as: The Taking, Life Expectancy, By the Light of the Moon and The Face.
Lee Harris has written numerous books in the Christine Bennett Mysteries, about an ex-nun who solves crimes.: First in the series is: Good Friday Murder
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell (Can be a little: A science fiction work about a group, including Jesuit priests, sent on the first expedition to an alien world. Deals with spiritual questions and the meaning of suffering. Also see the sequel Children of God
Two novels about fictional Cardinals (think Shoes of the Fisherman): Cardinal Galsworthy by Edward R. F. Sheehan; The Red Hat by Ralph M. McInerny
The Gospel According to Judas Iscariot: Joseph Luguya has written a very different novel, somewhat on the lines of C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters

Classic Novels

Louis de Wohl: Any of his historical novels and his speculative fiction
Graham Greene: * The Power and the Glory; The Heart of the Matter; The End of the Affair; Hint of an Explanation (short story)
Flannery O'Connor: * Wise Blood; A Good Man is Hard to Find short story; Mystery and Manners; The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O'Connor Nonfiction about the art and craft of writing fiction.
Georges Bernanos: * The Diary of a Country Priest; Under the Sun of Satan; The Last Essays of Georges Bernanos - non-fiction, predictions of where our civilization is headed
Walker Percy: Love in the Ruins; Lost In The Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book (non-fiction)
Julien Green: The Other One; Journals; God's Fool: The Life of Francis of Assisi; Moira
Sigrid Indset(Undset): Kristin Lavransdatter; The Master of Hestviken (multiple volumes)
Evelyn Waugh: Brideshead Revisited; Helena (Loyola Classics) by Evelyn Waugh
J.F. Powers: * Wheat That Springeth Green; Morte d'Urban; The Prince of Darkness; Presence of Grace
Msgr. Robert Hugh Benson: Lord of the World; Dawn of All (sort of a sequel to Lord of the World); Come Rack! Come Rope!
Owen Francis Dudley: Father Dudley's has a series of nine books that address the problems and answers of human happiness and today's world.

Alessandro Manzoni: The Betrowthed
Willa Cather: Death Comes for the Archbishop
Charles Sheldon: In His Steps
Lloyd C. Douglas: The Robe
Henryk Sienkiewicz: Quo Vadis
Par Lagerkvist: Barabbas
Catherine Marshall: Christy
C. S. Lewis: Space Trilogy:; Out of the Silent Planet; Perelandra; That Hideous Strength
JRR Tolkien: Lord of the Rings Trilogy; The Silmarillion; The Children of Hurin
Bodie Thoene: In My Father's House
Jose Maria Gironella: The Cypresses Believe in God: Spain on the Eve of Civil War
Shusaku Endo: Silence; The Samurai; A renowned 20th century author who wrote from the perspective of being both Japanese and Catholic.
Francois Mauriac: Viper's Tangle (Loyola Classics)
Walter M Miller Jr: A Canticle for Leibowitz
Jon Hassler: Staggerford; North of Hope (Loyola Classics); Dear James (Loyola Classics)
Franz Werfel: The Song of Bernadette
Morris L. West: The Shoes of the Fisherman; The Devil's Advocate (Loyola Classics)

Novels Available Online

G.K. Chesterton: Chesterton wrote some 200 short stories, including some plays. His best-known character is the priest-detective Father Brown, while The Man Who Was Thursday is arguably his best-known novel.; Some of his fiction works include: Manalive, The Ball and the Cross, The Club of Queer Trades, The Innocence of Father Brown, The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Trees of Pride, The Wisdom of Father Brown.; These and many more are Available Online or for purchase, such as: The Complete Father Brown
Dante: Purgatorio, Inferno, Paradisio; Also see Dante Aligieri: Divine Comedy, Divine Spirituality by Robert Royal a text and commmentary
Miguel de Cervantes: Don Quixote