Fantasy, Horror, and the Truth

Is it ok for Christians to indulge in fantasy and horror? Most Christians seem to believe there is nothing wrong with these genres, that they’re merely “entertaining.” But one man’s experience with this particular style of writing, first as a consumer and literary critic and then as an editor, proved to him that these genres are not as harmless as they may appear. Far from it, in fact.

This book details Benjamin Szumskyj’s decade-long experience in the genres of fantasy and horror fiction. Reflecting on his interactions with others, what he read and researched, in addition to what he edited and wrote, the author exposes the significant and even alarming inconsistencies of these genres with that of a professed follower of Jesus Christ. Szumskyj contends that such works are not merely “entertainment” but are founded on and promote ideologies and worldviews wholly contrary to the Scriptures, and that believers need to be more discerning of what fiction they read, particularly those promoted as being “Christian.”

This new edition, formerly published as The Pilgrim’s Digress: Why Christians Should Avoid the Fantasy and Horror Genres, includes new material and revisions in light of further readings and reflections by the author.