Like horses? Like handsome young men in denim and boots? Well, Christian western fiction novels might just be your cup of tea. The world of horses, mountains and plains, living close to the land, and adventure calls for strong women - the preferred heroines of today - and strong men.
The west is as full of adventure today as it was in the days of the pioneers. The mountains are still rugged, the plains endless, and the sky huge and empty. This makes it easy to create believable settings and story lines that frame the characters and create complications. The Christian nature of these stories will be reassuring for those who hesitate to read conventional modern novels; both characters and action will stay within benign limits.
Since many women like horses as well as men, the settings and plots of this genre are popular. Heroines can be young and inexperienced, but they are often older but wiser in today's literature. One thing they have in common is strength, in their own characters and in the faith that keeps them going in the right direction. Of course, it could be the hero who has the faith to bring things to a satisfactory close and two lovers together.
The man, of course, will have his own shrouded past or present entanglements, and either or both might have children to add to the mix. Secrets can include failed marriages, children born out of wedlock before salvation turned things around, time spent in prison, or problems with drugs or alcohol. Christian principles and compassion can overcome obstacles that ordinarily might make a happy future impossible.
There's another nice thing about Christianity. It can overcome the wanderlust that made many a heartthrob ride off into the Texas sunset, never looking back and never returning to the broken heart he left behind. It's just not fair that men so strong, silent, weather-beaten, and brave should have this fatal flaw.
However, our heroines have God on their side to help these cowboys see the emptiness of the untrammeled life and the value of commitment and love. This is great for those of us who want a happy ending to the complicated interaction of our fictional favorites. Obstacles to love's fulfillment are fine as long as they are overcome in the end.
The ways of the human heart are endlessly interesting, and the story of how someone comes to the Lord and learns to handle life's problems with God's help is always fascinating. This extra dimension adds to the story, especially when a skilled writer creates vital and believable characters and develops a clever, twisted plot. Who cares if the end is predictable, if the journey to get there is engrossing?
A man, a woman, the Lord, and the wide open spaces. It doesn't get much better than this.
The west is as full of adventure today as it was in the days of the pioneers. The mountains are still rugged, the plains endless, and the sky huge and empty. This makes it easy to create believable settings and story lines that frame the characters and create complications. The Christian nature of these stories will be reassuring for those who hesitate to read conventional modern novels; both characters and action will stay within benign limits.
Since many women like horses as well as men, the settings and plots of this genre are popular. Heroines can be young and inexperienced, but they are often older but wiser in today's literature. One thing they have in common is strength, in their own characters and in the faith that keeps them going in the right direction. Of course, it could be the hero who has the faith to bring things to a satisfactory close and two lovers together.
The man, of course, will have his own shrouded past or present entanglements, and either or both might have children to add to the mix. Secrets can include failed marriages, children born out of wedlock before salvation turned things around, time spent in prison, or problems with drugs or alcohol. Christian principles and compassion can overcome obstacles that ordinarily might make a happy future impossible.
There's another nice thing about Christianity. It can overcome the wanderlust that made many a heartthrob ride off into the Texas sunset, never looking back and never returning to the broken heart he left behind. It's just not fair that men so strong, silent, weather-beaten, and brave should have this fatal flaw.
However, our heroines have God on their side to help these cowboys see the emptiness of the untrammeled life and the value of commitment and love. This is great for those of us who want a happy ending to the complicated interaction of our fictional favorites. Obstacles to love's fulfillment are fine as long as they are overcome in the end.
The ways of the human heart are endlessly interesting, and the story of how someone comes to the Lord and learns to handle life's problems with God's help is always fascinating. This extra dimension adds to the story, especially when a skilled writer creates vital and believable characters and develops a clever, twisted plot. Who cares if the end is predictable, if the journey to get there is engrossing?
A man, a woman, the Lord, and the wide open spaces. It doesn't get much better than this.
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