Francine Rivers

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

Hi, new community. How are you doing? You look lonely.

Okay, I think I'll start with a topic I started discussing on Easter with my friend's grandmother-in-law. We got on the subject of Francine Rivers, and she was saying how she didn't want to read those books because she didn't like the idea of rewriting stories from the Bible with extra details.

I have to say that I have had my own hesitations about that. I've read a handful of Rivers' books (*loved* Redeeming Love), and though I enjoyed the Lineage Series (haven't finished, but have read most), I found myself constantly saying, "Hey.. it doesn't say that.." I mean, I guess it still could have happened, and I get that she's just trying to fill out the story so we can relate to it more, but I don't know. Also, I found myself looking at the character differently (and maybe not in a correct way), based on how she portrayed their personality or motive in their actions. So...yeah. I'm not sure where I stand with that. What do you think?

Also, has anyone read The Atonement Child? I have it on my bookshelf but haven't had a chance to read it yet. Should I hurry or is there no rush?

Comments

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

Yeah but if the new characters interacted with them, isn't that essentially the same as adding since those original characters never really met them? :)

I've not read any fanfiction. It always has a weird association for me so I haven't really thought about reading any. What sort of fanfiction do you like?

[jennymae.livejournal.com]

Yeah but if the new characters interacted with them, isn't that essentially the same as adding since those original characters never really met them? :)

Haha! Yeah, you're right. What I was trying to say is that if one's story took place with Biblical events happening "on the side" that's one thing compared to being submersed in the Biblical event. Does that make sense? Probably not. I would think that for an author it would be hard to keep from adding to the Bible...even fictionally. And then I think I'd have a hard time separating the fictional story from the Biblical event when reading my Bible. But that's just me.

Fanfiction CAN be weird. Sometimes it can be inappropriate. Sometimes it's written very, very poorly. Many of them are very mediocre. Only a few are well written, clean, stay somewhat similar to the original characters' character, etc. I generally like reading the English classics--Jane Austen especially.

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

Oh I gotcha. Where the story isn't one from the Bible, but some of the characters are actually mentioned in the Bible.

So with the Austen fanfiction, is it just a new story but with characters from some of Austen's books?

[jennymae.livejournal.com]

Exactly. It just doesn't seem to be as weird/wrong if it's done that way. :-)

So with the Austen fanfiction, is it just a new story but with characters from some of Austen's books?

There are lots of different ones: New story with some Austen characters; Austen's stories from another perspective (say, Mr. Darcy's point of view versus Lizzy's as Pride and Prejudice is written); continuations; Austen's works in "modern times"; and "What if's" (e.g. What if Lydia had NOT gone to Bath? or What if Darcy's parents were still alive? etc.)