Charles Williams

[Bobby_Jim]

Just curious if there are any fans of Charles Williams (the British author) here. I just read his novel “War in Heaven”, which is a curious tale of the Holy Grail (or Graal as he spells it) turning up at a country parish in early 20th century England. It’s simultaneously a murder mystery with dark occult forces (portrayed as evil in no uncertain terms), and also some really engaging characters and Christian themes throughout.

Williams was a member of the group at Oxford that included CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. Lewis considered Williams to be an inspiration, although in this particular case I found Williams’ writing to be more subtle, less allegorical and apologetic than Lewis often was in his fiction. Although this novel is quite dark in parts, some of the writing is also quite tongue-in-cheek which lightens the mood - this is a style I’ve enjoyed about Lewis’s writing as well. Not perfect; Williams’ writing gets a bit dense and muddled, and he relies on some annoying plot devices, but still intriguing enough that I’ll look for some of his other works. Any recommendations?

 

[SecretaryMonday]

Charles Williams is awesome! (I think the word applies, in the older sense of the term.)

While I am not as much a fan of the series including ‘War in Heaven’ (I’m assuming that the Sir Giles Tumulty books were a series, and the only parts I really liked in it were the parts that reminded me of GK Chesterton), I loved ‘The Greater Trumps’ most, as well as ‘All Hallows Eve’, ‘Descent into Hell’, and ‘The Place of the Lion.’

 

[SecretaryMonday]

Somewhere on the Internet is a very funny “Murder Mystery” that seeks to ‘prove’ that the American government, the papist idolater J.R.R.Tolkein and that dark Rosicrucian Charles Williams secretly orchestrated the murder of C.S. Lewis (he really died of renal failure, and Williams had passed on several years before him). I couldn’t find the article on Google but I have a hard copy at home, I can check the web address later…

I can picture Williams ending somebody: “All is MOST well…now!”

Also, Peter Kreeft references Williams several times in the ‘Handbook of Christian Apologetics.’

 

[GoldenSeal]

I loved “Descent into Hell” and “All Hallows Eve.” These were stories that stayed with me long after I finished them. I read these books over 25 years ago and still have them in my book shelf. In recent years I realized that Charles Williams introduced me to the ideas of offering up one’s suffering and praying for the dead.

 

[Lisa1967]

I’ve never heard of him but will try to see if I can get his books.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

I loved “Descent into Hell” and “All Hallows Eve.” These were stories that stayed with me long after I finished them. I read these books over 25 years ago and still have them in my book shelf. In recent years I realized that Charles Williams introduced me to the ideas of offering up one’s suffering and praying for the dead.

Yes, the concept of bearing one another’s burdens, or suffering for another, was a new one to me, and it came through Williams.

 

[Bobby_Jim]

I’m assuming that the Sir Giles Tumulty books were a series…

Interesting, I didn’t know he would be a recurring character. Brash and abrasive and so utterly disdainful - an entertaining character in small doses. Serves as a good reminder too that what we think of as the contemporary “New Atheism” is neither new nor contemporary.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

Interesting, I didn’t know he would be a recurring character. Brash and abrasive and so utterly disdainful - an entertaining character in small doses. Serves as a good reminder too that what we think of as the contemporary “New Atheism” is neither new nor contemporary.

Its really cool how he dies (see “Many Dimensions”)