Looking For An Inklings Adventure | An Interview with Dr. David C. Downing

Looking For An Inklings Adventure | An Interview with Dr. David C. Downing, author of Looking For The King: An Inklings Novel | Ignatius Insight | November 9, 2010

Ignatius Insight: How and when were you first introduced to writings and thought of C.S. Lewis and the Inklings? What did you find most interesting and attractive about their work?

Dr. Downing: I first read both Lewis and Tolkien during my college years. Someone recommended the Narnia Chronicles to me in high school, but I thought I was far too sophisticated  and mature at the age of eighteen to be reading "kid stuff"! When I finally dipped into The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe one summer, I was so enthralled I read all seven Chronicles in a month. Then I sat down and re-read all seven of them again the next month.

Reading The Lord of the Rings was all the fad when I was in high school, but, contrarian that I am, I resisted reading this fantasty epic simply because everyone else was doing so! But I started reading one evening in college, when I had classes the next day, forgetting all my homework because I couldn't put it down. I recall that it was about 2:00 in the morning when Gandalf was pulled into the abyss by the Balrog. I almost had an anxiety attack, thinking, "Now we'll never get out of the mines of Moria without Gandalf to lead us!" Later in the story, when Gandalf reappears, I had a sense of relief and elation that seemed some small tincture of the joy of that first Easter morning.

I'm sure that part of my attraction to both Lewis and Tolkien is simply that both are master story-tellers. But there is also a power of Goodness in their work. As an English major in college, I spent much of my time reading contemporary novelists who are experts at portraying troubled people--selfish, neurotic. brutish, and downright evil. But very few twentieth century novelists besides Lewis and Tolkien (and Chesterton) have the power to show us what good people look like--characters with integrity, compassion, courage, and a willingness to sacrifice for others. I'm sure this ability to portray good characters convincingly is derived from their Christian world-view, a sense that ultimately, it is not evil or chaos, but Goodness that reigns in the universe.

Ignatius Insight: Prior to your novel, what scholarly and non-fiction books did you write about Lewis and Company?

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Comments

[Todd Newbold]

My Downing,

I like to see applicable acronyms in plain words.
Did the Tile "Looking" - have something to do with LewisTolkein Look/Lewis king/Tolkein

[Denise Roper]

I really enjoyed this interview and loved this quote from David Downing: "But very few twentieth century novelists besides Lewis and Tolkien (and Chesterton) have the power to show us what good people look like--characters with integrity, compassion, courage, and a willingness to sacrifice for others." That nicely sums up why the Narnia, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter series have been so popular.
I read "Looking for the King" and gave it a very positive review at http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com/2010/10/11/my-review-of-looking-for-the-king-an-inklings-novel/ Please leave a comment if you visit my blog. Thanks!

[Todd Newbold]

Tom - Tolkien
Laura - Lewis

I started Chapter 2