The mythmakers The remarkable fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien

Hendrix brings his familiar brand of heavily illustrated, deeply researched nonfiction to this account of the formative and influential relationship between Lewis and Tolkien. A lion in a rumpled suit and a sharply drawn wizard--with a comical odd-couple dynamic--take readers through a fantastical landscape of mountains, secret doors, portals, and more as they relate each man's early years leading up to their fateful meeting at Oxford, their studies, the formation of the Inklings, and how it all shaped the novels they're known for today. As each man achieved literary fame in the mid-twentieth century, their differences grew sharper, leading to a deep fracture in their relationship that was never repaired, though Hendrix indulges himself a bit there, ending the book with an imagined "happily ever after" reconciliation. Throughout, Hendrix emphasizes the critical role religion played at the core of their beliefs about creativity, and he digs into some of the foundational scholarship on myths, legends, and fairy tales central to the writers' understanding of their work. With expressive artwork bringing the key figures' deep emotions powerfully to bear while also evoking iconic moments from their beloved books, this comes across as a deeply personal project for Hendrix, but that passion makes the telling that much more meaningful for readers, who will come away with a nuanced understanding not only of the writers but of the importance of storytelling on the whole.

Gr 7--10--Six years apart in age and from very different backgrounds, two Oxford literature professors, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, became boon companions in the years between the world wars. Sharing and shaping their creative work, in time, they published writing that transformed fantasy fiction. Meticulous attention is given to Lewis's struggle with religious faith and his ultimate conversion to Anglican Christianity, a major transformation in his life, guided in part through talks with staunch Catholic Tolkien. In general, the tale takes the form of a graphic biography, framed by a discussion between a lion and a wizard, representing Lewis and Tolkien. Hendrix makes brilliant use of space, clarifying difficult concepts with insightful composition. Other sections are related through illustrated or unadorned blocks of text. The writing is occasionally clunky or stilted, but the author's passion for the topic shines through. If there is a fault, it is in trying to include far too much, tracing the long trajectory of the men's friendship along with lengthy digressions into Tolkien's academic writings on fairy stories, the history of myth, and theories of scholars, such as Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, as well as sweeping over major events in 20th century history. It's difficult to imagine many takers among its intended audience, though it will undoubtedly appeal to some reflective readers of the two authors' works. Fairly comprehensive and extensive back matter includes source notes and a lengthy bibliography. VERDICT A well-sourced biography for patient readers, recommended for libraries where classic fantasy is popular.--Bob Hassett

In this ambitious tandem biography of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, we are presented with two approaches to the lives and friendship of these noted writers. A straightforward linear biography, accompanied by copious illustrations, places the men in their historical contexts using dense and sophisticated prose. ("Militarism, intertwined alliances, and a misplaced nationalism fomented a desire for adventure on the field of battle.") A second route through the book involves two guides, a cartoon lion and wizard, who begin by leading us, in meandering graphic-format style, through the wide-ranging subject of mythology (the book ends with a similar examination of fairy tales) and later take their turn carrying the biographical material. In the individual life stories, Hendrix chooses well-worn through lines: Lewis's movement from atheism to Christian belief and Tolkien's struggle to be taken seriously as a writer of fantasy. It is, however, the story of platonic male friendship between "Jack" and "Tollers" that packs the biggest emotional punch. Hendrix captures, in this portrait of a meeting of minds, the particular joys of their friendship, its intensity, and its tragic unraveling. What went wrong? Professional jealousy? The inevitability of touchy writerly egos? Lewis's marriage? Readers are left to wander back through the pages, or consult other sources suggested in the exhaustive scholarly back matter (including extensive source notes, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index), to draw their own conclusions. Sarah EllisNovember/December 2024 p.109 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Interweaving prose and graphic art, Hendrix explores the lives, faith, intellectual world, and long, complex friendship of two titans of modern fantasy. As inThe Faithful Spy (2018), Hendrix's hybrid-format biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, this volume charges hard into deep and difficult territory--tracking, for instance, C.S. "Jack" Lewis' progression from naïve believer to staunch atheist to profoundly religious thinker and probing reasons for the friction that grew between him and his close friend J.R.R. "Tollers" Tolkien in the 1950s. Tracing the shaping of their novels while contrasting the styles and personalities of the pair as they egged one another on, Hendrix also fills in the intellectual background with discursions into the differences between fairy tales and myths, largely delivered in extended graphic segments by an affectionately caricatured wizard and lion as they squire readers through a metaphorical series of significantly labeled doors. Though the author sets off direct quotes with asterisks and carefully sources them, he invents some dialogue; for a happily-ever-after ending, he's also invented a loving reconciliation scene. Hendrix's claim (although rooted in Eurocentric bias) that "these two tweedy middle-aged academics just so happened to re-enchant the world" carries plenty of heft. The monochrome art is charming and cues a younger audience than the text, which is complex conceptually as well as in its vocabulary and cultural and historical references. Challenging but replete with stimulating insights. (author's note, context on myths and fairy tales, notes on research and authenticity, glossary, endnotes, bibliography, index)(Graphic biography. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.