Book excerpt: Narnia, Middle-Earth and the Kingdom of God tells the story of fantasy literature within the context of its complex relationship with the Christian tradition. In this book, Worthing looks at early influences on the genre, including European fairy tales and folklore, Northern and classical mythology, and Christian allegory. He also explores the contours of a variety of fantasy worlds from MacDonald's Faerie, Lewis' Narnia and Tolkien's Middle-Earth, to LeGuin's Earthsea, Pratchett's Discworld and Rowling's world of Hogwarts. In these worlds, and many more, we discover themes such as the battle between good and evil, the question of the existence of God, and the problem of suffering. Fantasy fans of all religious persuasions will find in this book a delightful and informative exploration of the rich history and profound themes of the fantasy genre.