Andrews confers with a Mongol camel-rider
I think it’s safe to say I couldn’t begin to write the kind of fantasies I write if I’d never read Roy Chapman Andrews’ non-fiction accounts of his scientific expeditions to the Gobi Desert. He led the great Central Asiatic Expedition for the American Museum of Natural History, into a country passed over by many of the currents of history–a country so wild, so exotic, that it might as well have been a fantasy world, like Middle-Earth or Narnia.
To see what I’m getting at, visit the Roy Chapman Andrews Society website ( https://roychapmanandrewssociety.org/ ), scroll down quite a ways, and then watch some videos of original film footage from the expedition. The video in the middle of the page is especially haunting, with a gorgeous piece of music attached–The Gael by Trevor Jones, part of the soundtrack of The Last of the Mohicans. Maybe I’m some kind of nut, but this video brings me close to tears.
Because it’s a lost world, sights that no one will ever see again, a world unto itself, with no Starbuck’s, no MacDonald’s, no transgender bathrooms, none of the dismal plock we have to hack our way through every day.
It makes me homesick for the world of my own fantasy novels: somehow these videos get me to thinking I can go there–to Lintum Forest, to Roshay Bault’s house in Ninneburky, to the Abnak camps among the foothills. All fantasy, of course.
But God has given us imagination for a reason; and I think the reason is to keep us sane.
THAT….was amazing!
I think you hit it on the head, in many ways.
There are things going on in our world that offend the sensibilities of anyone with even a shred of decency and it wears on us. That’s the point; this is psychological warfare and it’s being played out by a master of deception and propaganda, Satan himself.
I visit Lintum Forest as a way to get away from it all. I watch DVDs of sixties and seventies TV shows, because I can visit the lost world of decency and goodness. I eschew modern entertainment, because this world so wholly has given itself over to degeneracy.
The corruption around us is very real, but it’s also very temporary. When that change takes place, Lee won’t have to write fantasy anymore, non-fiction will be beautiful. Maybe, at that time, Lee will be able to write travel pieces.
Once a fantasy writer, always a fantasy writer.
You do it well. The Bell Mountain books are a refuge; a chance to visit a world of justice.
Thanks–it means a lot to me, for you to say that. I’m a visitor, too.
There are few places where one can read a book written from a Godly perspective. When I read the comments about the Temple, in your books, I can certainly identify, because that is my opinion of many religious organizations.
What strikes me the most, moves me and heartens me, is the absolute faith of those characters whom are believers. When they are told to attack against an overwhelming force of fifty to one, Chief Zekelesh took off his hat and laughed at the absurdity of it all, but he also KNEW he could trust God. That sort of faith comes in quite handy in our time.
I really liked Zekelesh for doing that.
Me too! If there is one theme throughout what I’ve read of the series, that theme would be absolute, unshakable faith. That may sound trite, but in Hebrews 11 Paul took the time to write about the triumphs of faith and in verse 2 he said: For by it the men of old gained approval.
We are saved by our faith in Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. It’s a very important subject.
Amen! to all you’ve said, Unknowable. And yes, Lee’s Bell Mountain Series is indeed a blessing. Not only for affording us a godly escape from the madness of today’s world, but for bringing a godly world TO the madness that is today’s world!
And Lee – what seems to be the holdup with ‘The Throne’? Have the publishers gone on vacation? I’m sure you’re a frustrated as those of us waiting to read it.
Last week I was told “in a few days, we’re just waiting for the e-book to be ready, too.” *sigh* It’s been so long since I wrote it, I don’t remember what I wrote.
Keep ’em coming, Lee. Your books are much loved and appreciated.
I read a lot of Kindle books and can tell you that the quality of e-books varies greatly. The Bell Mountain Kindle versions are well formatted and, once again, that is greatly appreciated.
I just read a bit on Roy Chapman Andrews. He may have been the inspiration for Indiana Jones and was truly quite the adventurer. Thanks for the reminder.
He was one of my childhood heroes. And boy, did he love Mongolia and its people!
It is one of the last unspoiled places. It’s fairly large, the second largest landlocked country on Earth, but the population is only 3 million, and roughly half of them live in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. There are some beautiful places therewith a sunny, but cool, and arid climate.
I would love to re-read Andrews’ published reports on his expeditions. Not easy to obtain, though.