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The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien
The Mythmakers is a graphic novel biography of two literary icons—C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien—following the story of their friendship and creative fellowship, and how each came to write their masterworks
Through narrative and comic panels, Hendrix chronicles Lewis and Tolkien’s near-idyllic childhoods, then moves on to both men’s horrific tour of the trenches of World War I to their first meeting at Oxford in 1929, and then the foreshadowing, action, and aftermath of World War II. He reveals the shared story of their friendship, in all its ups and downs, that gave them confidence to venture beyond academic concerns (fantasy wasn’t considered suitable for adult reading, but the domain of children), shaped major story/theme ideas, and shifted their ideas about the potential of mythology and faith.
The Mythmakers also shows the camaraderie and the importance of the social/literary circle of friends called the Inklings, and how the friendship of these two great men fell apart and came together again. Hendrix concludes describing how the writings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien had re-enchanted the 20th century, after two World Wars. In writing aimed at scholars, adults, and young people, these two tweedy academics altered the course of storytelling and embraced the concept that fantasy writing for an adult audience was an accepted form of literature.
Through narrative and comic panels, Hendrix chronicles Lewis and Tolkien’s near-idyllic childhoods, then moves on to both men’s horrific tour of the trenches of World War I to their first meeting at Oxford in 1929, and then the foreshadowing, action, and aftermath of World War II. He reveals the shared story of their friendship, in all its ups and downs, that gave them confidence to venture beyond academic concerns (fantasy wasn’t considered suitable for adult reading, but the domain of children), shaped major story/theme ideas, and shifted their ideas about the potential of mythology and faith.
The Mythmakers also shows the camaraderie and the importance of the social/literary circle of friends called the Inklings, and how the friendship of these two great men fell apart and came together again. Hendrix concludes describing how the writings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien had re-enchanted the 20th century, after two World Wars. In writing aimed at scholars, adults, and young people, these two tweedy academics altered the course of storytelling and embraced the concept that fantasy writing for an adult audience was an accepted form of literature.
218 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2024
476 people are currently reading
12203 people want to read
About the author
John Hendrix
29 books220 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
John Hendrix is the illustrator of Nurse, Soldier, Spy and author/illustrator of Shooting at the Stars, among others. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
John Hendrix is the illustrator of Nurse, Soldier, Spy and author/illustrator of Shooting at the Stars, among others. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,155 reviews
January 1, 2026
A gorgeous and poignant tale of two incredible men who were better for knowing each other. Really lovely book.
January 13, 2025
This, I kid you not, was one of the best books I've ever read. Absolutely phenomenal. It's a biography of Tolkien and Lewis' friendship, but the way it is delivered is so creative and intriguing. I can't believe this is not more popular.
Please read this.
Please read this.
April 4, 2025
This brilliant and moving graphic novel was an absolute joy to read. The illustrations were amazing, and the author, John Hendrix, showed a great understanding of the profound friendship between Lewis and Tolkien, and their philosophy of how myth reflects truth.
Reading this book brought to my mind so many rich memories reading Tolkien and Lewis in Ireland, Scotland, England,and the mountains of North Carolina. It has been an honor to write about my admiration for both authors in some of my books, and I have made some incredible friendships through the influence of their works.
Reading this book brought to my mind so many rich memories reading Tolkien and Lewis in Ireland, Scotland, England,and the mountains of North Carolina. It has been an honor to write about my admiration for both authors in some of my books, and I have made some incredible friendships through the influence of their works.
October 21, 2024
New Windows into the Realms of Famous Fantasies
If you are considering buying this new book by Jonathan Hendrix and Abrams, there are a few things that might help in making your decision.
First, I'm a 5-star fan of this book and bought my own copy, plus two more copies that I've had Amazon ship to friends. Second, there's no question that Jonathan Hendrix is one of the nation's top illustrators. Visit his website online and his list of accolades is quite impressive. I'm sure that's why Abrahms—the storied publisher of art books since 1949—chose Jonathan's Mythmakers as one of two books that are kicking off Abrams' new imprint Abrams Fanfare.
I closely watch comics, graphic novels and multimedia publishing, so I noted the announcement in a February Publishers Weekly article about this new way of organizing illustrated books by Abrams. Now that this book is "out," it's worth repeating the description of this effort from that PW article. Abrams spokesman Andrew Smith told PW:
“Abrams has been publishing graphic novels for over 15 years as part of the Amulet imprint, which is our home for fiction and nonfiction early chapter books, middle grade, and YA. Abrams Fanfare will now be our dedicated home and imprint for comics for kids and teens, so all of the graphic novels that had been part of the Amulet backlist—and we have close to 200 titles on our graphic novel backlist—will be moving to Fanfare and forming the foundation for the new imprint.”
The two "debut" Fanfare books this autumn are this one about Tolkien and Lewis and a second book called Black Lives—Great Minds of Science.
So, on one level, these are high-quality art books. Even though Andrew Smith told PW that these are illustrated books for younger readers, the Abrams brand has mainly been known for more than half a century as a publisher of quality art and photographic books. In other words, Abrams isn't primarily famous for publishing peer-reviewed history.
Then, we have to remember that Abrams is collaborating on this book with an artist who is not a historian, not a theologian and not formally recognized as a literary scholar. Hendrix is a talented and certainly well-intentioned biographer. But he's not among the scholars who have devoted their careers to studying the Inklings and their collective bodies of work.
I'm still giving this book 5 stars—but I have to warn other Inklings aficionados that you will find yourselves rolling your eyes or quibbling with a number of details in this book. I'm giving Hendrix a pass on those details, because he has tackled one of the toughest challenges in contemporary biography: the lives of two authors who set many of the records for all-time-bestsellers. In fantasy, only Lewis Carroll's Alice equals them in sales and only Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's Little Prince and J.K. Rowling have topped them. The point is: Lewis and Tolkien each have more than 100 million readers around the world and many of us are such dedicated followers that we already have other biographies and autobiographical books on our shelves.
In effect, many of us know too much for Hendrix to get away with cutting an occasional corner or making a slight misstep every now and then.
What am I talking about specifically? Well, I don't want to make this review an endless debate on fine points, but I can identify my single biggest concern. It's this: Hendrix's main misstep is his oversimplification of the Inklings to the point at which too many key figures are AWOL. And then, if you're a true Inklings fan, you'll be disappointed by the way Charles Williams pops up in a few tiny cameos and then disappears. We learn a lot about Tolkien and Lewis by their reactions over the years to Williams' own boundary-pushing fantasies—but that "chapter" of their lives together is missing here.
To be fair, no one could capture everything that Inklings aficionados might want in a single illustrated volume for young readers.
Hendrix does a heroic job, though! Many of his choices definitely opened new windows for me on the work—and the legacy—of Tolkien and Lewis in particular. I found myself sitting, pondering carefully a number of his chart-like or map-like pages.
This is a wonderful accomplishment and a great choice for the debut of Abrams' newest imprint.
If you are considering buying this new book by Jonathan Hendrix and Abrams, there are a few things that might help in making your decision.
First, I'm a 5-star fan of this book and bought my own copy, plus two more copies that I've had Amazon ship to friends. Second, there's no question that Jonathan Hendrix is one of the nation's top illustrators. Visit his website online and his list of accolades is quite impressive. I'm sure that's why Abrahms—the storied publisher of art books since 1949—chose Jonathan's Mythmakers as one of two books that are kicking off Abrams' new imprint Abrams Fanfare.
I closely watch comics, graphic novels and multimedia publishing, so I noted the announcement in a February Publishers Weekly article about this new way of organizing illustrated books by Abrams. Now that this book is "out," it's worth repeating the description of this effort from that PW article. Abrams spokesman Andrew Smith told PW:
“Abrams has been publishing graphic novels for over 15 years as part of the Amulet imprint, which is our home for fiction and nonfiction early chapter books, middle grade, and YA. Abrams Fanfare will now be our dedicated home and imprint for comics for kids and teens, so all of the graphic novels that had been part of the Amulet backlist—and we have close to 200 titles on our graphic novel backlist—will be moving to Fanfare and forming the foundation for the new imprint.”
The two "debut" Fanfare books this autumn are this one about Tolkien and Lewis and a second book called Black Lives—Great Minds of Science.
So, on one level, these are high-quality art books. Even though Andrew Smith told PW that these are illustrated books for younger readers, the Abrams brand has mainly been known for more than half a century as a publisher of quality art and photographic books. In other words, Abrams isn't primarily famous for publishing peer-reviewed history.
Then, we have to remember that Abrams is collaborating on this book with an artist who is not a historian, not a theologian and not formally recognized as a literary scholar. Hendrix is a talented and certainly well-intentioned biographer. But he's not among the scholars who have devoted their careers to studying the Inklings and their collective bodies of work.
I'm still giving this book 5 stars—but I have to warn other Inklings aficionados that you will find yourselves rolling your eyes or quibbling with a number of details in this book. I'm giving Hendrix a pass on those details, because he has tackled one of the toughest challenges in contemporary biography: the lives of two authors who set many of the records for all-time-bestsellers. In fantasy, only Lewis Carroll's Alice equals them in sales and only Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's Little Prince and J.K. Rowling have topped them. The point is: Lewis and Tolkien each have more than 100 million readers around the world and many of us are such dedicated followers that we already have other biographies and autobiographical books on our shelves.
In effect, many of us know too much for Hendrix to get away with cutting an occasional corner or making a slight misstep every now and then.
What am I talking about specifically? Well, I don't want to make this review an endless debate on fine points, but I can identify my single biggest concern. It's this: Hendrix's main misstep is his oversimplification of the Inklings to the point at which too many key figures are AWOL. And then, if you're a true Inklings fan, you'll be disappointed by the way Charles Williams pops up in a few tiny cameos and then disappears. We learn a lot about Tolkien and Lewis by their reactions over the years to Williams' own boundary-pushing fantasies—but that "chapter" of their lives together is missing here.
To be fair, no one could capture everything that Inklings aficionados might want in a single illustrated volume for young readers.
Hendrix does a heroic job, though! Many of his choices definitely opened new windows for me on the work—and the legacy—of Tolkien and Lewis in particular. I found myself sitting, pondering carefully a number of his chart-like or map-like pages.
This is a wonderful accomplishment and a great choice for the debut of Abrams' newest imprint.
March 5, 2025
I'm going to be honest....I have complicated feelings about this one, yet I enjoyed it.
The Mythmakers has been marketed towards a middle grade audience, but to be honest, I think it best serves a YA and/or adult audience. While Hendrix created a valuable non-fiction resource that explores the relationship between Lewis and Tolkien, I think that the content (academically speaking) would be better received by a more mature reader.
What Worked: There were SO MANY great elements tied to this book. It's a blend of graphic novel, narrative non-fiction, and more. I appreciate when authors/creators tried to present non-fiction in a way that is accessible to a broader audience. Prior to diving into this book, I knew nothing of the relationship between these authors. I wasn't aware that they have a deep and personal relationship that eventually fizzled out. The amount of detail regarding their personal lives, writing styles, impact on the genre of fantasy and literary culture, etc are all elements that made this a fascinating read.
While I don't think that this is a work that I would recommend broadly, I do think it's a great book for those who are fans of Lewis and Tolkien. It's also a great read for those who want to learn more about the meaning of genres and their cultural impact on literary communities.
The Mythmakers has been marketed towards a middle grade audience, but to be honest, I think it best serves a YA and/or adult audience. While Hendrix created a valuable non-fiction resource that explores the relationship between Lewis and Tolkien, I think that the content (academically speaking) would be better received by a more mature reader.
What Worked: There were SO MANY great elements tied to this book. It's a blend of graphic novel, narrative non-fiction, and more. I appreciate when authors/creators tried to present non-fiction in a way that is accessible to a broader audience. Prior to diving into this book, I knew nothing of the relationship between these authors. I wasn't aware that they have a deep and personal relationship that eventually fizzled out. The amount of detail regarding their personal lives, writing styles, impact on the genre of fantasy and literary culture, etc are all elements that made this a fascinating read.
While I don't think that this is a work that I would recommend broadly, I do think it's a great book for those who are fans of Lewis and Tolkien. It's also a great read for those who want to learn more about the meaning of genres and their cultural impact on literary communities.
September 28, 2024
An absolute masterpiece!
May 13, 2024
I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the publisher, ABRAMS Kids, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“We write myths…because our hearts were written by a Mythmaker.”
The Mythmakers is an absolutely adorable concept that I thought suffered a bit in execution at first. Emphasis on “at first,” because this little graphic novel really grew on me. Not only was it packed with interesting information about Lewis and Tolkien, about their history shared and separate, and about the genres they helped found out of their great love for myth, this was an emotionally impactful story. I didn’t expect to find myself choked up by how Hendrix drew his tale to a close, but I was. I ended up loving this book so much that I had to preorder myself a physical copy for when it releases in September.
As the title states, this is the story of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the remarkable fellowship between the two. Theirs was a brilliant friendship that actually changed the world. Without their friendship, Lewis never would have come to Christ, and thus never would have penned any of his works. There would be no Mere Christianity, no Screwtape Letters, no Narnia. And without Lewis’s encouragement, Tolkien’s work would have never been shared with anyone outside the four walls of his home. Can you imagine a world without The Lord of the Rings? That work is singlehandedly responsible the fan culture as we know it today, and was unequivocally foundational to the fantasy genre that now so populates the literary landscape.
I’ve always adored C.S. Lewis, and consider both his fiction and nonfiction essential to the shaping of my faith. While I wasn’t always as big a fan of Tolkien, he’s always had my respect and gratitude for helping to pave the way for so many of my favorite stories. And in recent years, I’ve fallen in love with Middle-earth. The friendship between the two men, and the entire concept of the Inklings they founded, has fascinated me for as long as I’ve known of it. So, when I saw a graphic novel about that friendship, I was immediately interested. I’m so glad that I was approved for an early copy, because I loved it so much.
There were a handful of typos but, as this was an advance galley, those will likely be corrected before publication. These were mostly punctuation errors: parentheses (frequently) facing the wrong direction, quotation marks where there was no quotation, and a lack of spacing between words. There were also a few split lines of text that didn’t properly align, the end of a sentence preceding its beginning, for example. These were distracting as I read but, again, I have hopes that all of those things will be addressed before publication day rolls around.
The art style, idea, and story being told were geared toward a younger audience, but there was a good deal of pretty advanced vocabulary that I think might be off-putting to those same younger readers. I’m not saying that kids aren’t capable of looking up a word they don’t know, because they absolutely are, but these words were very prevalent, very early on in the book. I’m just not positive that the tone matched the erudite writing. I very much enjoyed both, but I’m not sure how well they’ll work for younger readers. I can see a twelve year old reading this, no problem. But an eight year old? I think they might get frustrated and put it down.
Those two qualms were the only things that kept this book from being absolutely perfect, in my opinion. I loved everything about this. I love that our guides were Wizard and Mr. Lion, and I love how well Hendrix modeled them after Tolkien and Lewis, respectively. I loved the deep dives into topics like what makes a myth, the evolution of the the novel, the foundations of genre fiction, and the theology of creation. These were beautifully balanced against the historical story of Lewis and Tolkien we were also getting. I just adored this, and can see myself revisiting it often. If you have any interest in Lewis or Tolkien or the Inklings or all of the above, I highly recommend this.
“Great myths allow us to slip through the clouds of everyday life and glimpse something divine.”
“We write myths…because our hearts were written by a Mythmaker.”
The Mythmakers is an absolutely adorable concept that I thought suffered a bit in execution at first. Emphasis on “at first,” because this little graphic novel really grew on me. Not only was it packed with interesting information about Lewis and Tolkien, about their history shared and separate, and about the genres they helped found out of their great love for myth, this was an emotionally impactful story. I didn’t expect to find myself choked up by how Hendrix drew his tale to a close, but I was. I ended up loving this book so much that I had to preorder myself a physical copy for when it releases in September.
As the title states, this is the story of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the remarkable fellowship between the two. Theirs was a brilliant friendship that actually changed the world. Without their friendship, Lewis never would have come to Christ, and thus never would have penned any of his works. There would be no Mere Christianity, no Screwtape Letters, no Narnia. And without Lewis’s encouragement, Tolkien’s work would have never been shared with anyone outside the four walls of his home. Can you imagine a world without The Lord of the Rings? That work is singlehandedly responsible the fan culture as we know it today, and was unequivocally foundational to the fantasy genre that now so populates the literary landscape.
I’ve always adored C.S. Lewis, and consider both his fiction and nonfiction essential to the shaping of my faith. While I wasn’t always as big a fan of Tolkien, he’s always had my respect and gratitude for helping to pave the way for so many of my favorite stories. And in recent years, I’ve fallen in love with Middle-earth. The friendship between the two men, and the entire concept of the Inklings they founded, has fascinated me for as long as I’ve known of it. So, when I saw a graphic novel about that friendship, I was immediately interested. I’m so glad that I was approved for an early copy, because I loved it so much.
There were a handful of typos but, as this was an advance galley, those will likely be corrected before publication. These were mostly punctuation errors: parentheses (frequently) facing the wrong direction, quotation marks where there was no quotation, and a lack of spacing between words. There were also a few split lines of text that didn’t properly align, the end of a sentence preceding its beginning, for example. These were distracting as I read but, again, I have hopes that all of those things will be addressed before publication day rolls around.
The art style, idea, and story being told were geared toward a younger audience, but there was a good deal of pretty advanced vocabulary that I think might be off-putting to those same younger readers. I’m not saying that kids aren’t capable of looking up a word they don’t know, because they absolutely are, but these words were very prevalent, very early on in the book. I’m just not positive that the tone matched the erudite writing. I very much enjoyed both, but I’m not sure how well they’ll work for younger readers. I can see a twelve year old reading this, no problem. But an eight year old? I think they might get frustrated and put it down.
Those two qualms were the only things that kept this book from being absolutely perfect, in my opinion. I loved everything about this. I love that our guides were Wizard and Mr. Lion, and I love how well Hendrix modeled them after Tolkien and Lewis, respectively. I loved the deep dives into topics like what makes a myth, the evolution of the the novel, the foundations of genre fiction, and the theology of creation. These were beautifully balanced against the historical story of Lewis and Tolkien we were also getting. I just adored this, and can see myself revisiting it often. If you have any interest in Lewis or Tolkien or the Inklings or all of the above, I highly recommend this.
“Great myths allow us to slip through the clouds of everyday life and glimpse something divine.”
October 15, 2024
Who knew that a graphic novel about the lives of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien can make someone cry, but here I am in tears over the beautiful lives of these two friends, how they became friends, and how their friendship fell apart.
This is a graphic novel and illustrated story of the two most famous fantasy authors of all time: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Both are from different parts of the UK. Both of them have a deep love for fantasy stories, myths, and legends. Both fought in World War I. And both were professors at Oxford University at the same time which is where the two legends met. While both were working on their share of contributions to the literary world, they approached writing differently. Lewis is much more quick to put stories together while Tolkien took years to write the Lord of the Rings. I love hearing about Tolkien's spark of an idea for The Hobbit. I loved reading how Lewis was inspired to write Narnia from the displaced children who stayed in his home in the country.
The story is part nonfiction and part historical fiction. John Hendrix's adoration for both of these authors is obvious in the historical fiction parts in the care he puts into sharing these two stories. I know that the ending between these two authors wasn't a great one, but Hendrix's fictional input put tears in my eyes and made me wonder if this could have been the real ending to this great friendship.
If you're new to the biographical lives of either of these authors, this book is a great way to introduce yourself without the intimidating doorstops of nonfiction written about them. Filled with actual quotes from each author, this book dives into the writing lives, the religious lives, and the personal lives of both of these authors and how different both the authors worked towards their goal of creating massive fictional worlds. I appreciated John Hendrix even including some explanations on myths and stories to help readers who aren't already versed in them to understand the difference.
This story reminded me that genius doesn't come out on its own. I remember Austin Kleon bringing up Brian Eno's "scenius" where genius isn't always an effort of one person sitting in a room by themselves, but sometimes genius comes as a community and this book shares that these authors (alongside their scholarly friends) had just that. It's similar to modern-day writing groups; a sounding board for your ideas to help you build your story and challenge you in ways you didn't think before.
Mostly, this book is just a primer for hopefully some more biographical books about both of these authors. I really found their lives fascinating despite them being so ordinary. I will definitely be looking into some more books on both authors, but I highly recommend this one if you're interested in discovering these two authors for yourself.
This is a graphic novel and illustrated story of the two most famous fantasy authors of all time: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Both are from different parts of the UK. Both of them have a deep love for fantasy stories, myths, and legends. Both fought in World War I. And both were professors at Oxford University at the same time which is where the two legends met. While both were working on their share of contributions to the literary world, they approached writing differently. Lewis is much more quick to put stories together while Tolkien took years to write the Lord of the Rings. I love hearing about Tolkien's spark of an idea for The Hobbit. I loved reading how Lewis was inspired to write Narnia from the displaced children who stayed in his home in the country.
The story is part nonfiction and part historical fiction. John Hendrix's adoration for both of these authors is obvious in the historical fiction parts in the care he puts into sharing these two stories. I know that the ending between these two authors wasn't a great one, but Hendrix's fictional input put tears in my eyes and made me wonder if this could have been the real ending to this great friendship.
If you're new to the biographical lives of either of these authors, this book is a great way to introduce yourself without the intimidating doorstops of nonfiction written about them. Filled with actual quotes from each author, this book dives into the writing lives, the religious lives, and the personal lives of both of these authors and how different both the authors worked towards their goal of creating massive fictional worlds. I appreciated John Hendrix even including some explanations on myths and stories to help readers who aren't already versed in them to understand the difference.
This story reminded me that genius doesn't come out on its own. I remember Austin Kleon bringing up Brian Eno's "scenius" where genius isn't always an effort of one person sitting in a room by themselves, but sometimes genius comes as a community and this book shares that these authors (alongside their scholarly friends) had just that. It's similar to modern-day writing groups; a sounding board for your ideas to help you build your story and challenge you in ways you didn't think before.
Mostly, this book is just a primer for hopefully some more biographical books about both of these authors. I really found their lives fascinating despite them being so ordinary. I will definitely be looking into some more books on both authors, but I highly recommend this one if you're interested in discovering these two authors for yourself.
October 26, 2024
I wanted to love this book. I am a Tolkien and Lewis Scholar. And yet here I am dnf'ing it at 19%
The positives:
1. When it is simply talking about Tolkien and Lewis, it does a solid job.
2. The prose is fairly solid.
The neutrals:
1. It isn't really a graphic novel. It's more of a chapter book graphic novel hybrid.
2. The framing device of the lion and the wizard was distracting and confusing in my opinion.
The negatives:
1. The choose your own adventure elements really didn't work for me.
2. Trying to describe/discuss literary theory and criticism in the way he did it confused me, and that is one of the fields I have a degree in. I'm not sure if it will work for kids. He also does it in a way that feels like he is talking down to kids rather than helping them understand concepts like myth and fairytale. I get that he was trying to imitate both the writing styles of Tolkien and Lewis, but it just didn't work at all. Tolkien is dense and hard to read at times even as a Tolkien scholar.
3. The main reason I dnf'd this book: I hold children's books and teen books to an even higher standard when it comes to discussing history than I hold adult books. Kids and teens are still learning how to do critical thinking and figuring out if something is true or false. This book oversimplifies the lead up to World War I to an absurd degree. Claiming that mass hallucination of an undefined thing as one of the causes of World War I is inexcusable. I would have questioned everything else that came after that in the book. The over-simplification of the lead up to WWI is on page 42 if anyone is curious about it.
You'd be better of giving your middle schooler or high schooler Tolkien: Man and Myth or A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, And the Great War to read.
The positives:
1. When it is simply talking about Tolkien and Lewis, it does a solid job.
2. The prose is fairly solid.
The neutrals:
1. It isn't really a graphic novel. It's more of a chapter book graphic novel hybrid.
2. The framing device of the lion and the wizard was distracting and confusing in my opinion.
The negatives:
1. The choose your own adventure elements really didn't work for me.
2. Trying to describe/discuss literary theory and criticism in the way he did it confused me, and that is one of the fields I have a degree in. I'm not sure if it will work for kids. He also does it in a way that feels like he is talking down to kids rather than helping them understand concepts like myth and fairytale. I get that he was trying to imitate both the writing styles of Tolkien and Lewis, but it just didn't work at all. Tolkien is dense and hard to read at times even as a Tolkien scholar.
3. The main reason I dnf'd this book: I hold children's books and teen books to an even higher standard when it comes to discussing history than I hold adult books. Kids and teens are still learning how to do critical thinking and figuring out if something is true or false. This book oversimplifies the lead up to World War I to an absurd degree. Claiming that mass hallucination of an undefined thing as one of the causes of World War I is inexcusable. I would have questioned everything else that came after that in the book. The over-simplification of the lead up to WWI is on page 42 if anyone is curious about it.
You'd be better of giving your middle schooler or high schooler Tolkien: Man and Myth or A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, And the Great War to read.
January 27, 2025
Perfect. Just perfect.
When I reflexively added this book about the friendship between Lewis and Tolkien to my wishlist I didn’t even realize that it was a graphic novel (are we still using the term “novel” for graphic NF works?). I admit I was slightly disappointed when I made that discovery upon unwrapping the gift. There was a time not so very long ago when I felt that books of this genre could never legitimately merit five stars, but I’ve learned a thing or two since then (in part due to the work and influence of my GR friend, Tom). It turns out that the graphic form is ideal for telling this story, and for illuminating its theme of uniting Logos and Mythos. It’s beautifully done, and teaches the mind and touches the heart. Like I said, perfect.
When I reflexively added this book about the friendship between Lewis and Tolkien to my wishlist I didn’t even realize that it was a graphic novel (are we still using the term “novel” for graphic NF works?). I admit I was slightly disappointed when I made that discovery upon unwrapping the gift. There was a time not so very long ago when I felt that books of this genre could never legitimately merit five stars, but I’ve learned a thing or two since then (in part due to the work and influence of my GR friend, Tom). It turns out that the graphic form is ideal for telling this story, and for illuminating its theme of uniting Logos and Mythos. It’s beautifully done, and teaches the mind and touches the heart. Like I said, perfect.
January 1, 2025
Čas od času se mi v hlavě vyrojí maličký předsudek. Vůči této knize byl možná o trošku větší a začátek ho dost přiživil… Ale pak si na mě sedla tak silná emoce, že jsem tuhle věc zblajzla za jeden večer. Nádherná záležitost, která může klamat vzhledem. Za grafickým pozlátkem se totiž schovává hluboká tůňka plná lidskosti a lidských rozkolů. Nejen o přátelství, ale také o válce, soudržnosti a nehynoucí lásce k severu.
Věřím, že má sílu potěšit někoho, kdo Středozemí brouzdá každý den, ale také toho, kdo se do ní zatím jen namočil.
Věřím, že má sílu potěšit někoho, kdo Středozemí brouzdá každý den, ale také toho, kdo se do ní zatím jen namočil.
July 11, 2025
The artwork is beautiful, if a little too yellow overall. The framing device of the lion and wizard is mostly just distracting. There's several side-tangents and bad jokes that waste time and space. The oversimplification and editorializing gets a little grating. (Calling WWI a "hallucination" that started a "slaughterhouse"? Really?)
Overall, the narrative feels a bit lopsided, or uneven, in some ways. Hendrix spends 50+ pages explaining why their friendship waned. He leaves out things I would have said, and mentions things I would have left out.
But I shouldn't criticize him for making different choices than me. It's a great idea for a book; I'm just a harsh critic. I've read too many in-depth scholarly works on Lewis to approach this with innocence. I do think it would be a good introductory text, especially for younger audiences.
Overall, the narrative feels a bit lopsided, or uneven, in some ways. Hendrix spends 50+ pages explaining why their friendship waned. He leaves out things I would have said, and mentions things I would have left out.
But I shouldn't criticize him for making different choices than me. It's a great idea for a book; I'm just a harsh critic. I've read too many in-depth scholarly works on Lewis to approach this with innocence. I do think it would be a good introductory text, especially for younger audiences.
February 24, 2025
A great read! It gives a deep insight into the friendship between Lewis and Tolkien and a moving account of Lewis's search for God.
I really enjoyed the beautiful design, the graphic novel combined with longer, informative parts.
And after reading this book I immediately want to (re)read their books.
I really enjoyed the beautiful design, the graphic novel combined with longer, informative parts.
And after reading this book I immediately want to (re)read their books.
December 31, 2025
somebody wanna tell me why this had me CRYING in the middle of the day? I just love Jack and Tollers and this has me itching to get to more of their books in the future. the art style is really nice and the writing is fun! I'm so glad I made time for this, it was a delight. 5 stars!
December 9, 2024
An overall JOY to read!! Found myself getting choked up at the end, reading about the lives of these two friends.
December 22, 2025
Dit boek heeft mij erg verrast! Ik ging er in met de verwachting dat ik een graphic novel zou lezen. Die verwachting moest ik wel snel bijstellen. Er zitten verstripte pagina’s in, maar zeker de helft van het boek bevat volle pagina’s met tekst. Ook moest ik in het begin erg inkomen in het taalgebruik, want dit is soms nogal ouderwets en elitair. Ik heb in het begin dan ook gezucht en gedacht dat dit helemaal niks ging worden. Na zo’n 60 bladzijdes zat ik er echter helemaal in en genoot ik zelfs van de lange lappen tekst. Uiteindelijk werd ik op het eind extra verrast, omdat dit verhaal me zelfs emotioneel raakte!
Super mooi boek, maar je moet dit niet gaan lezen als je een quick read zoekt. Ook niet gaan lezen als je niks hebt met de werken van Lewis en Tolkien, want dan boeit dit verhaal je denk ik niet. Als je wel meer wil weten over deze auteurs en er even de tijd voor kan nemen, dan weet ik zeker dat je onwijs van dit boek zult genieten! :)
Side note:
Wel een klein foutje ontdekt op p. 198. Er staat ‘Als u op pagina 4 goed hebt opgelet, dan weet u misschien nog dat Lewis het kocht op het treinstation!’ Hier refereert ‘het’ naar het boek ‘Droomwereld’ van George MacDonald. Alleen als je naar p. 4 toegaat dan is dit niet terug te vinden :((
Super mooi boek, maar je moet dit niet gaan lezen als je een quick read zoekt. Ook niet gaan lezen als je niks hebt met de werken van Lewis en Tolkien, want dan boeit dit verhaal je denk ik niet. Als je wel meer wil weten over deze auteurs en er even de tijd voor kan nemen, dan weet ik zeker dat je onwijs van dit boek zult genieten! :)
Side note:
Wel een klein foutje ontdekt op p. 198. Er staat ‘Als u op pagina 4 goed hebt opgelet, dan weet u misschien nog dat Lewis het kocht op het treinstation!’ Hier refereert ‘het’ naar het boek ‘Droomwereld’ van George MacDonald. Alleen als je naar p. 4 toegaat dan is dit niet terug te vinden :((
February 1, 2025
Este libro me gustó demasiado. Lo único que lamento es haberlo terminado tan pronto. No solamente las ilustraciones son fantásticas, sino que además el libro derrocha creatividad: los «portales», los diálogos entre el mago y el león, incluso el autor se las arregló para ponerle giros al libro. ¡Mis respetos!
Además, esta novela gráfica me dio varios datos sobre estos dos hombres que admiro mucho, datos que no había leído antes. Algo que me movió profundamente fue cuánto ambos sufrieron. Su sufrimiento moldeó lo que escribieron.
Lewis y Tolkien tuvieron una amistad profunda aunque imperfecta. Pero, al final, si la Gran Historia es Verdad, ambos están hoy gozando de una amistad eterna.
Además, esta novela gráfica me dio varios datos sobre estos dos hombres que admiro mucho, datos que no había leído antes. Algo que me movió profundamente fue cuánto ambos sufrieron. Su sufrimiento moldeó lo que escribieron.
Lewis y Tolkien tuvieron una amistad profunda aunque imperfecta. Pero, al final, si la Gran Historia es Verdad, ambos están hoy gozando de una amistad eterna.
May 24, 2025
This is in all tangible ways a beautiful book. It looks wonderful, it feels good to hold and read, it smells great. I just love the book as a book.
And I love John Hendrix's pure delight in Tolkien and Lewis and all the connections in history, literature, and theology that their friendship naturally raises. The lecture that Hendrix gave at the Wade Center in 2024 is one of my favorite Inklings lectures ever. (I teach a seminary course on Tolkien and Lewis, so I've heard—and given!—a lot of lectures on the topic, and I've read a lot of books and articles and websites on the topic.)
I've had The Mythmakers by my bedside for several months, just waiting for the right time to finally read it. And now . . . I wish I loved it more than I did. It's good. Very good, and I imagine it will connect with a lot of new fans of the Inklings. What I especially enjoyed was Hendrix's use of colors. Creating this substantial volume with only, essentially, two colors to work with (Tolkien represented by purple; Lewis by gold), Hendrix achieved astounding nuance and depth. My favorite illustrations were his pages depicting Oxford, where he tints the buildings in the background in such a way that I can just feel the sunshine on them. I also appreciate how the colors become muted as the book nears its (and the authors') end. And the ending that Hendrix has written for Lewis and Tolkien . . . I don't want to spoil anything, but I was weepy.
I am grateful that Hendrix allows the words of the authors themselves to have a prominent part in this book, and direct quotations are cited so you can find exactly where they occurred in published materials. These authors set down so many perfect turns of phrase, it would be a shame not to revel in the original writing as much as possible in a book about them.
My criticisms: First, the book overlooks a lot of interesting and relevant parts of the story in favor of really emphasizing the "breaking of the Fellowship," the years after 1950 when the friendship dissipated and the earlier energy of the weekly evenings with the Inklings vanished. I know this is part of the Tolkien/Lewis mythology, but more and more, I wonder: Are we making too much of that? Don't all of us experience ebbs and flows in our friendships throughout life? I wonder if Tolkien and Lewis would want their legacy to always have to retell how their friendship cooled off in later years, when perhaps with hindsight, they could see that this is just the ordinary rhythm of life. Maybe it's us, their devoted fans, who wish that the mythology went differently in their later years. I hope that Inklings scholarship can begin to seek out the good parts of those years and deemphasize the supposed unnatural diminishing of the Fellowship. Whatever the case, that story becomes an enormous part of The Mythmakers, which makes the book less useful for me as a recommended reading for my classes.
The other distraction in the book is the typos and errors. Some of the typos are just that, but some actually harm the facts being discussed—for example, in introducing some of the regular members of the Inklings gatherings, Dr. Robert Havard's name is repeatedly misspelled as "Harvard" (107). Later, Hendrix tells us that "logos" and "mythos" are Latin words, when of course (as Tolkien and Lewis would have known) they are Greek (145). Maybe these aren't huge errors, but they are easily corrected, and they're not entirely incidental.
The book uses multiple framing elements to guide us through the story of Tolkien and Lewis. The primary frame is two characters, a lion and a wizard, who tell us things about the authors. Are these characters actually Tolkien and Lewis? We're not sure for most of the book, and I wondered if Hendrix created them so that he could say things about the authors that the authors themselves probably wouldn't say. But I was never clear on why the characters were there and what journey they were on. They seem to be speaking in a "general reader" register, but then other parts of the book are significantly more complex. And then sometimes we see long sections of Tolkien and Lewis themselves at various points in their lives, without the lion and wizard as our go-between. Despite all the framing, and all the work Hendrix did to process the facts and bring them into a graphic-novel level, we still occasionally have a few pages of just text, in very small print, which makes me wonder if some more processing might have brought all that information into an illustrated form, too. It feels a little complicated.
So overall, The Mythmakers is a book I enjoyed for all the reasons I mentioned and more, but its complications and shortcomings will keep me from bringing it into my teaching. I suspect that readers who know less about Tolkien and Lewis than I do will enjoy the book even more than I did—which, honestly, is how it should be. And I hope this book will bring readers into some of the many other books that tell even more of the story of the Inklings.
And I love John Hendrix's pure delight in Tolkien and Lewis and all the connections in history, literature, and theology that their friendship naturally raises. The lecture that Hendrix gave at the Wade Center in 2024 is one of my favorite Inklings lectures ever. (I teach a seminary course on Tolkien and Lewis, so I've heard—and given!—a lot of lectures on the topic, and I've read a lot of books and articles and websites on the topic.)
I've had The Mythmakers by my bedside for several months, just waiting for the right time to finally read it. And now . . . I wish I loved it more than I did. It's good. Very good, and I imagine it will connect with a lot of new fans of the Inklings. What I especially enjoyed was Hendrix's use of colors. Creating this substantial volume with only, essentially, two colors to work with (Tolkien represented by purple; Lewis by gold), Hendrix achieved astounding nuance and depth. My favorite illustrations were his pages depicting Oxford, where he tints the buildings in the background in such a way that I can just feel the sunshine on them. I also appreciate how the colors become muted as the book nears its (and the authors') end. And the ending that Hendrix has written for Lewis and Tolkien . . . I don't want to spoil anything, but I was weepy.
I am grateful that Hendrix allows the words of the authors themselves to have a prominent part in this book, and direct quotations are cited so you can find exactly where they occurred in published materials. These authors set down so many perfect turns of phrase, it would be a shame not to revel in the original writing as much as possible in a book about them.
My criticisms: First, the book overlooks a lot of interesting and relevant parts of the story in favor of really emphasizing the "breaking of the Fellowship," the years after 1950 when the friendship dissipated and the earlier energy of the weekly evenings with the Inklings vanished. I know this is part of the Tolkien/Lewis mythology, but more and more, I wonder: Are we making too much of that? Don't all of us experience ebbs and flows in our friendships throughout life? I wonder if Tolkien and Lewis would want their legacy to always have to retell how their friendship cooled off in later years, when perhaps with hindsight, they could see that this is just the ordinary rhythm of life. Maybe it's us, their devoted fans, who wish that the mythology went differently in their later years. I hope that Inklings scholarship can begin to seek out the good parts of those years and deemphasize the supposed unnatural diminishing of the Fellowship. Whatever the case, that story becomes an enormous part of The Mythmakers, which makes the book less useful for me as a recommended reading for my classes.
The other distraction in the book is the typos and errors. Some of the typos are just that, but some actually harm the facts being discussed—for example, in introducing some of the regular members of the Inklings gatherings, Dr. Robert Havard's name is repeatedly misspelled as "Harvard" (107). Later, Hendrix tells us that "logos" and "mythos" are Latin words, when of course (as Tolkien and Lewis would have known) they are Greek (145). Maybe these aren't huge errors, but they are easily corrected, and they're not entirely incidental.
The book uses multiple framing elements to guide us through the story of Tolkien and Lewis. The primary frame is two characters, a lion and a wizard, who tell us things about the authors. Are these characters actually Tolkien and Lewis? We're not sure for most of the book, and I wondered if Hendrix created them so that he could say things about the authors that the authors themselves probably wouldn't say. But I was never clear on why the characters were there and what journey they were on. They seem to be speaking in a "general reader" register, but then other parts of the book are significantly more complex. And then sometimes we see long sections of Tolkien and Lewis themselves at various points in their lives, without the lion and wizard as our go-between. Despite all the framing, and all the work Hendrix did to process the facts and bring them into a graphic-novel level, we still occasionally have a few pages of just text, in very small print, which makes me wonder if some more processing might have brought all that information into an illustrated form, too. It feels a little complicated.
So overall, The Mythmakers is a book I enjoyed for all the reasons I mentioned and more, but its complications and shortcomings will keep me from bringing it into my teaching. I suspect that readers who know less about Tolkien and Lewis than I do will enjoy the book even more than I did—which, honestly, is how it should be. And I hope this book will bring readers into some of the many other books that tell even more of the story of the Inklings.
October 7, 2024
Impossible to categorize or pigeonhole, Hendrix weaves together biography, graphic storytelling, and ‘speculative historical fiction’ in a style that is completely original - and just FUN. (Hendrix also adds “choose your own adventure” style rabbit trails on mythology, fairy tales, and epic fantasies.)
I learned so much about both Lewis and Tolkien, as well as the literary landscape around them. One of the most moving sections was in reading about the fracturing of their ‘fellowship.’ Hendrix’s retelling of it communicated how very devastating and also how very common these types of rifts are between close friends. This part was crushing and so well done.
A beautiful, stirring book that grounds you in a time and a place and two lives well lived - but also points the reader toward that far-off country, the beauty and the greater story we were made for.
I learned so much about both Lewis and Tolkien, as well as the literary landscape around them. One of the most moving sections was in reading about the fracturing of their ‘fellowship.’ Hendrix’s retelling of it communicated how very devastating and also how very common these types of rifts are between close friends. This part was crushing and so well done.
A beautiful, stirring book that grounds you in a time and a place and two lives well lived - but also points the reader toward that far-off country, the beauty and the greater story we were made for.
January 14, 2025
As a longtime enthusiast of Narnia and Middle-earth, I expected I'd enjoy this photo-and-narrative journey into Lewis and Tolkien's lives. But I wasn't prepared for how much I'd laugh or for how I’d be profoundly moved. The artwork on every page is intentional and exquisite, and Hendrix tells the story of these two literary giants with care and deep joy. Whether you're a newbie or a seasoned reader of Lewis and Tolkien's work, I think you'll find much to enjoy and at least a few things to learn in this stunning book!
March 23, 2025
Stunning. Illuminates the friendship between two men who dramatically altered the storytelling of the 20th century. The arc of their friendship shows that friends can be true gifts of grace whose presence produces the alchemy of creativity and critique necessary for beauty, even if those friendships are only for a season of our lives. I loved the optional portals into literary theory, the strong color themes, the clear but minimal historical context, the references to real letters, conversations etc. I have always been jealous of the inklings but never more so than as I read this beautifully illustrated & thoroughly researched book. Must read.
October 5, 2024
“Nothing, I Suspect, is more astonishing in any man’s life than the discovery that there do exist people very, very like himself”- C.S. Lewis
I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel that explored the friendship between two great authors. The influence of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis on modern fantasy and literature in general cannot be overstated. Through a unique way of storytelling and imagination, Hendrix tells the story of fellowship, faith, and life. There were also little “side quests” which explored the nature and background of stories such as Myth and Epic. The artwork was also done well. I believe that this would be especially apt for young readers ages 12-17.
The only gripe I had was concerning the topic about Myths where a few Bible stories were mentioned as examples. According to the true definition of Myth in storytelling and the author’s clarification (he is a Christian ), I could tell that he did not believe them to be untrue, but simply a different style of story. Regardless, it could potentially be confusing to younger readers.
Overall, If you enjoyed John Hendrix previous work The Faithful Spy, then you will enjoy this one.
I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel that explored the friendship between two great authors. The influence of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis on modern fantasy and literature in general cannot be overstated. Through a unique way of storytelling and imagination, Hendrix tells the story of fellowship, faith, and life. There were also little “side quests” which explored the nature and background of stories such as Myth and Epic. The artwork was also done well. I believe that this would be especially apt for young readers ages 12-17.
The only gripe I had was concerning the topic about Myths where a few Bible stories were mentioned as examples. According to the true definition of Myth in storytelling and the author’s clarification (he is a Christian ), I could tell that he did not believe them to be untrue, but simply a different style of story. Regardless, it could potentially be confusing to younger readers.
Overall, If you enjoyed John Hendrix previous work The Faithful Spy, then you will enjoy this one.
September 15, 2025
An annal of wonder and heartbreak and imagination, filled with stunning art, stories familiar and little-known, and the hope of eucatastrophe and restoration.
December 30, 2024
As he did with his Bonhoeffer graphic novel, Hendrix does an incredible job here of not only summarizing the ideological and emotional hearts of Lewis's and Tolkien's lives but also weaving that thread alongside the biographical and historical narrative. This book is so well-crafted in every detail!
December 29, 2024
Quite good, and the ending made me tear up. I do take issue with some things, like putting Genesis and Noah’s Flood in the “Hall of Myth & Epic” alongside the Aeneid, Norse myths, and such. I know there are literary reasons for that, and that Lewis saw Christianity as the “true myth”, but it could be confusing. I think my 13yo might enjoy it, though, with some discussion.
January 18, 2025
I loved this so much! The story of Lewis and Tolkien's friendship and their invention, or at least popularization, of the modern fantasy genre was very well told, with beautiful illustrations and a creative approach!
December 17, 2025
This book was such a beautiful and unique telling of the friendship (and lives) of a couple of Inklings.
October 9, 2025
What a flawed yet beautiful relationship between Lewis and Tolkien, truly a fellowship of grace. I loved reading about their younger years and how their friendship grew. How amazing that they both contributed so much to each other’s classic stories. This was truly such a profound, moving read, even though half of it was a graphic novel. What a beautiful ending!! 😭❤️
May 18, 2024
3.5 stars. I want to definitely point out that this is a mixture of prose narrative and comic panels, not a straight graphic novel. This is specified in the description, but I’m seeing a lot of general marketing just calling it a graphic novel. I think the format choices worked really well and having fantastical cartoon guides helped keep the story moving while adding a bit of enchantment which definitely fits the theme of the two authors being centered. I felt we got a bit bogged down by defining terminology in the first chunk of the book, so I was glad when we started getting “portals” where we could flip to a specific page in the back for more context/information at our leisure instead of it breaking up the narrative. I do think I learned a lot about both authors and their relationship, and it inspired me to go read or reread their works.
One personal concern was that when sexism was brought up it felt quickly brushed over/excused as a product of the time. This is not to say it was the author’s intention, but I almost felt (for my own opinion) I’d rather have not seen it brought up than have that be the treatment.
The ARC is uncorrected, so I expect issues with typos/errors will be looked into later. I’m particularly interested to see what the final product looks like in full color. The ARC was black and white illustrations and I actually really enjoyed them as such. From the cover and couple sample illustrations it looks like a heavy blue-green/purple/yellow color palette.
I appreciated the note on research and authenticity at the end, and all of the compiled source citations. I had already begun doing impromptu research based on questions that came up while I was reading, which is a definite sign the author made me care about their story.
One personal concern was that when sexism was brought up it felt quickly brushed over/excused as a product of the time. This is not to say it was the author’s intention, but I almost felt (for my own opinion) I’d rather have not seen it brought up than have that be the treatment.
The ARC is uncorrected, so I expect issues with typos/errors will be looked into later. I’m particularly interested to see what the final product looks like in full color. The ARC was black and white illustrations and I actually really enjoyed them as such. From the cover and couple sample illustrations it looks like a heavy blue-green/purple/yellow color palette.
I appreciated the note on research and authenticity at the end, and all of the compiled source citations. I had already begun doing impromptu research based on questions that came up while I was reading, which is a definite sign the author made me care about their story.
March 26, 2025
Until the last few pages, this was a three star read for me, but the ending (which imagines a beautiful meeting between Lewis and Tolkien in eternity) raised that. The art is very, very good, too, and the book is worth buying for that alone.
I had some quibbles with the order in which Hendrix introduced concepts. I didn't love his definition of myth and his attempt to explain the place of epic/fantasy/faery/etc., and I think a lot of his attempts to show commonalities between the two authors ultimately obscured their unique perspectives. Mythmakers is trying to be a fun graphic novel, a biography of two people at once, the story of their friendship, a chronicle and explanation of many of their works, and a brief introduction to myth. It accomplishes most of those decently, but none incredibly well. I think it is best aimed at those unfamiliar with each author's life but interested in their works, and I would be happy to give it to any teenager. As I said above, the art alone makes the book worth your while.
I had some quibbles with the order in which Hendrix introduced concepts. I didn't love his definition of myth and his attempt to explain the place of epic/fantasy/faery/etc., and I think a lot of his attempts to show commonalities between the two authors ultimately obscured their unique perspectives. Mythmakers is trying to be a fun graphic novel, a biography of two people at once, the story of their friendship, a chronicle and explanation of many of their works, and a brief introduction to myth. It accomplishes most of those decently, but none incredibly well. I think it is best aimed at those unfamiliar with each author's life but interested in their works, and I would be happy to give it to any teenager. As I said above, the art alone makes the book worth your while.
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