War of the Literary Worlds

A year or two back, there was a really dreadful film that combined the Predator and Alien films. It was called, Predator V Alien, or something like that.

Anyway, I think it’s time we had a literary equivalent - The Da Vinci Code V Left Behind.

Most of you will know about The Da Vinci Code, the ultimate conspiracy theory novel. Here’s my confession - I haven’t read it. I’m not that bothered about it either. Evangelical Christians are making a really hearty meal out of the whole thing - writing books about how DVC is full of errors. Funny that, a (fictional) novel being full of errors, who would have thought it? One blog I read, by a high profile evangelical academic, who just happens to have book out about DVC, gave an in-depth program describing how churches should respond to the DVC phenomenon - it included reading books about DVC... Still, I was actually asked what I thought about DVC at a party recently, so maybe I should be a little better prepared. How many ways can you say - it’s all a load of rubbish, it’s just a right good conspiracy theory novel?

Left Behind was the first in a series of novels about the end times, the Rapture and all that, the apocalyptic conclusion to Earth’s history. The Left Behind Series has sold millions of books, and the twelfth book (I think) in the series is due for release on 060606. Unlike the DVC, which appears to contain the underlying theme that the Christian worldview is all one big conspiracy, Left Behind cranks up the Christian worldview in fantastically literal representations of key Bible passages. So I’m told, at least. My second confession? I haven’t read LB. But, I know a man who has, and he’s written a book about it! Due for release 060606! Go buy it - Crawford not only knows what he is talking about, he can tell or write a great narrative too.

What’s my point in this post? Here’s my thesis - these literary phenomena are two systems of thought that are battling for the soul of the Western world - you read it here first, remember! DVC V LB - New age conspiracy V Pre-critical fundamentalism - the battle for the 21stC.