The Mythmakers

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 The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, by John Hendrix

I recently read Hendrix' Faithful Spy, and now I've got his latest -- a chronicle of one of the most world-influencing friendships of the 20th century.  And I'm here to tell you, it's great stuff, a lovely biography/tribute to both men.  This is a graphic novel suitable for age 10 and up, but is equally absorbing for adults.  Give it to the Middle-Earth and Narnia fan in your life!

Hendrix gives short biographies of each before they meet, and then he gets detailed, providing lovely illustrations in teal, lavender, and gold.  But there's just one problem; what they mostly did was talk, and that doesn't make for exciting reading.  So Hendrix introduces two metanarrating avatars: a wizard and a lion, who explain myth and epic, provide commentary upon the relationship, and generally facilitate the reader's experience, like a Greek chorus in a play.  The two sets of characters intertwine and make history come alive.


The explanations of the genre of fantasy literature are cleverly incorporated into the book through 'portals' -- when Lion wants to explain fairy tales to you, he tells you go to page 153 (or whatever it is), leading you to an extended footnote that incidentally introduces a few more imaginative characters


And so while Lion and Wizard explore Myth itself, Tolkien and Lewis argue about myth and truth.  

Hendrix chronicles their entire lives, including the fracturing of their friendship and Lewis' sudden marriage to Joy Davidman.  He really brings out how neither one of them would probably have become so prolific and influential without the other, how different they were and how those differences both helped them help each other, and led to their tragic distance.

As with The Faithful Spy, the tiny print is a problem.  But on the whole, this graphic novel is a tremendous accomplishment, bringing a complex and not well-known topic out where many people will appreciate it.  This is a really great piece, heartfelt, appreciative, and providing clarity on two gifted men who needed each other.

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