Fiction authors provide more than entertainment; the best work edifies readers as well. Great authors incorporate themes in their writing that transcend the story and speak to reality of the world – and often better than non-fiction. These themes include human nature, God, good versus evil, what it means to pursue true liberty, and economic freedom. Often there is a dystopian regime or a state of nature unlike our current world.
The authors on this list have no rivels, except each other. Their literature has moved the world, it has won the great literary prizes, and remains the gold standard long after the authors themselves have passed away.
C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis was a British writer, theologian, professor, and student of the world. As a English literature professor at Oxford and Cambridge, Lewis’ conversion to Christianity made him a leading apologetic. Few authors have impacted the world as forcefully as Lewis.
Among his most known fiction includes the The Chronicles of Narnia, The Screwtape Letters, and The Space Trilogy. Each reviews logical truths about the Christian faith through the lens of fictional stories. His most known non-fiction is Mere Christianity, in which he makes a clear and convincing case for Christ.
Earnest Hemingway
No author exudes talent and adventure like Hemingway. His prose have been called “bold” and “athletic.” Hemingway’s life was as exciting as his stories – war correspondence, offshore fishing, hunting big game, travels to Africa, and more. His most prominent work drills down on human nature, war, loss, and resilience.
The Old Man and the Sea, A Farewell to Arms, and For Whom the Bell Tolls are among Hemingway’s most notable work. Some argue he was his best writing short stories such as The Snows of Kilimanjaro and The short Happy Life of Fancies Macomber. He was as prolific as he was exciting, which is why his stories are so authentic.
George Orwell
Orwell is not only known for his stories, but he also improved the English language by creating terms like “Big Brother,” “Thought Police,” and “memory hole.” His work is so impactful that the habits of totalitarian regimes and authoritarian governments are referred to as “Orwellian.”
George Orwell wrote such classics as Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm, which are equally riveting and cautionary. His work makes front and center the problems with government overreach and surveillance. Unfortunately, the dystopian future he wrote about has come to fruition around the world, making him among the most prescient writers of his time.
Ayn Rand
Perhaps the most prominent libertarian thinker is Ayn Rand. The Russian born philosopher and author is known for creating Objectivism, a philosophy based on lasseiz-faire capitalism, individual rights, and limited government.
Atlas Shrugged, the Fountainhead, and Anthem are among her most famous novels. She also wrote numerous non-fiction books extoling the virtues of objectivism and free markets.
Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Russian writer, Dostoevsky, explores profound subjects like the human nature, politics, religion, and social issues. His writing is based in 19th century Russia, but it transcends both time and place because he captures universal human conditions.
Dostoevsky is best known for his novels Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, and The Brothers Karamazov. He is much more prolific than the big three, having written more than a dozen novels and many short stories.
J. R. R. Tolkien
Who does not love The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings? These classics were created by the mind of J. R. R. Tolkien and remain his most famous work.
Tolkien’s work is as wholesome as it is entertaining. His books, however, are best known for taking readers into a fantasy world. Behind the creative are moral lessons based on Tolkien’s Christian values and understanding of how the world works.
Fiction Authors for Kids
If you need recommendations of authors for children, these are among the best:
- The Berenstain Bears
- The Tuttle Twins by Connor Boyack
- The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd Jones
- Otto’s Tales by Prager U
Why Fiction Matters
Fiction authors help us see the world. Ideas and emotions are often better presented by fiction, than non-fiction. Storytelling, examples, and character development are just some aspects that better in novels than most authors can depict in a strictly factual account. Another is the ability for fiction writers to connect readers emotionally to the characters – making them real by pulling on the readers own experience.
As an example, Hemingway understood that a retelling of war fails to illustrate the emotional complexities involved. There is internal conflict evident in the cliff scene in For Whom the Bell Tolls, which better demonstrates the scarifies made, and the true nature of good versus evil. Ayn Rand comprehended that her great book, Atlas Shrugged, could communicate the virtues of capitalism and freedom better than her non-fiction books.
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