Sammons (English, Wright State U., Ohio) argues that the two British writers invented a new genre--now called religious fantasy among other things--by combining the spiritual and mythopoeic in popular fiction. Though good friends, they did not agree about everything, most famously about the proper Christian denomination, but it is not that dispute that concerns her here. Rather she explores their different ideas about the role of the author in the story, and particularly the degree to which the author's faith should be represented in the narrative. She discusses the artist, art, applications, art theories and metaphors, achieving other worlds, allegory and applicability, and advantages of fantasy. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)