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Inklings #1
Looking For The King
It is 1940, and American Tom McCord, a 23-year-old aspiring doctoral candidate, is in England researching the historical evidence for the legendary King Arthur. There he meets perky and intuitive Laura Hartman, a fellow American staying with her aunt in Oxford, and the two of them team up for an even more ambitious and dangerous quest. Aided by the Inklings-that illustrious circle of scholars and writers made famous by its two most prolific members, C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien-Tom and Laura begin to suspect that the fabled Spear of Destiny, the lance that pierced the side of Christ on the cross, is hidden somewhere in England. Tom discovers that Laura has been having mysterious dreams, which seem to be related to the subject of his research, and, though doubtful of her visions, he hires her as an assistant. Heeding the insights and advice of the Inklings, while becoming aware of being shadowed by powerful and secretive foes who would claim the spear as their own, Tom and Laura end up on a thrilling treasure hunt that crisscrosses the English countryside and leads beyond a search for the elusive relics of Camelot into the depths of the human heart and soul. Weaving his fast-paced narrative with actual quotes from the works of the Inklings, author David Downing offers a vivid portrait of Oxford and draws a welcome glimpse into the personalities and ideas of Lewis and Tolkien, while never losing sight of his action-packed adventure story and its two very appealing main characters.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2010
17 people are currently reading
494 people want to read
About the author
David C. Downing
20 books64 followersI am a professor of English at Elizabethtown College in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. This is on the edge of "Amish country," and I sometimes pass a horse and buggy on my way to and from campus.
I grew up in Colorado, went to college in Santa Barbara, CA, and earned my PhD from UCLA. I currently teach professional and creative writing at Elizabethtown, as well as a first-year seminar on quest narratives.
I first read the Narnia Chronicles as a college sophomore. I was so enthralled, I read all seven books in a month, then re-read them again the next month. I published my first article on C. S. Lewis that same year. I tackled Lord of the Rings in my junior year of college, and I still remember reading all night, the sun coming up just when I discovered that Gandalf had returned. What a glorious dawn that was!
Living less that an hour from Gettysburg, I have become one of many Civil War buffs in this part of the country. I published A South Divided: Portraits of Dissent in the Confederacy in 2007, a study of Southerners who supported the Union during the war.
My wife, Crystal, is a professor of English and film studies at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania. She is the author of Writing Performances: The Stages of Dorothy L. Sayers (2004) and How Postmodernism Serves (My) Faith (2006).
I grew up in Colorado, went to college in Santa Barbara, CA, and earned my PhD from UCLA. I currently teach professional and creative writing at Elizabethtown, as well as a first-year seminar on quest narratives.
I first read the Narnia Chronicles as a college sophomore. I was so enthralled, I read all seven books in a month, then re-read them again the next month. I published my first article on C. S. Lewis that same year. I tackled Lord of the Rings in my junior year of college, and I still remember reading all night, the sun coming up just when I discovered that Gandalf had returned. What a glorious dawn that was!
Living less that an hour from Gettysburg, I have become one of many Civil War buffs in this part of the country. I published A South Divided: Portraits of Dissent in the Confederacy in 2007, a study of Southerners who supported the Union during the war.
My wife, Crystal, is a professor of English and film studies at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania. She is the author of Writing Performances: The Stages of Dorothy L. Sayers (2004) and How Postmodernism Serves (My) Faith (2006).
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April 25, 2011
Looking for the King -An Inklings Novel By David Downing - A Review
Looking for the King - By David Downing
SPOILER ALERT - If you have not read this book this review may give away some key plot points!
During the recent but now seemingly long past Christmas holidays as I scanned more books to download onto my IPAD and read with my trusty Kindle app, this title caught my attention and I became even more interested when I read that the book was about King Arthur, the holy spear of Longinus and included as characters Charles Williams, C.S. Lewis and Professor J.R.R Tolkien himself!!! What a combination, I thought, a must read and onto the IPAD it went.
Overall I enjoyed this book which towards the end does become a bit of a page, or screen, turner. I did get the feeling in the early parts that I was reading two books. One, a rollicking good Dan Brownesqe (although much better written) thriller set in Britain in the 1940's with two Americans visting some of the key Arthurian sites in the U.K. in search of a lost relic of primeval power that others evil elements are looking for (shades of Indiana Jones). The other, a "lets meet the Inklings" novel where we through the hero and heroine of the adventure meet Lewis, Williams, and Tolkien and the other Inklings usually in their favourite haunts -- a pub or restaurant.
But the genius of this book is how Downing combines these two strands together by having the Inklings comment and indeed shape the search which is based in messages in dreams around King Arthur and "the spear of destiny" Indeed in the first couple of chapters Lewis informs our hero that there is a recent theory " by Professor R.G. Colingwood backed up by a colleague of his named Tolkien" on the real Kng Arthur (referring to Collingwood's book Roman Britain and its English Settlements).
Also after reading Downing I feel I know Charles
Williams a bit better (an Inkling whose works have alluded me and need further exploration). One moment of a slight chuckle comes towards the end of the book when some of the Inklings are musing on how they will be remembered in the future and C.S. Lewis says to Charles Wlliams we shall end up as footnotes in your biography - interesting that of the three major Inklings Charles Williams is the least well known (Tolkien says nothing in that scene) Also when the hero tells of the adventure, one of the Inklings exclaim "it sounds like the plot of one of your books Charles" perhaps referring to his holy grail mystery The War in Heaven
Downing's description of Tolkien is an interesting one. He clearly has done his research and very helpfully includes in the appendix a line by line reference to quoted remarks. I felt while he does capture some of the donish, elegiac and "I am in fact a Hobbit" character of Tolkien, what we get is very much a rehash of what we know of Tolkien through letters, interviews, etc. So we hear him describe how we know (or how he wanted us to know)how he started writing the Hobbit, we hear the recurring great Wave engulfing all nightmare, etc. There is a wonderful scene when the two main characters go to visit Tolkien and are greeted at the door of 20 Northmoor Road by his young daughter Priscilla who escorts them into Tolkien's book lined study. its 1940 and Tolkien is working on the "new Hobbit" and spends some time talking with them about the new darker adventure which has reached a crossroads tavern and met a "walker in the woods (is he Strider or Trotter?") Also I thought it was interesting that Tolkien set an alarm clock so his visitors would not overstay their welcome (he had to get that writing done sometime!) But it was hard not to read that scene and think - yes you are talking about the new Hobbit, but in a file or drawer you have the notebooks of The Book of Lost Tales and the Quenta Sillmarillion and all that work on Elvish linguistics that you have stopped writing to work on this much desired sequel.
For Tolkien and Lewis lovers this scene and an earlier one when our hero is invited to spend a morning at the Eagle and the Child (Bird and the Baby) pub with the Inklings are ones that as you read makes you think what would it have been like? i think Downing captures the boisterous quick rapid banter of the Inklings (these were no bookish dons) and the welcoming nature they would have had for a colleague interested in their pursuits.
The actual thriller?? Fine, although the denouement is a bit obvious and the ending does have echoes of that final moment in Raiders of the Lost Ark when the source of all potential divine power is literally warehoused. it is interesting when the hero decides not to take advantage of what he has uncovered for power or gain he says it is not for him to take such a thing on himself and leaves it for others to decide what to do with it (shades of the ring?). Then Downing has Tolkien say "We indeed endure things But the martyrs endured to the end." and the Tolkien comments to the puzzled Inklings "It is an elvish saying."
I think what Downing does succeed at is bringing the Inklings to life not as active heroes out saving the world but as scholarly advisers in the background of the action. Indeed, it is thanks to Tolkien's pursuits of the Northern Spirit and his focus on pre-Norman Saxon culture that a great part of the mystery is solved.
Downing masterfully has Lewis recount his conversion by Tolkien and Dyson on that long evenings walk and he later weaves it into the story and character development of the hero. Downing also creates a real sense of the worry and stress in Britain in 1940 on the eve of Dunkirk and the movement of the war from the phoney phase towards the defeat of France (Lewis comments that they are taking all the signs down in the Southern part of England in case the Germans invade)and the looming Battle of Britain. Downing has Tolkien talk about the "animal horror" of the last war and the fears and concerns he has for his two sons both currently in midst of battle (as well as C S Lewis for his brother Warnie).
Of course there is room left for a sequel and the mind boggles on who would play the Inklings if this book were made into a movie (Sir Ian perhaps as J.R.R?).
With another book with Tolkien as a character on the horizon it looks like this may be the start of a trend. I applaud these efforts if they are done with care and attention and understanding of the real lfe characters and their work. I wonder what the Professor himself would have thought of being a character in some one elses sub-creation??
While a bit thin on plot I think Downing has succeeded in bringing the Inklings to life and I look forward to more of the adventures they become mixed up with.
Who knows my idea for a series of mystery books with the composer Richard Wagner has a solver of murders may not be so far fetched!!!
Looking for the King - By David Downing
SPOILER ALERT - If you have not read this book this review may give away some key plot points!
During the recent but now seemingly long past Christmas holidays as I scanned more books to download onto my IPAD and read with my trusty Kindle app, this title caught my attention and I became even more interested when I read that the book was about King Arthur, the holy spear of Longinus and included as characters Charles Williams, C.S. Lewis and Professor J.R.R Tolkien himself!!! What a combination, I thought, a must read and onto the IPAD it went.
Overall I enjoyed this book which towards the end does become a bit of a page, or screen, turner. I did get the feeling in the early parts that I was reading two books. One, a rollicking good Dan Brownesqe (although much better written) thriller set in Britain in the 1940's with two Americans visting some of the key Arthurian sites in the U.K. in search of a lost relic of primeval power that others evil elements are looking for (shades of Indiana Jones). The other, a "lets meet the Inklings" novel where we through the hero and heroine of the adventure meet Lewis, Williams, and Tolkien and the other Inklings usually in their favourite haunts -- a pub or restaurant.
But the genius of this book is how Downing combines these two strands together by having the Inklings comment and indeed shape the search which is based in messages in dreams around King Arthur and "the spear of destiny" Indeed in the first couple of chapters Lewis informs our hero that there is a recent theory " by Professor R.G. Colingwood backed up by a colleague of his named Tolkien" on the real Kng Arthur (referring to Collingwood's book Roman Britain and its English Settlements).
Also after reading Downing I feel I know Charles
Williams a bit better (an Inkling whose works have alluded me and need further exploration). One moment of a slight chuckle comes towards the end of the book when some of the Inklings are musing on how they will be remembered in the future and C.S. Lewis says to Charles Wlliams we shall end up as footnotes in your biography - interesting that of the three major Inklings Charles Williams is the least well known (Tolkien says nothing in that scene) Also when the hero tells of the adventure, one of the Inklings exclaim "it sounds like the plot of one of your books Charles" perhaps referring to his holy grail mystery The War in Heaven
Downing's description of Tolkien is an interesting one. He clearly has done his research and very helpfully includes in the appendix a line by line reference to quoted remarks. I felt while he does capture some of the donish, elegiac and "I am in fact a Hobbit" character of Tolkien, what we get is very much a rehash of what we know of Tolkien through letters, interviews, etc. So we hear him describe how we know (or how he wanted us to know)how he started writing the Hobbit, we hear the recurring great Wave engulfing all nightmare, etc. There is a wonderful scene when the two main characters go to visit Tolkien and are greeted at the door of 20 Northmoor Road by his young daughter Priscilla who escorts them into Tolkien's book lined study. its 1940 and Tolkien is working on the "new Hobbit" and spends some time talking with them about the new darker adventure which has reached a crossroads tavern and met a "walker in the woods (is he Strider or Trotter?") Also I thought it was interesting that Tolkien set an alarm clock so his visitors would not overstay their welcome (he had to get that writing done sometime!) But it was hard not to read that scene and think - yes you are talking about the new Hobbit, but in a file or drawer you have the notebooks of The Book of Lost Tales and the Quenta Sillmarillion and all that work on Elvish linguistics that you have stopped writing to work on this much desired sequel.
For Tolkien and Lewis lovers this scene and an earlier one when our hero is invited to spend a morning at the Eagle and the Child (Bird and the Baby) pub with the Inklings are ones that as you read makes you think what would it have been like? i think Downing captures the boisterous quick rapid banter of the Inklings (these were no bookish dons) and the welcoming nature they would have had for a colleague interested in their pursuits.
The actual thriller?? Fine, although the denouement is a bit obvious and the ending does have echoes of that final moment in Raiders of the Lost Ark when the source of all potential divine power is literally warehoused. it is interesting when the hero decides not to take advantage of what he has uncovered for power or gain he says it is not for him to take such a thing on himself and leaves it for others to decide what to do with it (shades of the ring?). Then Downing has Tolkien say "We indeed endure things But the martyrs endured to the end." and the Tolkien comments to the puzzled Inklings "It is an elvish saying."
I think what Downing does succeed at is bringing the Inklings to life not as active heroes out saving the world but as scholarly advisers in the background of the action. Indeed, it is thanks to Tolkien's pursuits of the Northern Spirit and his focus on pre-Norman Saxon culture that a great part of the mystery is solved.
Downing masterfully has Lewis recount his conversion by Tolkien and Dyson on that long evenings walk and he later weaves it into the story and character development of the hero. Downing also creates a real sense of the worry and stress in Britain in 1940 on the eve of Dunkirk and the movement of the war from the phoney phase towards the defeat of France (Lewis comments that they are taking all the signs down in the Southern part of England in case the Germans invade)and the looming Battle of Britain. Downing has Tolkien talk about the "animal horror" of the last war and the fears and concerns he has for his two sons both currently in midst of battle (as well as C S Lewis for his brother Warnie).
Of course there is room left for a sequel and the mind boggles on who would play the Inklings if this book were made into a movie (Sir Ian perhaps as J.R.R?).
With another book with Tolkien as a character on the horizon it looks like this may be the start of a trend. I applaud these efforts if they are done with care and attention and understanding of the real lfe characters and their work. I wonder what the Professor himself would have thought of being a character in some one elses sub-creation??
While a bit thin on plot I think Downing has succeeded in bringing the Inklings to life and I look forward to more of the adventures they become mixed up with.
Who knows my idea for a series of mystery books with the composer Richard Wagner has a solver of murders may not be so far fetched!!!
December 27, 2010
An interesting concept for a novel. Calling itself "An Inklings Novel" the story intertwines a romance of sorts, a mystery/adventure and a series of conversations with and between the main characters and the famous literary group which included C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien.
The story starts out with an encounter meant to introduce both the sense of mystery and the tension but the tension is of a rather mild form and the mystery plays out far too easily. Instead what you really have is a conversational novel where the characters conversations tell the story rather than the action (for the most part). As you might imagine this takes a great deal of skill to pull off and Downing doesn't quite make it work.
There are three threads: the relationship of the two main characters Tom and Laura; the mystery surrounding Laura's dreams and the Spear of Destiny; and the intellectual/spiritual conversations with the Inklings and its impact on Tom's worldview.
While underlying mystery of the Spear of Destiny is potentially a great hook, the romance is far too obvious and the story is just too thin. Those interested in the Inklings might find the conversations interesting but there is little else to make this story standout.
It was a quick read but it felt like Downing just tried too hard to make a book out of scattered conversations.
The story starts out with an encounter meant to introduce both the sense of mystery and the tension but the tension is of a rather mild form and the mystery plays out far too easily. Instead what you really have is a conversational novel where the characters conversations tell the story rather than the action (for the most part). As you might imagine this takes a great deal of skill to pull off and Downing doesn't quite make it work.
There are three threads: the relationship of the two main characters Tom and Laura; the mystery surrounding Laura's dreams and the Spear of Destiny; and the intellectual/spiritual conversations with the Inklings and its impact on Tom's worldview.
While underlying mystery of the Spear of Destiny is potentially a great hook, the romance is far too obvious and the story is just too thin. Those interested in the Inklings might find the conversations interesting but there is little else to make this story standout.
It was a quick read but it felt like Downing just tried too hard to make a book out of scattered conversations.
November 5, 2020
I quite like this book, and in the second reading it may be close to a 5-star book for me. Review to follow at A Pilgrim in Narnia.
November 28, 2025
3.5 stars, really. It was an easy, enjoyable read… but I’m still kind of scratching my head about the concept. I think it was fun, though, to have a fictional adventure/quest take place in Oxford and have some Inklings as side characters. So I guess this would be some strange form of historical fiction since the author uses a real conversations and quotes from each of those historical figures?
February 1, 2011
When I was teenager I had wished to have been a fly on the wall or a participant in the famed Algonquin Round Table that was composed of writers, critics, actors and other wits between 1919 and 1929. Obviously I was a weird kid, but hearing the wit of these people along with sharpening my own wit appealed to me when I first read of this celebrated group from various books on the Marx Brothers I absorbed.
After my conversion I switched this dream to the Inklings, the regular members including J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, Hugo Dyson, etc. How cool would it be to sit around the table of such men and hear their back and forth conversations. This time though I would be glad to just be a fly on the wall in either of their various haunts.
I thought of this dream when I first saw the book “Looking for the King: An Inkling’s Novel” by David C. Downing. I was obviously intrigued by a novel that included the Inklings in it.
In this novel which takes place in 1940, American Tom McCord goes to England to do research for a book he is doing on King Arthur and he hopes to prove the historicity of King Arthur. The novel starts with him preparing for a meeting with C.S. Lewis where he first runs into another American Laura Hartman. The plot quickly takes on a more ominous tone and heads into almost Indiana Jones territory.
The meeting of these two young Americans as part of the plot is a bit coincidental in how both of their quests are intertwined. But as someone who loves Dickens and P.G. Wodehouse I can handle coincidence in a plot even when it hits you over the head. They are aided in this intertwined quest by the knowledge and advice from various members of the Inklings who they mostly meet individually and once as a group.
I mostly enjoyed this novel and while the plot was a bit Indiana Jones’ish – that was fine with me. The interaction with the Inklings was quite interesting, but I felt it was the conversations with C.S. Lewis that had the most authenticity to them. Not surprising since the writer has written on Lewis. The plot has a spiritual dimension to it along with questions of belief and the interactions between Tom McCord and C.S. Lewis felt very real. The scenes with Tolkien and Williams gave you some idea of the personalities of these men, just not at the same level as C.S. Lewis in my opinion.
The novel being based in the 1940 also seemed to me to have a 1940’s flavor to it. The romantic elements fit this period, or at least the writing about relationships in this period and a kind of relationship innocence as in a P.G. Wodehouse novel.
So my verdict would be that this is an fun novel that at times is quite striking on a spiritual level with some interesting conversations while at other times the dialog is less fulfilling. Having the Inklings in a novel sets up a sort of threshold that even the finest writers could hardly pull off.
I listened to the audiobook version of this Ignatius Press release with Kevin O’Brien of Theater of the Word as the reader. Once again Kevin O’Brien impressed me with the range of voices he provided for the characters. His voices also gave the book a nice quality of taking you back to this era and I especially loved his C.S. Lewis. Once again Ignatius Press is selling their audiobooks at a very reasonable price (that is compared to other audiobooks).
After my conversion I switched this dream to the Inklings, the regular members including J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, Hugo Dyson, etc. How cool would it be to sit around the table of such men and hear their back and forth conversations. This time though I would be glad to just be a fly on the wall in either of their various haunts.
I thought of this dream when I first saw the book “Looking for the King: An Inkling’s Novel” by David C. Downing. I was obviously intrigued by a novel that included the Inklings in it.
In this novel which takes place in 1940, American Tom McCord goes to England to do research for a book he is doing on King Arthur and he hopes to prove the historicity of King Arthur. The novel starts with him preparing for a meeting with C.S. Lewis where he first runs into another American Laura Hartman. The plot quickly takes on a more ominous tone and heads into almost Indiana Jones territory.
The meeting of these two young Americans as part of the plot is a bit coincidental in how both of their quests are intertwined. But as someone who loves Dickens and P.G. Wodehouse I can handle coincidence in a plot even when it hits you over the head. They are aided in this intertwined quest by the knowledge and advice from various members of the Inklings who they mostly meet individually and once as a group.
I mostly enjoyed this novel and while the plot was a bit Indiana Jones’ish – that was fine with me. The interaction with the Inklings was quite interesting, but I felt it was the conversations with C.S. Lewis that had the most authenticity to them. Not surprising since the writer has written on Lewis. The plot has a spiritual dimension to it along with questions of belief and the interactions between Tom McCord and C.S. Lewis felt very real. The scenes with Tolkien and Williams gave you some idea of the personalities of these men, just not at the same level as C.S. Lewis in my opinion.
The novel being based in the 1940 also seemed to me to have a 1940’s flavor to it. The romantic elements fit this period, or at least the writing about relationships in this period and a kind of relationship innocence as in a P.G. Wodehouse novel.
So my verdict would be that this is an fun novel that at times is quite striking on a spiritual level with some interesting conversations while at other times the dialog is less fulfilling. Having the Inklings in a novel sets up a sort of threshold that even the finest writers could hardly pull off.
I listened to the audiobook version of this Ignatius Press release with Kevin O’Brien of Theater of the Word as the reader. Once again Kevin O’Brien impressed me with the range of voices he provided for the characters. His voices also gave the book a nice quality of taking you back to this era and I especially loved his C.S. Lewis. Once again Ignatius Press is selling their audiobooks at a very reasonable price (that is compared to other audiobooks).
January 7, 2014
A good draw-you-in-keep-you-up-all-night-reading sort of book. One meets members of the Inklings, not from the perspective of their writings, so much as from the new and fresh perspective of the main character of the novel, Tom. Through Tom's eyes, London, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, Professor Tolkien, and others, become familiar in way that lends a great deal of charm to the story. It's a masterfully written mystery, laced through (as all good mysteries are) with wit, wry humor, suspense, philosophical questions of cosmic importance, and, of course, romance.
Following is a humorous quote, a tasty sample, without being too much of a spoiler:
"Yes, it is a vast topic," said Dyson, "a subject for endless argument, if you're not careful. I agree with the old wisdom: 'When pain is to be borne, a little courage helps more than much knowledge, a little human sympathy more than courage, and the least tincture of the love of God more than all.' "
"Well said", boomed Lewis. "That cuts right to the heart of the matter. Who wrote that?"
Tom saw several smiles around the table, though couldn't for the life of him see anything humorous in the quotation.
"Really, Dyson", continued Lewis. "It sounds so familiar. Is it Augustine? Boethius?"
"That is Mr. C.S. Lewis", Williams explained with a grin. "Forthcoming book of his called The Problem of Pain. He's been reading it to us on Thursday nights."
Everyone around the table laughed--even Lewis, who, already ruddy, actually blushed a shade redder.
"How is it", asked Tolkien, "that you can remember everyone's writings verbatim except your own?"
Everyone laughed again and then paused to catch their breath. "Really, though," whispered Lewis slyly, "it was well said, wasn't it?"
Pg. 147
Following is a humorous quote, a tasty sample, without being too much of a spoiler:
"Yes, it is a vast topic," said Dyson, "a subject for endless argument, if you're not careful. I agree with the old wisdom: 'When pain is to be borne, a little courage helps more than much knowledge, a little human sympathy more than courage, and the least tincture of the love of God more than all.' "
"Well said", boomed Lewis. "That cuts right to the heart of the matter. Who wrote that?"
Tom saw several smiles around the table, though couldn't for the life of him see anything humorous in the quotation.
"Really, Dyson", continued Lewis. "It sounds so familiar. Is it Augustine? Boethius?"
"That is Mr. C.S. Lewis", Williams explained with a grin. "Forthcoming book of his called The Problem of Pain. He's been reading it to us on Thursday nights."
Everyone around the table laughed--even Lewis, who, already ruddy, actually blushed a shade redder.
"How is it", asked Tolkien, "that you can remember everyone's writings verbatim except your own?"
Everyone laughed again and then paused to catch their breath. "Really, though," whispered Lewis slyly, "it was well said, wasn't it?"
Pg. 147
October 10, 2015
This was great! I loved the Inklings conversations, which seemed as real as could be, and all the great references in the back. A very well-researched, fun book, full of factual tidbits but also edge-of-your-seat excitement. (I hid in the bathroom, I did!) Four stars because I felt rushed, but of course, if he had dragged it out, some would complain of that too! I enjoyed the respectful, growing romance, and had to chuckle at the kids from church warning me that this was a "kissing book"! I kept waiting for that moment when I'd have to bury my head in the couch! : D
October 11, 2010
I loved this book! You can read my full review of it at http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com.
December 28, 2010
A pleasant read that moves swiftly along. It was fun to find CS Lewis and Tolkien as integral characters of the book - in fact, they were far more interesting than the hero & heroine. It's obvious the author has a great fondness for these gentlemen and all of the Inklings. And that's perfectly okay with me -I'm pretty fond of them too. The plot also had a sort of DaVinci Code feel to the mystery (using dreams rather than symbology), but it didn't have a derivative feel to it fortunately. There were a couple of anachronistic phrases that popped me out of the WWII setting, but they were few and far between and didn't mar the breezy pace of the story.
March 28, 2011
While I love the Inklings, this book was just a bit too juvenile. Set in England just as WWII is beginning, American's Laura and Tom meet and join forces on an adventure to find evidence for the real King Arthur. They attend a lecture by Charles Williams, have tea with C. S. Lewis, meet the Inklings, and at the same time stay ahead of the bad guys who are also trying to find Arthurian artifacts to give to the Nazis. A bit too pat of a plot, a bit too predictable. But the quotes from Lewis, Tolkien and others are fun. The author uses letters and books to supply the words and situations from each of the Inklings, which makes that part the most enjoyable of the book!
December 14, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book based off of the characters and less so the story. As a big CS Lewis and Tolkien fan, it was neat to see their personalities come to life in a story. It is all fiction in the end, but the author does a great job of representing the figures fairly, and not drawing too many creative liberties. At first, the inklings are a source of advice to Tom about his research, but they quickly become his friends. Tom relies on their practical comments and wise words to guide his search, to advance his academic repertoire. However, the best part of it all is they reach him on a deeper, spiritual level that he was not expecting.
June 20, 2012
I'd pay good money to sit with the Inklings in a dark corner of the Bird & Baby. It's such an astoundingly good premise for a series of mystery novels. Unfortunately, Downing doesn't really pull it off. Don't get me wrong, it's good story and it's entertaining, but underwhelming.
March 8, 2017
Rather than writing a review myself, I'll just direct you to this excellent review by Brenton Dickieson: http://apilgriminnarnia.com/2012/07/3.... I pretty much agree with his entire analysis, and he said it very eloquently.
May 18, 2020
This is a book written at a level to appeal to everyone from newcomers, casual fans, and people who don't even know who "The Inklings" are on the one side . . . to people who dress up in wizard robes, know the Elvish word for "friend," and have every word of every Chronicle of Narnia memorized on the other side (I aspire to such greatness but am not quite there yet).
On its surface, this is an adventure story set in Oxford and parts of the English countryside in 1940, just as World War II is getting serious for the British. It isn't really about the war, but at times, you feel it pressing in on the background of the story with references to Dunkirk, Third Reich spies, and Churchill's "We shall fight on the beaches" address.
The title, "Looking for the King," has a double meaning that subtly unfolds itself by the story's end. I'm not spoiling the details, but let's just say that while there are no bright lights from Damascus striking the hero down on the road to the pub, there's an inner transformation of his beliefs that is earned through a gradual challenging of his own unexamined motives and preconceptions. Some of this is sparked by conversations with real-life figures, who are mostly quoting or paraphrasing things that they really said (the references in the appendix to the book were very welcome).
I'll admit . . . as much as I enjoyed the journey of Tom and Laura, the parts of this that made me grin the most were probably their interactions with C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams (2-3 of the other Inklings, including Hugo Dyson and R.E. Havard, make cameo appearances).
The men aren't just there for the sake of being there or giving the author an excuse to throw in random hobbit references. Each man is worked into the story in a believable way that serves the plot and helps to develop the characters of Tom and Laura.
I think my favorite example of this (again, without revealing spoilers) is a conversation Tom has with Lewis on the way to meet Dyson for lunch. What happens to Tom after his talk with Lewis I daresay is reflected in the experience of MILLIONS of Lewis's readers and listeners over the past 70-80 years (give or take).
As Lewis himself once said, "A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading" (or, one might add, who he befriends).
If you want to read this simply as an adventure story, that's fine, and it works on that level. But where Looking for the King really shines is in making us pause and think about what's BENEATH the surface.
A spear isn't just a spear. A dream may be more than just a dream. And a story--at least most of the GOOD ones--are giving us something more precious than mere escape or entertainment.
Ideally, an author will manage to do this without making it too obvious. And for me, Looking for the King did it well.
On a side note, I read this in the middle of May 2020, the week my family and I had intended to travel to London and Oxford on our first trip overseas. I'm grateful that, for a few hours, this made me feel like I was there in some of the places I was so looking forward to seeing, like the Eagle and Child and Blackwell's. I choose to believe that I'll still make it there in person within the next year or so, but for now . . . I'll take this sort of journey of the mind and heart as a welcome substitute (or as Charles Williams might have preferred to call it, an exchange).
On its surface, this is an adventure story set in Oxford and parts of the English countryside in 1940, just as World War II is getting serious for the British. It isn't really about the war, but at times, you feel it pressing in on the background of the story with references to Dunkirk, Third Reich spies, and Churchill's "We shall fight on the beaches" address.
The title, "Looking for the King," has a double meaning that subtly unfolds itself by the story's end. I'm not spoiling the details, but let's just say that while there are no bright lights from Damascus striking the hero down on the road to the pub, there's an inner transformation of his beliefs that is earned through a gradual challenging of his own unexamined motives and preconceptions. Some of this is sparked by conversations with real-life figures, who are mostly quoting or paraphrasing things that they really said (the references in the appendix to the book were very welcome).
I'll admit . . . as much as I enjoyed the journey of Tom and Laura, the parts of this that made me grin the most were probably their interactions with C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Charles Williams (2-3 of the other Inklings, including Hugo Dyson and R.E. Havard, make cameo appearances).
The men aren't just there for the sake of being there or giving the author an excuse to throw in random hobbit references. Each man is worked into the story in a believable way that serves the plot and helps to develop the characters of Tom and Laura.
I think my favorite example of this (again, without revealing spoilers) is a conversation Tom has with Lewis on the way to meet Dyson for lunch. What happens to Tom after his talk with Lewis I daresay is reflected in the experience of MILLIONS of Lewis's readers and listeners over the past 70-80 years (give or take).
As Lewis himself once said, "A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading" (or, one might add, who he befriends).
If you want to read this simply as an adventure story, that's fine, and it works on that level. But where Looking for the King really shines is in making us pause and think about what's BENEATH the surface.
A spear isn't just a spear. A dream may be more than just a dream. And a story--at least most of the GOOD ones--are giving us something more precious than mere escape or entertainment.
Ideally, an author will manage to do this without making it too obvious. And for me, Looking for the King did it well.
On a side note, I read this in the middle of May 2020, the week my family and I had intended to travel to London and Oxford on our first trip overseas. I'm grateful that, for a few hours, this made me feel like I was there in some of the places I was so looking forward to seeing, like the Eagle and Child and Blackwell's. I choose to believe that I'll still make it there in person within the next year or so, but for now . . . I'll take this sort of journey of the mind and heart as a welcome substitute (or as Charles Williams might have preferred to call it, an exchange).
April 14, 2020
This is a diverting enough adventure story - a sort of Dan Brown-esque quest for Arthurian legends, sprinkled with a little bit of Christian intellectual thought from the Inklings, and, of course, a will-they-won't-they romantic sub-plot.
The whole concept is pretty preposterous: two Americans in Oxford in 1940 both just happen to reach for the same book in Blackwell's (possibly the best bookshop in the world, btw). Tom is a doctoral student writing a guidebook on Arthurian sites in the UK, and Laura is living with her aunt to look after her during the war. But she also just happens to have 5 recurring dreams involving crosses, knights and abbeys. As you do.
As Tom and Laura travel around various sites of interest in a sort of grail quest there are shadowy figures lurking in the background following them, and a dapper Dutchman who is fond of religious relics. Somehow, Tom gets invited into the fold of the Inklings, the Oxford group which included CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien and Charles Williams, amongst others, and where the novel works best is in these moments. Lifting quotes from letters, books and other sources, Downing creates a very real sense of the intellectual banter and the astonishing learning of these men. The discussions on Christianity and myths is often poignantly set against the 1940 setting, as Britain struggles to hold off the Nazi menace.
Like Dan Brown (who Downing happily seems to take a few swipes at), this is all hokum. The quest or chase elements are pretty sedentary, to be honest, so if you are looking for a rip-roaring adventure then this isn't for you. It's quite wordy - lots of conversations and deep thinking, which is fine if you are interested in it (which I was), but probably not so much if you aren't interested in the Inklings group.
All in all, this was fine. Nothing startling, quite diverting, but also pretty much as predictable as you can imagine. Harmless fun, with the benefit of some decent research and a loving nod to the Inklings. 2.5 stars, rounded up because of my interest in the Inklings!
The whole concept is pretty preposterous: two Americans in Oxford in 1940 both just happen to reach for the same book in Blackwell's (possibly the best bookshop in the world, btw). Tom is a doctoral student writing a guidebook on Arthurian sites in the UK, and Laura is living with her aunt to look after her during the war. But she also just happens to have 5 recurring dreams involving crosses, knights and abbeys. As you do.
As Tom and Laura travel around various sites of interest in a sort of grail quest there are shadowy figures lurking in the background following them, and a dapper Dutchman who is fond of religious relics. Somehow, Tom gets invited into the fold of the Inklings, the Oxford group which included CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien and Charles Williams, amongst others, and where the novel works best is in these moments. Lifting quotes from letters, books and other sources, Downing creates a very real sense of the intellectual banter and the astonishing learning of these men. The discussions on Christianity and myths is often poignantly set against the 1940 setting, as Britain struggles to hold off the Nazi menace.
Like Dan Brown (who Downing happily seems to take a few swipes at), this is all hokum. The quest or chase elements are pretty sedentary, to be honest, so if you are looking for a rip-roaring adventure then this isn't for you. It's quite wordy - lots of conversations and deep thinking, which is fine if you are interested in it (which I was), but probably not so much if you aren't interested in the Inklings group.
All in all, this was fine. Nothing startling, quite diverting, but also pretty much as predictable as you can imagine. Harmless fun, with the benefit of some decent research and a loving nod to the Inklings. 2.5 stars, rounded up because of my interest in the Inklings!
September 15, 2024
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien fans will love this book from the recently retired director (2024) of Wheaton College's Marion E. Wade Center. This book was advertised on the Wade Center's wonderful podcast. As the author of the biography, The Most Reluctant Convert: C.S. Lewis's Journey to Faith, Downing knows Lewis very well and attempts to capture his wit and charm in a work of fiction. Although Lewis and the other Inklings authors, most especially Tolkien and Charles Williams, play secondary parts to the main characters, Tom and Laura, it's the scenes with the Inklings that shine brightest. Americans Tom and Laura, visiting England at the dawn of World War II, team up to unravel personal and archaeological mysteries surrounding the fabled "Spear of Destiny." With their vast knowledge of theology, medieval literature, Arthurian legends, and Norse mythology, Tolkien, Lewis and Williams become Tom and Laura's most supportive advisors on their quest. Each literary giant shares pieces of his own faith journey with Tom and he finds himself on a spiritual quest of his own.
I very much enjoyed this book. It fell short for me only in one area. Although David C. Downing is no stranger to writing (he has published several non-fiction books on Lewis and Narnia), his fiction has room for improvement. I felt like the plot and characters (Tom and Laura) could have been developed a little further. This is a small issue for me because I enjoyed so much meeting Lewis and Tolkien in the pub backroom where they discussed life, theology, and writing amongst their closest friends. In dialogues between the Inklings, Downing summarizes in more simple terms many of the ideas and beliefs that are spelled out in more detail in their books. It helped me get a better grasp on some of their harder to understand premises. I also enjoyed reading David C. Downing, after hearing him so many times on the Wade Center podcast. His knowledge of his area of expertise comes out beautifully in this book, and a little of his humor too.
I very much enjoyed this book. It fell short for me only in one area. Although David C. Downing is no stranger to writing (he has published several non-fiction books on Lewis and Narnia), his fiction has room for improvement. I felt like the plot and characters (Tom and Laura) could have been developed a little further. This is a small issue for me because I enjoyed so much meeting Lewis and Tolkien in the pub backroom where they discussed life, theology, and writing amongst their closest friends. In dialogues between the Inklings, Downing summarizes in more simple terms many of the ideas and beliefs that are spelled out in more detail in their books. It helped me get a better grasp on some of their harder to understand premises. I also enjoyed reading David C. Downing, after hearing him so many times on the Wade Center podcast. His knowledge of his area of expertise comes out beautifully in this book, and a little of his humor too.
December 12, 2025
A very interesting fanfic (can I call it that?) — although the plot is a bit clichéd in places, reminding me of 1990s Indiana Jones adventures and chick‑flick movies, it’s still an enjoyable read.
The title Looking for the King is also clever. The “King” can refer to King Arthur, the subject of Tom’s thesis; or to King Athelstan, who keeps appearing in Laura’s dreams; or even to the heavenly King whom Tom finally submits to and prays to. This kind of wordplay and rich semantic reference runs throughout the novel.
The only part I felt wasn’t written as well was Tom’s transformation — from someone indifferent to religion to quickly returning to prayer after conversations with the Inklings members and walks with Lewis. Presumably the author is a Christian, so it’s natural to praise Laura’s piety and the Inklings’ erudition. But if the aim is really to make this storyline meaningful for nonbelievers, perhaps the author should try walking in their shoes when approaching these issues. Also, the didactic tone sometimes feels a little too “Lewis‑like” (laughs).
The title Looking for the King is also clever. The “King” can refer to King Arthur, the subject of Tom’s thesis; or to King Athelstan, who keeps appearing in Laura’s dreams; or even to the heavenly King whom Tom finally submits to and prays to. This kind of wordplay and rich semantic reference runs throughout the novel.
The only part I felt wasn’t written as well was Tom’s transformation — from someone indifferent to religion to quickly returning to prayer after conversations with the Inklings members and walks with Lewis. Presumably the author is a Christian, so it’s natural to praise Laura’s piety and the Inklings’ erudition. But if the aim is really to make this storyline meaningful for nonbelievers, perhaps the author should try walking in their shoes when approaching these issues. Also, the didactic tone sometimes feels a little too “Lewis‑like” (laughs).
September 12, 2021
There’s so much I loved about this book…
- Lewis, Tolkien, and the other Inklings. I loved the author’s imaginings of how they would be, talk, and interact in real life.
- All the Arthurian legends and references. It really brought back memories of my own college studies, books read, and travels throughout England.
- All the references to places in England I’ve been before, especially Oxford and Glastonbury.
… and so much I struggled with.
- The commas outside quotation marks when they should have been inside. Every. Single. Time.
- Tom as a character. Talking over Laura and sometimes in direct opposition to her wishes.
- Plot points and nuances others have already mentioned (and more effectively than I would have done).
So, 5 stars for general Inklings geekery; 3 stars for grammar, plot, and characterization.
- Lewis, Tolkien, and the other Inklings. I loved the author’s imaginings of how they would be, talk, and interact in real life.
- All the Arthurian legends and references. It really brought back memories of my own college studies, books read, and travels throughout England.
- All the references to places in England I’ve been before, especially Oxford and Glastonbury.
… and so much I struggled with.
- The commas outside quotation marks when they should have been inside. Every. Single. Time.
- Tom as a character. Talking over Laura and sometimes in direct opposition to her wishes.
- Plot points and nuances others have already mentioned (and more effectively than I would have done).
So, 5 stars for general Inklings geekery; 3 stars for grammar, plot, and characterization.
October 28, 2018
A truly wonderful read. I read it over two days and I had other priorities at the time. It was like being under a spell. Very well written. Love the idea. It did remind me of Charles Williams. And I suppose it satisfied every fan's desire to overhear an Inklings gathering. I would've pushed a mop or slung some cider to eavesdrop on those meetings but David Downing brings the Bird and the Baby right into the living room. I had read his Most Reluctant Convert previously so when I picked this up I didn't have high expectations because most Academics don't do fiction and non-fiction well. With Looking for the King, Downing, now the Co-Director of The Wade Center with his wife Crystal, proves he's up to the task. Look forward to reading more of this author.
July 25, 2017
Delightful stumble-upon in my local library, and so glad I happened upon it! This historical fiction mystery masterfully interweaves the quest of a young American during World War Two to discover the real King Arthur with the personalities of C S Lewis, J R R R Tolkien, and Charles Williams. Zippy dialogue and artful suspense lead to the greater questions of faith, science, and philosophy.
I was intrigued by and would have liked to hear more about the musings on the chalice/grail and the understanding of it not so much as a physical relic to be idolized, but as a spiritual means to access the King and His kingdom.
I was intrigued by and would have liked to hear more about the musings on the chalice/grail and the understanding of it not so much as a physical relic to be idolized, but as a spiritual means to access the King and His kingdom.
December 22, 2019
Very simple book but I loved the conversations with all the inklings at the eagle & child. The perspective of someone who had just been invited in and was getting to know everyone was really fun as I could easily put myself there. I felt like I got to know those individual authors better and could understand their works more through the research this author put in to writing those conversations. I loved the amount of quoting each of them did about their favorite authors. Again, it was very obvious the author (downing) put in a lot of time researching for this book, which I really appreciate!
April 3, 2022
"What if? The great Perhaps. What if his life, all human life, were not just a Darwinian accident in a vast, empty universe? What if the cosmos, with all its jeweled stars and tasseled galaxies, were only the hem of a garment, the robe of infinite majesty? 'The heavens declare the glory.' Then came a more troubling question: What if his soul were not his own? What is he were under orders? What if the great quest, the abiding question, were not how to find renown but rather how to find - and do, the will of Another?"
June 25, 2025
This was a slow start but ended up being an intriguing story with lots of fascinating historical details. I love the insight into the lives of the "Inklings." I am sorry to read that there are no more episodes in this series as I'd love to know what happens to Laura and Tom as the US joins World War II and Lewis embarks on his Chronicles of Narnia.
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My rating system:
5 stars- All time literary classic
4 stars- Really enjoyed it
3 stars- Good book
2 stars- It was okay, just not for me.
1 star- I was forced to read it but otherwise would not have.
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My rating system:
5 stars- All time literary classic
4 stars- Really enjoyed it
3 stars- Good book
2 stars- It was okay, just not for me.
1 star- I was forced to read it but otherwise would not have.
January 7, 2020
This book had so many elements that attracted me - the period, the Inklings, the quest for Arthurian artifacts, a potential love story, the setting. But it really didn't grab me (sorry Dr. Downing!), and I felt removed from it emotionally, as well as sometimes annoyed by the main characters (unlike my recent reading of "Becoming Mrs. Lewis" by Patti Callahan, which I found totally appealing and mesmerizing). Too bad.
August 10, 2017
I listened to the audiobook available on FORMED. 3.5 stars rounded up because I expect I would have enjoyed it more if I'd read the book. I'm interested in referring to the source material that was not available in the audio version.
January 8, 2019
A fine, well written and graceful book that combines a smattering of Arthurian legend, appreciation of the English countryside and a few wonderful recreations of the mirth and friendship of the famous Inklings. I recommend this lovely novel highly. I hope there are more “Inklings Novels” to come.
September 7, 2021
I am in a quandary to rate books I read in August, a month in which I retired, got very sick, and from which I am still recovering. All that to say, I liked this book, I did. But I was not bowled over. It was a pleasant companion while I was on the couch.
November 19, 2017
Not what I expected. Short on adventure...lots of talk. I did enjoy the talks with Tolkien and company.
June 10, 2018
This is light reading but very pleasurable. People like CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien are woven in the story and in a very realistic way. Downing clearly knows the world in which he writes.
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