Numerous recent reports have noted the rise in Christian fiction, often with a certain tone of alarm. “But there’s no mystery to the popularity of Christian fiction,” writes Alex Good in a commentary (second item) at GoodReports. “People want to believe that religion is still a vital force in modern life, that it still means something. Take a look at two of the most wildly successful novels ever published in America: The Exorcist and The Da Vinci Code. I don’t think either of these books would be categorized as ‘Christian fiction’ (in fact they were both criticized by the Catholic Church) but the same buttons are being pushed. They’re the same buttons Alice Sebold pushed in The Lovely Bones, and that Stephen King has been pressing for years. Let’s face it, the whole Left Behind series is just a clumsy rip off of The Stand. The only thing different is the marketing.”