Customer Reviews

The Singer Trilogy: The Mythic Retelling Of The Story Of The New Testament

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This is one of those books I read over and over again. I have read it probably 20 times since my first reading. Calvin Miller puts biblical stories into narrative poems that are so well written they force you to turn the page again and again. This book is the first in the Singer Trilogy, followed by The Song and The Finale. It is a poetic retelling of three biblical books: The Singer parallels the 4 Gospels, The Song retells the story of Acts, and The Finale is Miller's version of the book of Revelation.

Miller writes explicitly Christian fantasy in these books. He is also widely known for his non-fiction AND Christian life application books.

The Singer is a powerful retelling of the life of Christ, where instead of Jesus and The Gospel you have the Singer and his song. His song, if you are open to it, can bring healing and restoration. The World-Hater, wants to destroy both the Singer and his star song. Miller's words moved me to tears the first time I encountered them. The story is so well written, it can be read over and over without losing its freshness. The book is also excellently illustrated by Chicago artist Joe DeVelasco. The drawings done in pen and Ink style add to the power of the story by transporting you into the events.

No matter how many times over I reread this book, it is always fresh and new and draws me into the story of Christ in a different way. It is truly a classic and a treasure for any bookshelf. Each time I pick these up and reread them, I find a deepening of my relationship with Christ, and of my prayer life.

Miller also has a Symphonic Trilogy that retells different stories from the book of Genesis. The two I owned were A Requiem for Love and A Symphony in Sand. As far as I can tell, there are also 2 stand-alone books by Miller in this style that are often compared to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Lewis's Narnia. They are The Valiant Papers, an account of a guardian angel's experiences, and The Philippian Fragment, the retelling of the book of Philippians from the New Testament. I have owned most of these and lent them out to not be returned. I now have The Singer Trilogy, Valiant, and Singer Trilogy 3-in-1 hardcover. Over the next few weeks I will review those I still have, but cannot encourage you strongly enough to pick them up if you find them in a used bookstore. They are all great.

Over the next few weeks, I plan on reviewing some of the others that I still have from this author. And if I find the others again, I will review them. (It has just been too long since I lent them out and did not get them back for me to review them from memory.)

Other Miller Books:

The Singer

The Song

The Finale

The Valiant Papers

The Philippian Fragment (Currently OP)

Miller weaves an amazing story with his masterful use of blank verse. I've been taking a literature class at Potter's School (www.pottersschool.org) and we studied the Singer Trilogy. I've never worked so hard in my life, but I enjoyed it greatly as I had to study every word of this marvelous book. I've been looking for cheap copies so I can distribute them to all my friends. Everyone should read this book.

Miller's trilogy sits towards the top of the list of epic poetry. Written in a lyric style, with clarity and excitement, these lines cannot fail to move anyone. Miller has also done an excellent job of telling an allegorical tale without sounding unoriginal or uninspired. The Singer Trilogy ranks among the great achievements of twentieth-century verse.

Calvin Miller has created something beautiful here. The Singer is the story of Christ, the Song is the story of the proliferation of the Gospel in the book of Acts, and the Finale is the book of Revelations.

This book is such a welcome change to what's out there in christian fiction today. The lyrical quality of this collection is awesome. Miller has infused every word with such depth. I have read these books many times and have NEVER failed to be moved by them.

This is a classic trilogy, you would doing yourself a disservice if you did not read these stories at least once.

My dad gave me his copy of The Singer without telling me anything about it. I'd ask and ask, but he would only tell me to keep reading.
I am so glad I never stopped. I felt like the secret to everything I needed to know in life was held within each page. I found myself excited with each new plot twist even though I have grown up with the story of Jesus' life.
This trilogy is a beautiful tribute to the life of Christ, as well as the beauty and power of music.

Miller outdoes any other Christian author with these books. The language flows beautifully, keeping the pages turning. They are easy to read, but the slower one reads them, the more insight and discovery is found. Each word is full of depth and feeling. It is almost possible to hear The Song as The Singer shares it with the world. The sorrow and feeling expressed by The Singer's followers is echoed in the heart of the reader. The fantasy style in which it is written opens the imagination and lets creative thought flow. If you buy this set, make sure you have at least three hours to spare--you won't be able to put it down.

Well done Miller!

I first read "The Singer" in 1974 on a trip from New Mexico to Memphis, and was profoundly moved by its writing style and its content. Since then I have read it many more times, have purchased many of Calvin Miller's other books, and have given them as gifts to people whom I know and love. Dr. Miller is a poet, a philosopher, and a deeply committed Christian who sees Christ as the God-Man and whose concepts encompass the divinity and the humanity of the One about Whom he writes. I can recommend this book wholeheartedly.

Simply beautiful. It is rare to find such an uplifting book in these dark times. Now it is more common to find a spoof of the life of Jesus than a Christian book based upon it. A must have for a fantasy lover as well. This is a lyrical collection of prose-poems that are a fantasy-like retelling of the the gospel. The first book is about the actual life of Christ and the crucifixtion. The second book is based upon the spreading of the gospel and the trials of early Christians. The final book of the trilogy is based upon Revelations. Once again, the language is simply beautiful.

I heard Calvin Miller speak in one of the chapel services at Trinity International University a few years ago. He spoke of the importance of imagination in regard to preaching.

Miller's imagination is at its best in these three books. While "The Finale" was only slighly less satisfying than the first two, all three make up a delightful allegory. Pay particular attention to the aphorisms the precede each new chapter -- some of these are absoluetly beautiful.

I first read 'The Singer' books while in high school, years ago. I am not a religious sort, bordering more on some form of anti-religious status really, but these books left a lasting impression on me. So much so, in fact, that here I am, after all this time, not only tracking them down (I could not remember the actual titles), but recommending them heartily. A guaranteed good read!