For more than half a century, the names J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were synonymous with epic fantasy. Thanks to his classics, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Tolkien both revived interest in fantasy literature and set the standard for the genre, and today he is widely acknowledged as the “father” of modern fantasy.

Fittingly, Tolkien and Lewis were good friends before the peaks of their careers, meeting together at Oxford’s University College to read and discuss the unfinished works of the members. Although they discussed readings, they were in essence literary enthusiasts who gathered to celebrate writing and literature, especially fantasy. The Inklings were both important and informal. “Properly speaking, the Inklings was neither a club nor a literary society, though it partook of the nature of both,” said Warren Lewis, a member of the group who also happened to be C.S. Lewis’ older brother. “There were no rules, officers, agendas, or formal elections.” It was a place to simply talk of new ideas and literature in an environment that embraced fantasy, and one of the new ideas was that of mythopoeia, or creating mythology to go along with fiction. It was introduced to the group by Tolkien, and many of the writers in the group, including Lewis, soon started embracing the idea.

Tolkien not only introduced Lewis to mythopoeia, but also reintroduced him to religion, and today, Lewis is best known for two seemingly different bodies of work: his beloved fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia, and his powerful Christian apologetic writings, such as Mere Christianity and The Problem of Pain. Lewis was raised in a religious household in Belfast, but he lost his faith during adolescence. However, the horrors of war influenced Lewis, who grappled with personal and philosophical notions that eventually led him back to Christianity.