[dragonwriter]

> But the reason I specifically mentioned him is because he has many overtly Christian themes he actively portrays in his novels but I never feel like he is banging me over the head with obvious allegories.

Even outside of _Narnia_, Lewis is known for rather heavy-handed and direct allegory. I mean, I guess it might seem to not be hitting you over the head if you compare it to something that goes beyond allegory to direct interpretation, like the _Left Behind_ series, but...

> Tolkien may be a better example. You can easily read Lord of the Rings without picking up any Christian symbolism.

That's because, while there is considerable inspiration from Christian morality and mythology in LotR, Tolkien was actively opposed to allegory and thus did not write it or use the kind of direct symbolism associated with it.