Fiction and Silence

I just read a great post on Building Church Leaders' blog about the importance of church leaders reading fiction, and not just the the regular ministry and leadership training fare we might otherwise read.

One of the books the post recommends is Silence by Shusaku Endo, a Japanese Catholic author. In face, I just finished that book last week. It was absolutely gripping. I couldn't put it down (which is a rare reaction for me to have to novels... and a historical novel, no less).

Endo follows a Catholic Portuguese priest in 17th Century Japan as he seeks out his former mentor who, it is reported, has renounced his faith. The book is a very personal treatment of the question of God's silence, suffering, and the evil of humanity.

It's a must-read, especially for Christians who are afraid they may be too comfortable.

Any fiction you've read recently and been impressed with or affected by?