Book Review: The Gospel According to LOST by Chris Seay

June 14, 2010 Posted by Roger Overton

From the very first episode LOST was a complex show. Amongst its many layers of story telling were themes related to religion such as faith, destiny, spirituality and sin. One of the great things about the show is that it did not shy away from these topics, but voiced opposing viewpoints directly through skillfully written dialogue. LOST provided ample material to speculate about these themes and The Gospel According to LOST by Chris Seay begins to do just that.

The simplest way to summarize the book is that it explores the spiritual themes of LOST. It does so in the same way LOST does: through it’s characters. Twelve of its seventeen chapters are character specific. The other five chapters provide background and set-up the topics that follow them. Most of the material simply explores critical plot points throughout the characters’ lives. However, there are some more interesting points of exegesis. For example, the chapter on Eko looks at the various Bible verses inscribed on Eko’s stick and considers what they might mean for the plot of the show.

I have two criticisms of the book. The first is that it was published before the final season aired. Probably the best explanation for this is that the book is far more likely to be successful while the show is running than after it ends. But the premature timetable necessarily limits how far the author can go in his reflections. The other problem I have is with the title, The Gospel According to LOST. LOST’s “gospel” was never really elucidated, and my guess is that the title turns away readers who would otherwise find the book insightful. It sounds like one of the hokey religious books that reads religion into everything. Seay does a good job of avoiding that sort of hazard.

The Gospel According to LOST is a worthwhile read for any fan. If you care about the characters and the nuances of LOST’s narrative, this book will definitely interest you. Chris Seay is a pastor, and he doesn’t shy away from being pastoral, but he also doesn’t try to shove anything down anyone’s throats. This book is a great way to delve a little deeper into the many complexities that constitute LOST.