posted 16 May 2001
Oh, God/Goddess! Religion in Speculative Fiction by Women, A Reading List
by Elizabeth Barrette
www.worthlink.net/~ysabet/index.html
Elizabeth Barrette has studied ancient religions, mythology, and assorted sciences for many years. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a Rhetoric major and a Women's Studies minor. She writes articles, essays, interviews, ritual and invocational material, poetry, reviews, and fiction. Her major fields include speculative fiction, New Age/Pagan, and alternative sexualities/erotica/gender studies. She writes Book Reviews from Hypatia's Hoard for the Webzine Spicy Green Iguana. She enjoys public speaking and often participates in panels at SF/Fantasy conventions, on topics ranging from alternative religions & lifestyles to xenolinguistics (the study and/or creation of alien and/or invented languages). Favorite pastimes include white-water rafting on the stream of consciousness and suspension-of-disbelief bungee-jumping.
Archangel by Sharon Shinn. Ace, 1996.
Science fantasy. Welcome to Samaria, where colonists worship the starship Jehovah as the god Jovah, except for the quirky and irrepressible Edori, who still remember the transcendent Jovah. Jovah has angels to watch over his flocks: magnificent winged humanoids who take care of the more fragile humans. And the next Archangel needs an angelica, a human bride, who is nowhere to be found.
Beyond the Gates by Catherine Wells. Roc, 1999.
Science fiction. When science and religion clash, look out! This book features one of the most intriguing descriptions of a fundamentalist yet sensible religion that I've ever seen, and the characters who follow it are delightful — especially the spunky hera who manages to balance science and religion just fine, thankyouverymuch.
Brain Plague by Joan Slonsczewski. Tor, 2000.
Science fiction. How would you like to play host to swarms of microscopic persons who consider you a deity, who pray to you and who can share their gifts of inspiration with you, thus making you a much better artist? This book takes a deeply insightful look at what it means to be a human, a person, and a god/dess.
Blue Moon by Laurell K. Hamilton. Ace, 1998.
Horror with a strong thread of mystery. While most of the Anita Blake novels have some religious interest, this one is the most notable as it concerns key questions of what is good, what is evil, whether a necromancer (which Anita Blake is) can have a soul and get into Heaven, and how you get rid of a powerful, evil demon summoned by a complete madman.
Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson. Warner Aspect, 1998.
Urban fantasy. The story centers around a brilliant portrayal of Afro-Caribbean spirituality, in which gods themselves take the stage in the final act.
Channel's Destiny by Jean Lorrah and Jacqueline Lichtenberg. DAW, 1982.
Science fiction. In the Sime/Gen series, humanity has mutated into energy consumers and energy producers. This particular book contains a significant plot thread about whether or not Simes are automatically damned, and sundry other sticky religious ramifications.
Deryni Rising by Katherine Kurtz. Del Rey, 1970.
Fantasy. This introduction to the magically gifted Deryni also sets the running theme of the Christian Church hating and persecuting them, sometimes with reason.
The Last of the Renshai by Mickey Zucker Reichert. DAW, 1992.
Fantasy. The first in a fascinating trilogy, this book concerns the Renshai people, whom everyone hates because they dismember their slain enemies, which everyone thinks will prevent those souls from reaching Valhalla, although this turns out to be untrue. Genocide based on a point of inaccurate theology, wow. Much entertainment also ensues over the battle between Law and Chaos, and the wrangling of the gods and goddesses.
The Oathbound: Vows and Honor by Mercedes Lackey. DAW, 1988.
Fantasy. Tarma and Kethry serve the same Goddess in different ways: Tarma as a Swordsworn warrior-priestess, and Kethry as a mage. Together they work to right the wrongs of the world and restore Tarma's murdered clan, Talesedrin, to the Plains. The Goddess comes across as tough yet loving, and just wait until you see what the Law of Returns does to the demon Thalhkarsh.
Sheepfarmer's Daughter by Elizabeth Moon. Baen, 1988.
Fantasy. Here is the first of three books telling thestory of how Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter came to be a paladin of St. Gird. The spirituality presented herein is eclectic yet with a distinctly natural feel, and the subtle magic that burbles up for the informally chosen Paks has a charm that all the whiz-bang spells in the world can't match.
The Silver Branch by Patricia Kennealy. Signet, 1988.
Science fantasy. The first of the Keltiad novels, this one introduces the Kelts and their fascinating Queen Aeron. Among other things, she is a very gifted priestess of the Goddess, and her Litany in chapter 14 stands out in my memory as one of the most lyrical invocations I've ever seen.
So You Want to Be a Wizard by Diane Duane. Bantam, 1983.
Urban fantasy. The Universe was created by a number of Powers, and the Lone Power created death and wreaked much havoc. So the Powers created wizards and gave them magic to combat entropy. This is an unusually reverent treatment of magic, wielded not for personal glory but in Life's name and for Life's sake.
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. Ballantine, 1996.
Science fiction. Suppose you visited another world for the greater glory of God, and in the process got all of your closest friends killed, nearly destroyed the world in question, and ruined your own life. As the Jesuit main character of this book explains, he does not become an atheist because if he chooses to believe that God is vicious, then at least he has the solace of hating God.
Strands of Sunlight by Gael Baudino. Roc, 1994.
Fantasy. Although not the first in the series about ancient elves and their star-goddess Elthia, this one has some of the strongest religious imagery because here the elves have lost their goddess and are trying desperately to get her back.
Sympathy for the Devil by Holly Lisle. Baen, 1996.
Urban fantasy. You pick a bone with God, arguing that Hell is unfair. God answers your prayer by releasing thousands of Hell's denizens into your home state, where they promptly tell all your neighbors who made this possible. It gets more exciting from there, and the portrayal of God is brilliant and ultimately satisfying.
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