I'm definitely a fan of the Valar. Partial to the Dragonlance pantheon, too.
lord-of-shadow Send a noteboard - 19/04/2010 08:05:02 AM
I almost listed Jacquelin Carey's Shapers from the Sundering, then remembered that they were the Valar under a different name. My mistake.
The common thread in the two I mentioned, and most of the others that enjoy, is a sense of personality and involvement. I like my gods with a touch of humanity, ambitions, goals, and active involvement. Dragonlance isn't exactly high or quality literature by most measures, but I definitely enjoy the relationship between it's gods and it's stories. The exact same thing could be said for the Forgotten Realms pantheon.
Of course, this type of pantheon, and personality-driven gods, obviously has it's roots in the Greek gods, and the greek myths are some pretty iconic storytelling.
Which is not to say that a more abstract or absent god doesn't also make for great storytelling - but it's not storytelling that's going to make me interested in the deity, because the very nature of that sort of deity places the emphasis on the characters, who are actually present and involved in the story.
The common thread in the two I mentioned, and most of the others that enjoy, is a sense of personality and involvement. I like my gods with a touch of humanity, ambitions, goals, and active involvement. Dragonlance isn't exactly high or quality literature by most measures, but I definitely enjoy the relationship between it's gods and it's stories. The exact same thing could be said for the Forgotten Realms pantheon.
Of course, this type of pantheon, and personality-driven gods, obviously has it's roots in the Greek gods, and the greek myths are some pretty iconic storytelling.
Which is not to say that a more abstract or absent god doesn't also make for great storytelling - but it's not storytelling that's going to make me interested in the deity, because the very nature of that sort of deity places the emphasis on the characters, who are actually present and involved in the story.
Favourite deities in fiction
19/04/2010 06:51:19 AM
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I'm definitely a fan of the Valar. Partial to the Dragonlance pantheon, too.
19/04/2010 08:05:02 AM
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Aphrael.
19/04/2010 11:55:29 AM
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I'm afraid I have to take issue with you grouping the Endless among the gods.
19/04/2010 08:20:55 PM
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I actually really liked the deities/religion in Lackey's Valdemar books
19/04/2010 04:41:05 PM
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Shadowthrone, of Malazan Book of the Fallen. *NM*
19/04/2010 05:40:00 PM
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this. Also Mael in Malazan Book of the Fallen. Cotillion as well. *NM*
25/04/2010 01:40:34 AM
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who were the gods in the Belgariad?
19/04/2010 06:52:22 PM
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Aldur, Belar, Torak, Mara, Chaldan, Issa, Nedra and UL.
19/04/2010 06:58:54 PM
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I remember Aldur
19/04/2010 08:37:55 PM
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Yeah, I've reread them a few times, that helps.
19/04/2010 08:42:53 PM
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Well I was reading them as they came out so Belgarid then Malloreon then Elenium
19/04/2010 11:27:03 PM
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Dream/Morpheus
20/04/2010 09:50:45 PM
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Om as a tortoise and Bilious the Oh God of Hangovers in Pratchett; Mr Wednesday from American Gods. *NM*
21/04/2010 10:19:55 AM
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The Other Gods (or the Outer Gods) like Azathoth and Yog-Sothoth from the Lovecraftian Mythos
21/04/2010 06:23:24 PM
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