#godserfs

[jewishcharacteroftheweek]

This week’s Jewish character of the week is: Criton

(“You still worship God,” he breathed. “I—we—we are servants of God too, but we know nothing of his worship. My mother did not teach me of our people’s God.”

“Do not worry,” Salemis told him. “God Most High is with you.)

[heckofabecca]

If you are a reader of fantasy, I highly recommend Silent Hall, the first in Dolkart’s new series. Read it because you like a comfort read. Read it because you like to read about close friends succeeding together. Read it because you appreciate the value of ethical interaction that is so lost in most of the fantasy literature coming out today. Read it for its cleverness, read it for its endearing Talmud like study of a fantastical theology. Read it because of its feminist bent or its discussion of the value of knowledge and the fear that knowledge can generate. Read it to watch characters learn to love themselves. Read it because it’s raining outside. Whatever. Read it!”

Dirty Little Bookworm

Silent Hall is on sale for $1.99 in the Kindle store!

[heckofabecca]

Jewish epic fantasy

Some choice quotes from the talk I was at earlier tonight by N.S. Dolkart about the Jewish themes and inspirations behind his fantasy series ‘Godserfs:’

“Judaism is non-dualist: there is just one big, scary god.”

“Judaism doesn’t have a dark lord. It has a god, and god is scary.”

“If the world is threatened with destruction, it’s God doing the threatening. If the world ends, it’s because God lets it happen.”

“Jews don’t fear the devil, Jews fear God.”

To summarize what he talked about: Much of epic fantasy features the following plot: unlikely band of heroes band together to defeat (through personal sacrifice) the evil presence/power that is almost strong enough to defeat Good/destroy the world. It’s this dualist notion of good vs. evil/God vs. the devil that makes so much of epic fantasy (Tolkien, Rowling, Lewis...) explicitly NOT Jewish. Dolkart’s books offer an alternative that draws heavily from early Jewish texts and belief structures without becoming inaccessible to non-Jews.

See also: “Satan is a job title.”

I recommend these books!

[heckofabecca]

The five protagonists of the Godserfs series

[heckofabecca]

read these, you won’t regret it

Hello friends, I would like to make two (2) recommendations of things you can and should read!

1. the only hope; or else despair : a series of works by @autisticzukos about autistic!Zuko and his family! It’s amazing, I love it. It starts with Ursa and it’s just... I love it??? I’m loving this a LOT.

2. Among the Fallen by N.S. Dolkart : book 2 in the Godserfs series came out last week! It’s a fantasy novel in an eastern Mediterranean setting. It continues following the main characters from book one (Silent Hall) and features such gems as:

old people with dementia! in fantasy! holy shit!

young girl hiding in a vat of blood to save herself from a burning temple

a happy, healthy lesbian relationship

religious politicking

the snarkiest priest you’ll ever encounter

a god eating another god (offstage)

a literal weeping wall

You can read Among the Fallen without having read Silent Hall, but since I love Silent Hall I recommend both XD

[geeklyinc]

Missing GoT? Try a book with D&D

Missing GoT? Try a book with D&D

In a slightly surprising turn of events, Game of Thrones took Outstanding Drama but didn’t sweep all the Emmy categories as predicted. I’m glad the lackluster final season didn’t get rewarded for being famous, but I am sad for the actors who did the best with what they were given–and for the show itself, which …

[heckofabecca]

Amazon.com: Silent Hall (Godserfs Book 1) eBook: NS Dolkart: Kindle Store

YO it’s free right now (10/10) to get Silent Hall on ebook!!! DO IT

[heckofabecca]

Protagonists of Silent Hall, an epic fantasy novel you should read! Refugees, curses, cowards, gods, and dragons, oh my