Best Fictional Deities

[Riothamus]

I don't intend to make this into an argument about real world religion, but I was wondering who people would say is the best fictional deity on a philosophical level. Which one's nature in your eyes is the best philosophically. I haven't decided entirely yet myself but I'll say Crom from the Conan stories.

This has nothing to do with any kind of might makes right type stuff but rather because of what he values. He values people getting things done. He tells you to fix your damn problems.If it was a problem you created you have to fix it. You shouldn't rely solely on his intervention when you are perfectly capable of fixing many situations yourself.Furthermore, he values inner strength before physical might.He values courage and valor before any mortal muscle.

[Lucas Thorn]

i loved the gods of chaos and order in moorcock's worlds. in one world, a god can be a good guy and in another evil. powerful in one, powerless in another.

it felt like modern politics. where one day you're all shiny and squeaky clean and the next day you're hitler's best bro.

no wonder moorcock's heroes were always so confused.

[algernoninc]

"His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god. He preferred to drop the Maha- and the -atman, however, and called himself Sam. He never claimed to be a god, but then he never claimed not to be a god."
Roger Zelazny - Lord of Light

The gods who walked among men in Jacqueline Carey Kushiel series are my second pick, and the oness from the Discworld - especially in the book Small Gods.

[Raven of SD]

I'd say Mael from Malazan.

[azninvasion99]

I felt that Ruin and Preservation in the Mistborn trilogy were great deities.

[PeteMC]

I always liked Tanith Lee's immortals from her Flat Earth series - Death, Night, Delirium et al.

[GarethKPengelly]

The Four Gods of Chaos from the Warhammer universe.

Khorne, Tzeentch, Nurgle and Slaanesh.

Each has a distinct theme that is evident in their followers.

Khorne is the God of War and Blood, sitting upon a brass throne atop a moutain of skulls. His warriors are gibbering, bloodthirsty maniacs.

Tzeentch is the God of Sorcery, Architect of Fate, whose minions manipulate the destiny of mankind as it suits them.

Nurgle is the Father of Pestilence and Plague, beloved by his children, who long only to spread the joy of his myriad diseases to all and sundry.

And finally, Slaanesh, Prince of Pleasure, whose followers lose themselves in the excesses of pain, pleasure and depravity.

Brilliant, brilliant Gods.

[CodanOfCanada]

If I may be permitted to stray from the norm, I would say Neil Gaiman's Endless from his Sandman comic series are some of the most interesting gods.

[Andols]

Mael was one of the better comedic dieties ive ever come across. Erikson has quite a few really.

if we're including demi-god level also, i think the andat from the long price books were all great. Especially Seedless.

[rawan33]

If I may be permitted to stray from the norm, I would say Neil Gaiman's Endless from his Sandman comic series are some of price the most interesting gods

Yeah, I totally agree with you. Neil Gaiman is very interesting character.

[kged]

[Censored for damnable heresy]

Disgraceful comments! His Sacred Majesty's most holy Inquisition have traced your IP address and will be with you as soon as possible. If there is anything you still wish to achieve or experience in this life, I advise you to do so soon.

For me the most interesting religious fiction (manfully avoiding temptation here) is the clash of the Inrithi and the Fanim in the Prince of Nothing. It has a sadly real smack of realism to it, from the theologies to the practices and even down to the viciousness of the sectarian hatred. And on the other side, so to speak, the No-God is genuinely horrific.

I do love the idea of the Nameless Gods in ASoIaF, there is something magnificently bleak about a theology in which the Gods are so distant, so merciless, so unknown and unknowable that their adherents don't even have their names. That is a superb bit of writing - it tells us so much about the North and its people. I could say the same for the Drowned God, come to think of it.

[Randy M.]

What, no appreciation for Azathoth? Cthulhu? Nyarlathotep?


Randy M.

[NickeeCoco]

They're from the comic world, but Death and Sandman.

[HeclaBull]

I'd say Mael from Malazan.

Yeah, he's great and one of my favorites amongst the many gods and ascendants in the Malazan world, Erikson's very good with how he handles all the mythology of his universe.

While he's not strictly a god himself, Bayaz from the First Law series definitely acts like one with the way he tries to direct and control the societies of his world and I love reading about him.

[ebusinesstutor]

The "gods" in Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny were intriguing, especially since it was technology that made them gods.

My favourite use of gods and relationships with people are in Harry Turtledove's "Fox" series.

One of my favourite short stories about gods is Domino, Dominae by Dean Ing.