Mindfire
Istar
I've noticed that fantasy worlds tend to either be polytheistic or make no mention of gods or religion at all.
While this is reflective of the pre-Christian world that most fantasy has been modeled on since Tolkien*, is there really any reason not to have a monotheistic world?
I ask because I have a monotheistic fantasy world with four major nations: one of them is largely atheistic, another is polytheistic but their gods aren't "real", and the latter two worship the true deity, who has revealed himself to them under different names. This setup is very different from the approach to gods/religion I've seen in the books I've read.
Is there some kind of taboo against monotheism in fantasy? Would it be considered (too) political to have a One God in my books? What do you guys think?
*Tolkien's Legendarium actually does have a One God, Eru Illuvatar, but it also has lesser gods/demiurges, the Valar and Maiar, making it technically polytheistic. His friend C.S. Lewis's books are unabashedly monotheistic, but they're also widely regarded as "exclusively" Christian. While I am a Christian and my beliefs influence my writings, I don't want my books to be seen as propaganda. :/
While this is reflective of the pre-Christian world that most fantasy has been modeled on since Tolkien*, is there really any reason not to have a monotheistic world?
I ask because I have a monotheistic fantasy world with four major nations: one of them is largely atheistic, another is polytheistic but their gods aren't "real", and the latter two worship the true deity, who has revealed himself to them under different names. This setup is very different from the approach to gods/religion I've seen in the books I've read.
Is there some kind of taboo against monotheism in fantasy? Would it be considered (too) political to have a One God in my books? What do you guys think?
*Tolkien's Legendarium actually does have a One God, Eru Illuvatar, but it also has lesser gods/demiurges, the Valar and Maiar, making it technically polytheistic. His friend C.S. Lewis's books are unabashedly monotheistic, but they're also widely regarded as "exclusively" Christian. While I am a Christian and my beliefs influence my writings, I don't want my books to be seen as propaganda. :/