There are lots of Christian fantasy stories, and there are lots of Christian science fiction stories. It turns out there are _Jewish Science Fantasy_ novels, too.
Scott Alexander’s Unsong is a deep dive into a world turned on its head. Jewish Kabbalah and its esoteric teachings are not just real, but copyrighted and commoditized. The adventures that arise are ultimately set pieces on a stage that answers the ultimate question: Why does God allow suffering? Or rather,
“Hey God, what the fuck?
This is not within the scope of Tolkein or Lewis. Explicit Christian authors rarely attempt to do more than inspire their readers with stories of hope, faith and love. Implicit Christians- Orson Scott Card, Madeleine L'Engle, etc- repackage Christ myths into dualistic worlds about temptation and personal sacrifice. Secular science fantasy/fiction writers deal with human issues of relationships, identity, and sex.
Saying “Hey God, what the fuck?”, in the Jewish tradition, is normal.
Jacob fought an angel thereby becoming Israel, and Elie Wiesel wrote the Trial of God. Scott continues this tradition, and launches his line of inquiry with Peter Singer, Derik Parfit, and lots of puns. Lots and lots of puns. Puns in this universe are literally weapons capable of destroying entire cities.
This is Bay-area, Bayesian bait. Sometimes the plotting is off, and sometimes the characters do stupid things, but the world building, humor, and the characters make the book an addictive read. I’m unsure if Scott’s answer to the question of theodicy is satisfying. I’m still mulling it over, crunching it in my brain. That, at least for now, is a good sign.
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