Golems

TheIT · Dec 14, 2006

I'm looking for information about golems - statues of clay which are brought to life through magic. Does anyone know of any fantasy or SF stories which feature golems? My own fantasy WIP is going to feature something similar, and I was wondering how else golems have been used.

Mac H. · Dec 14, 2006

From my memory, in recent years there have been 4 or 5 stories in Analog / Asimov which have featured Golems.

There is also "Soho Golem" (Written by Kim Newman) which was nominated for an award in 2005.

Mac

waylander · Dec 14, 2006

There's a great golem story in issue 9 of Black Gate

Nakhlasmoke · Dec 14, 2006

Feet Of Clay - Terry Pratchett (although that's probably not what you're looking for)

jst5150 · Dec 14, 2006

Jewish folklore. Wikipedia's got some background. Also a lot of material in Dungeons and Dragons books.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem

J. Weiland · Dec 14, 2006

He, She and It by Marge Piercy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He,_She_And_It

AnnieColleen · Dec 14, 2006

The Xanth series has a golem character who later becomes real. May not be what you're looking for, though, since Xanth puts its own spin on just about everything.

THenry · Dec 14, 2006

China Mieville's Iron Council.

rugcat · Dec 14, 2006

The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2)

A YA fantasy by Jonathan Stroud, and a great read, by the way.

TheIT · Dec 14, 2006

Thanks, everyone. Time for me to go to the library.

The MC in my fantasy WIP is a sculptor who works with magical clay. One of the advanced things I'd like to have her do is make animal sculptures which can move, for example bird statues which can fly messages from one place to another. I'm trying to figure out the limitations of what she'll be able to make regarding range of movement and how much intelligence the statues will have.

Pthom · Dec 14, 2006

Wait, wait. There's another: Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town, by Cory Doctorow. Not so much a description of Golems as that they figure prominently in one or two scenes.

TheIT · Dec 14, 2006

No worries, Pthom, I go to the library often. Thanks for the additional reference.

badducky · Dec 14, 2006

Michael Chabon's The Adventures of Kavalier and Klay... but this may be a little off center to your needs.

blacbird · Dec 16, 2006

The ultimate Golem in literature is The Golem, by Gustav Meyrink, English translation first published in 1928. Dover Books publishes an edition.

caw

kct webber · Dec 23, 2006

There was an odd episode of X Files (as if they're not all odd) about a Golem. Probably not useful, but interesting, none the less.

PeeDee · Dec 23, 2006

You want some interesting stuff to read about Golems, go read up on the actual mythology and history behind them in the real world. It's absolutely fascinating stuff.

Golems

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

Mac H.

Board Visitor

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

Nakhlasmoke

yes

jst5150

Vorpal Comics. Weekly Podcast. Twitch Artist. Vet

J. Weiland

Lurker

AnnieColleen

Invisible Writer

THenry

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

Pthom

Word butcher

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

badducky

No Time For Chitchat, Kemosabe.

blacbird

kct webber

Squirrel, Sekrit type, 1 ea.

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?