Title Problem

I am writing a more mainstream type of sci-fi and the tile I would like to use is "The Sons of God." This is a Bible reference, but I worry that people may think it is a religious book, not sci-fi, in turn not buying it.:smack
What do you guy's think? Do you think this title could work for sci-fi?

I think the Bible can be a wonderful source for things like this. While I don't really recall the reference, I think it could work. More than likely, the book would be sitting on the sci-fi shelf anyway, and I think there are a lot of people interested in the technology/God angle, so it should be all right.

(And they say editors almost always change the title anyway. But I hope for your sake they don't if that's what you really want.)

More important than the wording of your title, is the theme of your story. Is it religious? Is it blasphemous? Who makes that determination? Write the story, make it very good ... regardless of the title, it will sell.

The Sons of God are in several places in the Bible:
Genesis 6
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days-and also afterward-when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

Job 1:6
One day the angels [ 1:6 Hebrew the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD , and Satan also came with them.
(Whole Chapter: Job 1 In context: Job 1:5-7)

There's quite a tradition of religious-sounding titles in SF, and I can't see any reason why this would be misunderstood.

Rearranging the words a smidge could make it sound more SF-ish, but might cost the biblical allusion: Sons Of The God.

The folks in the marketing department at my publisher didn't like the title of my latest book (The Burning Land), so my editor asked me to come up with some alternatives. They liked these even less, and I wound up with my original title by default...but my editor told me that our number 2 choice, The Dreaming God, was rejected specifically because of the religious reference. Obviously this will vary from publisher to publisher and book to book (Eos also went to quite a bit of trouble in the flap copy to avoid revealing the fact that the hero is a priest), but a Biblical sounding reference may not go over well.

Of course, if the book is bought you often won't wind up with the title you choose anyway, so the point may be moot. It might not be a bad idea, though, to stay away from anything with Christian connotations (unless of course you're writing for the Christian market).

- Victoria

I think it depends on the publisher. Calculating God comes to mind as a novel that mentions God specifically in the title.

Victoria, if the folks at Eos went to such lengths to avoid revealing that your hero is a priest, I'd say that one of them has a religious hang-up. While priests as protagonists aren't common in modern literature, they're not entirely unheard of. In fantasy, they're almost stock characters.

And thanks for the tip: now I know that if I really like my title, the way to keep it is to suggest worse ones to the publisher. :grin

(BTW, the working title for my novel is A Time to Seek, with the sequels to be called A Time for War and A Time to Heal. Now I wonder where those came from?

Say, Ruth, how IS that novel coming along? :b

Um, um...

Would you believe seven dwarves got into an argument with a raccoon in a chicken coop and tore the ms up and Ally used it to line her budgie's cage?

No?

Oh...

:gone

Budgie? :huh

<sigh>

Parakeet, if you will... :b

I seem to remember The Dreaming God as the title of a Moorcock novel. But maybe I'm thinking of something else. :huh

religion

I wouldn;t go along for a second with avoinding anyting with christian connotations in scoence fiction or fantasy. The genres are rife with such books, and they're often highly successful. Priests and religion are a mainstay in fantasy and science fiction. Including some very recent Hugo winners. Religion and science fiction go hand in hand very well.

Write the story you need to write, and tell the truth.

Re: religion

The title you pick will probably not be the title the publisher wants regardless.

Titles from the Bible may not be in this year: Your book won't be coming out this year either. If a publisher bought your book today the chances are it would be a year before it was on the shelves. By that time Bibical titles may be the rage.

Don't worry about the side issues: Write the best possible story you can.

>> Victoria, if the folks at Eos went to such lengths to avoid revealing that your hero is a priest, I'd say that one of them has a religious hang-up. While priests as protagonists aren't common in modern literature, they're not entirely unheard of. In fantasy, they're almost stock characters.<<

Yes--the Evil Priest. The Wise Priest. The Mighty Magic Priest. The Plot Device Priest. The Pick-Your-Stereotype Priest. I was interested in something a bit more Graham Greene-like, and I think that what happened was that the marketing folks felt it wasn't commercial enough. At any rate, they chose to market the book as adventure/romantic fantasy, which doesn't really fit all that well with a fairly serious approach to questions of belief. So I think they felt it best just to avoid the whole religion thing.

- Victoria

Do you know "The Sparrow" by May Doria Russell? A SF novel about the Jesuits sending a mission to an inhabited planet. Interesting.

I was interested in something a bit more Graham Greene-like, and I think that what happened was that the marketing folks felt it wasn't commercial enough. At any rate, they chose to market the book as adventure/romantic fantasy, which doesn't really fit all that well with a fairly serious approach to questions of belief

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That really sounds like something I'd like to read. Is it on store shelves yet, Victoria?

Yesh, I read The Burning Land when it came out earlier this year. It's a good book. Highly recommended.

Ruth, that excuse has been used (by me). You can use an excuse only once.

Any religious references (God, in particular) are going to raise some eyebrows. It depends on your Publisher (they usually pick or make up a title anyway) or more importantly, your readers.

You can think of some alternatives that has less religious (or at least, Christianity) undertone. Sons of Diety? The Divine Sons?

Ruth, that excuse has been used (by me). You can use an excuse only once.

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No problem, Ray. You used it once, and I used it once... :grin

My bursary should be in today or tomorrow. Bookstore, here I come! :jump

Oh, and I like "The Divine Sons."

Thanks everyone for your opinions!
:grin :hug

Yesh, I read The Burning Land when it came out earlier this year.

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<sigh>

Books must come out earlier in the US than they do in Canada. Went to Indigo yesterday, and checked with their online computer order desk for Victoria's book. It gave a release date of November 2004 (which, if we use the same calendar as you Americans, hasn't happened yet). Pre-order your copy today!

Couldn't though, 'cause I'm still waiting for my bursary.

<theatrical sigh>

Yesh, it came out in hardcover last January--it's the paperback reissue that's out in December. The hardcover is still in print, though probably not for much longer, given Eos's habit of taking the HC out of print soon after they issue the paperback.

Thanks for being interested (and H, thanks for the plug).

- Victoria

Well, it's on my radar now, Victoria. I'll get it when the paperback comes out. I did look for the hardcover in the store, but they must be all sold out. :clap