Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Psalms of Herod | 1991 | Esther M. Friesner | Buy |
| 2 | The Sword of Mary | 1991 | Esther M. Friesner | Buy |
The Psalms of Herod by Esther M. Friesner is a two-book science fiction duology published in 1991. The series is set in a dystopian future where a plague has made men sterile, and the resulting social collapse has reshaped civilization along religious and authoritarian lines.
The Psalms of Herod introduces the world and its power structures, while The Sword of Mary continues the story with characters fighting against the new order. The series is darker and more serious than the humorous fantasy Friesner is best known for, showing a different side of her range as a writer.
Readers familiar with dystopian fiction by authors like Margaret Atwood or Sheri S. Tepper will find thematic connections here. The Psalms of Herod explores how crisis reshapes power, gender, and belief in ways that remain relevant.