Bear with me: A recommendation for the 'Saint of Steel' series

A recent online discussion centers on what a woman would rather encounter in the woods: a man or a bear. It has been rather revealing. If you're a man who is confused by or angry enough to wish harm on the many women who are choosing the bear, you're part of the reason why they feel safer with the bear.

But that's a topic for another conversation. All this talk of bears reminds me: if you enjoy fantasy literature, I recommend The Saint of Steel series by T. Kingfisher.

In a world where there are many gods and goddesses, the first book begins with the death of the Saint of Steel, the first time a god has ever died. The effect on the Saint's followers is catastrophic: some become catatonic, never waking up, but the rest become homicidal, attempting to kill everyone and everything they encounter and usually destroying themselves in the process.

The story proper begins three years later. Of the Saint of Steel's followers, only seven paladins remain alive. They were taken in by the Temple of the White Rat, the god of the downtrodden, whose followers help those in need of help.

The paladins, in gratitude to the Rat, help out how they can, but they are all but overwhelmed by guilt and despair. They are berserker soldiers, brutally efficient killers when Battle Tide takes them over, but without the Saint to guide them and to stay their hand from harming the innocent, the paladins do everything they can to avoid being overcome by what they now call the "Black Tide."

The Paladins - five men and two women - are fundamentally broken people, afraid they might one day lose control again. They believe they are incapable of being loved.

There are four books in the series: Paladin's Grace, Paladin's Strength, Paladin's Hope, and Paladin's Faith. I've read all but the last, but I have requested it from the library. The books contain elements of fantasy, adventure, action, mystery, political intrigue, spies, horror, and especially romance. There are also elements of social satire, particularly with how the non-human characters, such as the badger-like gnolls, are treated in this society.

The series is intended for adults; there is some violence and a few steamy parts. I've also picked up a new expletive thanks to these books: "Saint's balls!" 

Bears are important in the second book, Paladin's Strength. There is an order of nuns who follow Saint Ursa, and that's all I'm going to say.

I can't wait to read Paladin's Faith. It's my understanding Kingfisher has written other books in this universe, ones that aren't centered on the paladins, and I plan to seek those titles out.