Anne Rice dedicated Servant of the Bones to God. Her books deal increasingly with issues of religion and faith; this novel tackles directly the question of the existence of God, the existence of gods, and the possibility of life after death.

Set in much the same venue as Interview with the Vampire (1976; see separate entry), the work opens as Jonathan, a college professor with Jewish lineage, is saved by a supernatural being named Azriel, who afterwards tells him his story, which is recorded on tape for the benefit of the audience. Azriel was born a Hebrew in Babylon during the captivity of the Israelites under King Nabonidas. As a young man, Azriel worked as a scribe in the temple of Marduk.

The priests there observe that Azriel seems to have a special rapport with the god. As was fashionable in that time, Azriel has chosen Marduk...