[Loch-Ruadh] OT: Literary question (gasp!)

[Dondi Ratliff]

Here's the skinny.  I have a short paper due soon, and I've realized my 
topic may be a little wieldy to research without somewhere to start.  So, I 
figured I'd ask here for that starting point.

Fantasy novels.  Of any age.  That's the realm I'm looking at first.  
Fiction of a literary type or general type would be second in importance 
(but, by all means, mention those too!).

Specifically, I'm looking for scenes or background where you have a setting 
that's at least vaguely Oriental, and the powerful men in charge have boys 
they dote upon.  Eunuchs or not stated.

An example of what I'm after?

In the literary novel "Mister Johnson" by Joyce Cary, he portrays two minor 
characters, Waiziri and Saleh, in a certain light.  Waiziri is a powerful 
non-Caucasian man in the government of Nigeria in Africa at that point, and 
has many wives and children.  He "gets" a new boy, Saleh, and dresses him up 
and gives him everything he wants.  He's quite infatuated with him and 
spoils him.

The kicker?  Nigeria at that time (like today) had a great deal of Islamic 
influences.

After I read those scenes between W and Saleh, I could recall a few times 
where I'd read something like that in the fantasy genre, though no specific 
books.  Given there were Christians in the novel already, and pagan natives, 
the only other religion that W and Saleh could've been was Muslim.  Their 
little setup was one that was also portrayed in India and in the Middle East 
- also places where you might say other religions than Christian held sway.  
The "Orient."

I want to find out two things for my short and long papers:

1.) Was this really a portrayal of Muslims and their religion, or was it a 
different religion that was being stereotyped and horribly misunderstood?

And....

2.) Did fantasy take up the very real stereotypes made by postcolonial 
writers and keep the idea going even up until today?  (not necessarily a 
good or a bad standpoint, mind, but just did it seem to get the idea there 
and run with it?)

I only have about 5 pages with this first paper, so those two things should 
do me well.  Trouble is, I have to document everything, and I'm not sure 
where to start looking.  So, anyone read any good books lately?  *curious*

Dondi