Marvelous Mythology

This week we bring you a list of marvelous mythology books. Featuring gods, monsters, heroic quests, and more from many different cultures, these tales are epic and timeless!
 
We don’t want this intro to drag-on for too long. So read on, or you’ll myth out!

​1. The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi: an Indian retelling of Hades and Persephone. Princess Maya is scorned because of her bad horoscope. After her arranged marriage to Amar, king of Akaran, she finds her voice, but also finds a dangerous ancient mystery that she must unravel to save those she loves.

2. The Wolf in Winter by Barbara Lennox: a Scottish version of Tristan and Isolde. Prince Corwynal is forced to give up his military ambitions to take care of his younger brother, Trystan. But when war is declared on their kingdom, Corwynal must reclaim his warrior dreams to protect the reckless boy.

3. Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan: Xingyin is forced to leave her home on the moon and her mother, Chinese moon goddess Chang'e, and start a new life in the Celestial Kingdom. She vows to win her mother's freedom by earning the Crimson Lion Talisman, which will grant her a favor from the emperor.

4. East by Edith Pattou: Rose accepts an offer from a huge white bear to live with him in his castle in exchange for her family's health and prosperity. But after she makes a devastating mistake, she must go on a dangerous quest to fix what she broke. Based on “East of the Sun, West of the Moon.”

5. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh: a retelling of the classic Korean folktale “The Tale of Shim Cheong.” Mina sacrifices herself to the Sea God in the place of Cheong, the woman her brother loves. An epic task awaits Mina in the Spirit Realm.

6. Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis: based on Cupid and Psyche. After her beloved younger sister is taken from her and married to the God of the Mountain, then banished, Orual turns her back on the gods and forges her own life as a warrior queen. But near the end of her life, she confronts the gods and learns the truth about herself and her sister.

7. The Riddle-Master trilogy by Patricia A. McKillip: themes from Celtic mythology. Morgon of Hed, a young prince with a mysterious star-shaped birthmark and the ability to solve complex riddles, embarks on a perilous journey across kingdoms and faces ancient powers to discover his true identity and destiny.

8. Japanese Tales ed. Royall Tyler: 220 tales from medieval Japan, featuring saints, scoundrels, demons, deities, ghosts, and more.

9. African Myths and Tales: Epic Tales by Dr. Kwadwo Osei-Nyame Jr.: an excellent collection of tales from Africa's rich, diverse body of folklore.

10. Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales trans. Margaret Hunt: Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, and more . . . before Disney tamed them.

11. The Tales from the Mythusian Empire series by Remy Apepp: original mythology that echoes The Epic of Gilgamesh but with prose more in the style of Anne Rice. Don’t expect a happy ending, but don’t expect total grimdark. Do expect to be swept away into the desert kingdom of Ordyuk and the capital city of Mythus, as well as deep into the psyches of some complex, intriguing characters who find themselves faced with excruciating choices.

12. Painter of the Dead by Catherine Butzen: Egyptian mythology comes to life in modern-day Chicago. In this elegantly written romance, muralist Theo falls for a man who’s much older than she first realizes—a few thousand years older, in fact—and who may be connected to that new mummy in the museum where she works.


What’s your favorite myth? Tell us in the comments!


P.S. – Check out this blog post with all of our authors’ favorite mythical works, and this blog post with Sarah’s favorite books by Asian authors for AAPI month.

P.P.S. - ​If you loved these book recommendations, why not sign up for our newsletter? Twice a month, we'll send you a themed list of fantasy and/or sci-fi book recommendations, and sometimes music or movies too. (Not to mention jokes, games, puzzles, and memes!)

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