Rooted in Mythology

Explore legends and lore from cultures around the world with books rooted in mythology. Some are classic retellings and others are old tales reimagined. Plant a seed, read!

Updated April 29, 2026
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Njal's Saga (the Saga of Burnt Njal)
Anonymous
Paper Book
'Njal's Saga' is rightly famous as one of the most heroic, and most poignant, of all the Icelandic narratives. Epic in scale, with battles, blood-feuds and storm-filled voyages that stretch across the breadth of the Scandinavian World, the tale is spiced with strange apparitions, ghostly singing...
Appleseed : a novel
Bell, Matt
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK · A PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER BEST OF THE YEAR "Woven together out of the strands of myth, science fiction, and ecological warning, Matt Bell's Appleseed is as urgent as it is audacious." --Kelly Link, Pulitzer Prize finalist and national bestselling...
Ragnarok : the end of the gods
Byatt, A. S.
Paper Book
Booker Prize winner Dame Antonia Byatt breathes life into the Ragnorak myth, the story of the end of the gods in Norse mythology. Ragnarok retells the finale of Norse mythology. A story of the destruction of life on this planet and the end of the gods themselves: what more...
The hero with a thousand faces
Campbell, Joseph
Paper Book
Since its release in 1949, The Hero with a Thousand Faces has influenced millions of readers by combining the insights of modern psychology with Joseph Campbell's revolutionary understanding of comparative mythology. In these pages, Campbell outlines the Hero's Journey, a universal motif of...
Goddess of filth
Castro, V.
Paper Book
"Five of us sat in a circle doing our best to emulate the girls in The Craft, hoping to unleash some power to take us all away from our home to the place of our dreams. But we weren't witches. We were five Chicanas living in San Antonio, Texas, one year out of high school." ...
The everything classical mythology book : from the heights of Mount Olympus to the depths of the underworld : all you need to know about the classical myths
Conner, Nancy
Paper Book
Romance, betrayal, passion, tragedy, violence, and scandal. No, it's not the latest reality TV search for love--it's classical mythology. For years, people have turned to the ancient Greek and Roman myths for entertaining reading, unbelievable storylines, unique characters, and...
The witch's heart
Gornichec, Genevieve
Paper Book
Angrboda's story begins where most witch's tales end: with a burning. A punishment from Odin for refusing to give him knowledge of the future, the fire leaves Angrboda injured and powerless, and she flees into a remote forest. There she is found by a man Loki, and her initial distrust grows into a...
Piñata
Gout, Leopoldo
Paper Book
A Best Horror Book of the Year (Esquire)! A Head Full of Ghosts meets Mexican Gothic in Piñata, a terrifying possession tale by author and artist Leopoldo Goût. It was supposed to be the...
The Greek myths
Graves, Robert
Paper Book
Robert Graves's classic retelling of the Greek Myths is definitive, comprehensive and unparalleled - and available now in the Penguin Classics Deluxe series, featuring a new introduction from Rick Riordan (bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and Olympian series). ...
I, Medusa : a novel
Gray, Ayana
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A "captivating villain origin story" (People Book of the Week) reimagining one of the most iconic monsters in Greek mythology as a provocative and powerful young heroine This hardcover edition features a premium dust jacket with foil and a...
The book of Greek & Roman folktales, legends, & myths
Hansen, William F.
Paper Book
The first anthology ever to present the entire range of ancient Greek and Roman stories--from myths and fairy tales to jokes Captured centaurs and satyrs, talking animals, people who suddenly change sex, men who give birth, the temporarily insane and the permanently thick...
The children of Jocasta
Haynes, Natalie
Paper Book
"[A] dark, elegant novel" of two women in ancient Greece, based on the great tragedies of Sophocles (Publishers Weekly). Thebes is a city in mourning, still reeling from a devastating plague that invaded every home and left the survivors devastated and fearful. This is...
Pandora's jar : women in Greek myths
Haynes, Natalie
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Funny, sharp explications of what these sometimes not-very-nice women were up to, and how they sometimes made idiots of . . . but read on!"--Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale The national bestselling author of A Thousand Ships...
A plague of giants
Hearne, Kevin
Paper Book
From the author of The Iron Druid Chronicles, a thrilling novel that kicks off a fantasy series with an entirely new mythology--complete with shape-shifting bards, fire-wielding giants, and children who can speak to astonishing beasts "A spectacular work of epic fantasy...
Battlestorm
Krinard, Susan
Paper Book
Battlestorm: an all-new urban fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Susan Krinard, author of Mist and Black Ice. Centuries ago, the Norse gods and goddesses fought their Last Battle with the trickster god Loki and his frost giants. All were...
The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox
Kwan, Katrina
Paper Book
From the author of The Last Dragon of the East comes a sweeping fantasy adventure with a dash of romance between a nine-tailed fox and the demon-hunter who captures her, banished to the underworld together and forced to form a reluctant alliance in order to escape the circles of Hell....
Dreamer's pool : a Blackthorn & Grim novel
Marillier, Juliet.
Paper Book
Award-winning author Juliet Marillier "weaves magic, mythology, and folklore into every sentence on the page" (The Book Smugglers). Now she begins an all-new and enchanting series that will transport readers to a magical vision of ancient Ireland....   In exchange for help...
Lilith
Marmery, Nikki
Paper Book
A triumphantly feminist retelling of ancient creation myths in the tradition of Madeline Miller and Claire North. Lyrically rendered, this epic U.S. debut tells the story of the woman known as Adam's first wife and her fall from Paradise and quest for revenge. ...
Dream Angus : the Celtic god of dreams
McCall Smith, Alexander
Paper Book
The beloved author of the hugely best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series joins the growing list of writers in Canongate's groundbreaking Myths series with an absorbing retelling of a seminal Celtic tale of love, youth, and beauty. Angus is one of the earliest Celtic deities...
Lure
McGregor, Tim
Paper Book
In the chapel of a forsaken fishing village on another world's shore, the seawashed bones of old gods hang from the rafters.When a new god drifts into the bay, the menfolk fear nothing as they reach for their spears; but capturing Her may be their last act of reckless bravado. Her very presence...
Psyche and Eros : a novel
McNamara, Luna
Paper Book
 "A pure delight . . . Romantic, poignant, and spellbinding."-- REBECCA ROSS, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals "Fiercely feminist and deeply romantic, Psyche and Eros has the allure of an old fable and the epic quality of ancient myth, tinged with a provocative,...
Gods of jade and shadow
Moreno-Garcia, Silvia
Paper Book
The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore. "A spellbinding fairy tale rooted in Mexican mythology . . . Gods of Jade and Shadow is a magical...
God of mercy : a novel
Nw?ka, Okezie
Paper Book
"Nwoka's debut feels like a dream, or a fable, or something in between . . . Recommended for fans of Nnedi Okorafor's Remote Control or Nghi Vo's The Empress of Salt and Fortune." -Ashley Rayner, Booklist " God of Mercy owes a debt to Chinua Achebe's...
Nightshade and Oak
O'Neill, Molly
Paper Book
An Iron Age goddess must grapple with becoming human in this delightful historical fantasy of myth and magic from the author of the instant hit Greenteeth. ★ "Yet another excellent story rooted in the folklore of the British isles, this one...
Tales from Ovid
Ovid
Paper Book
A powerful version of the Latin classic by England's late Poet Laureate, now in paperback.When it was published in 1997, Tales from Ovid was immediately recognized as a classic in its own right, as the best rering of Ovid in generations, and as a major book in Ted Hughes's oeuvre. The Metamorphoses...
The Trials of Hercules: Book One of the Osteria Chronicles
Painter, Tammie
Paper Book
Myths and heroes may be reborn, but the whims of the gods never change.In a world where mortals contend with the gods' vengeful whims, one man must ask himself if he will risk his life to defend the goddess who has done everything to destroy him.Perfect for fans of mythology and historical fantasy...
The mythic dream
Parisien, Dominik
Paper Book
An all-new anthology of eighteen classic myth retellings featuring an all-star lineup of award-winning and critically acclaimed writers. Madeleine L'Engle once said, "When we lose our myths we lose our place in the universe." The Mythic Dream gathers together eighteen...
The science of Middle-Earth : a new understanding of Tolkien and his world
Rafaelian, Arnaud
Paper Book
The surprising and illuminating look at how Tolkien's love of science and natural history shaped the creation of his Middle Earth, from its flora and fauna to its landscapes. The world J.R.R. Tolkien created is one of the most beloved in all of literature, and...
Song of Ancient Lovers
Restrepo, Laura
Paper Book
Award-winning Colombian author Laura Restrepo weaves contemporary themes and ancient myth in this story of star-crossed lovers in a world on the brink of collapse. Retelling the mythical love story between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon in the refugee camps of the...
Black sun
Roanhorse, Rebecca
Paper Book
In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.
To clutch a razor
Roth, Veronica
Paper Book
#1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth pulls from Slavic folklore to explore family, duty, and what it means to be a monster in this sequel to the USA Today bestselling novella When Among Crows. A funeral. A heist. A desperate mission. ...
Lore Olympus.
Smythe, Rachel
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Scandalous gossip, wild parties, and forbidden love--witness what the gods do after dark in this stylish and contemporary reimagining of one of the best-known stories in Greek mythology, featuring a brand-new, exclusive short story from creator Rachel...
The prose Edda : Norse mythology
Snorri Sturluson
Paper Book
The Prose Edda is the most renowned of all works of Scandinavian literature and our most extensive source for Norse mythology. Written in Iceland a century after the close of the Viking Age, it tells ancient stories of the Norse creation epic and recounts the battles that follow as gods, giants,...
Immortal
Tan, Sue Lynn
Paper Book
"Treacherously beautiful and dazzlingly romantic. This book will steal your breath and your heart!" - Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon A Broken Heart A young ruler must forge a delicate alliance with the untrustworthy yet magnetic...
Sharks in the time of saviors
Washburn, Kawai Strong
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE 2020 PEN/HEMINGWAY AWARD FOR DEBUT NOVEL. One of Barack Obama's Favorite Books of 2020. A finalist for the 2020 PEN/Jean Stein Book Award. Named one of the Best Books of 2020 by the New York Times (#30), the Guardian, the Boston Globe, Oprah<...
The golem and the jinni : a novel
Wecker, Helene
Paper Book
"An intoxicating fusion of fantasy and historical fiction. . . . Wecker's storytelling skills dazzle." --Entertainment Weekly A marvelous and absorbing debut historical fantasy novel about a chance meeting between two supernatural creatures in turn-of-the-century immigrant...
Tales of Valhalla : Norse myths & legends
Whittock, Martyn J.
Paper Book
A vivid retelling of Norse mythology that explores these legendary stories and their significance and influence on the Viking world. Valhalla and its pantheon of gods and heroes have always fascinated readers, whether it is how these tales illuminate the Viking world or influence...

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