Defining Mythic Fiction

So, what’s mythic fiction? I hadn’t heard of it until I stumbled over the term on Goodreads. It turns out The Tollkeeper is a pretty classic example of the genre, so at least I know how where in the literary landscape to locate it.

Wikipedia provides the following definition of mythic fiction:

Mythic fiction is literature that is rooted in, inspired by, or that in some way draws from the tropes, themes and symbolism of myth, legend, folklore, and fairy tales. The term is widely credited to Charles de Lint and Terri Windling. Mythic fiction overlaps with urban fantasy and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but mythic fiction also includes contemporary works in non-urban settings. Mythic fiction refers to works of contemporary literature that often cross the divide between literary and fantasy fiction.

I’m currently reading a mythic fiction novel, which I’ll post about soon. I’d love to be able to read on such a novel every week or even month, but my life just doesn’t allow me to make that personal commitment these days. 

But if you’ve read a piece you particularly like, please drop me a note. It’d be neat if we could form a community of sorts, sharing discoveries and raising the profile of this genre.

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