Greek Mythology: Captivating Stories of the Ancient Olympians and Titans

by Ross Tanner

Captivating Stories of the Ancient Olympians and Titans Did you know that Zeus loved many women, both goddesses and mortals? Did you know that he turned himself into golden rain for one damsel who was locked away in a tower, and turned himself into a swan for another beauty? Did you know that he kidnapped one young princess which led to her brother founding the city of Thebes? And did you know that, to protect his own power, Zeus swallowed his first wife, just as Cronus had swallowed his own children in a previous age? Greek myth is full of fascinating tales of Titans and Olympian gods. Some of it makes us wonder if there might be some hint of truth behind those stories, no matter how outrageous they may sound. What parts of those stories were merely symbolic and what parts were literal? This book contains a brief, but unconventional look at the Titans and Olympian gods of Greek mythology. Brief, because a thorough treatment of these legendary super beings could take thousands of pages. Unconventional, because digging for truth is far more interesting than reciting old stories which have little relevance to us today. Attempting to reveal some semblance of truth brings the stories to life. It gives them relevance to our modern world. Here, we will look at many of the more fascinating stories which kept the Greek mortals entertained for hundreds of years. After all, they didn’t have iPhones and computer tablets. Within this book's pages, you'll find the answers to these questions and more. Just some of the questions and topics covered include The Nature of MythPrimordial Beings and TitansCreation of the UniverseBirth of the TitansStories of a Primordial UniverseChildren of Cronus and RheaTrouble in HeavenTitans vs. GodsNew Pecking OrderPrometheus and the HumansZeus and His LadiesMore Fun from OlympusMetis and AthenaCecrops and Dragons Scroll to the top and select the "BUY" button for instant download

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Mythology

54 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 22, 2016

Reviews

[Vicky Pilkington · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief overview of Greek mythology

[Virginia O'Malley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greek Mythology: Captivating Stories of the Ancient Olympians and Titans
Author: Ross Tanner
Publisher: KDP
Year: 2017

This is a most interesting read to catch up on your Greek mythology knowledge. There is a lot of information in this short book of 70 pages. One interesting entry that particularly caught my eye -
"Some scholars feel that centaurs were a creation of the active imaginations of primitive Eurasians who had never before seen men on horseback. So, Chiron and others like him may well have been cavalrymen, possibly of old Atlantis, if the island ever existed."

It is a lovely read and good learning publication for schools and colleges. Chapter 7, gives a good insight into the Olympian Gods and what they represent. I got this copy free as I have previously purchased some others in a series. Please watch out for these short read books as they are wonderful value for money and also several copies are free if you watch out for promotions.

[sabina · Rating 2 out of 5]

i downloaded this as a free e-book from the apple book store (as i frequently find myself waiting while running errands, and find myself on my phone but also don’t want to spend a lot of time on social media). having finished this book, i would not recommend it, as it was okay (at best).

a concise overview over ancient greek mythology is chronicled, but i’m not quite sure who the intended audience is — the breadth of expertise is too complex for someone who knows nothing about the subject, but actual content and writing is too simple for history buffs. there is no reference to academics which makes for poor non-fiction practice, in my opinion, and the ultimate sin, is that there is no flow to the writing, making it very boring to read.

if you are interested in learning more about ancient greek mythology, i would give this book a pass. however, it is not a terrible book, just not very good.

[rachael8095 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of this book was good - providing a nice introduction to the main Titans, gods, goddesses and heroes of Greek mythology. The second half lost me a little as it looked at suggestions that Greek mythology is based in fact (which I don’t particularly have an interest in). Overall I learnt useful things, and as a beginner in all things Greek mythology it was worth the read :)

[Janet Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad but not good!

Not a bad narrative on the gods & goddesses of Greece & Rome although not much background although more suited as an aid for learning than as a story on its own,not bad but as I said not good!

[Gian Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ancient Greek myths, old tales and new theories, from the first Gods to Atlantis and the Amazons warrior women.
Lots to discuss in such a short book, as intriguing as confusing. It could have definitely be better.

[Gilles Fabien Dogbo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Seriously? Why teach the good old deceptive stories the greeks started to believe about their own God(s) when we are all supposed to know the truth behind the corrupted truths ancient poets taught to the ancient.

[Jailan El-Rafie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, quick, and informative. It's a great read if you're looking for a quick recap of Greek mythology, and it definitely lets you know where to start for further research.

[ᴏʙᴀɪᴅ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short book it is a “cursory” look at Greek Mythology, it certainly did a good job in doing that.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great but things are missing

I liked.how it explained the complicated parts simply but as a massive Greek Mythology nerd I was a bit disappointed that a few facts were missed out

[Brenna Jarrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. A little bit oddly set up chapter wise, but fine for the most part

[Arash Ahsani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greek mythology is always fascinating.

[Jenni · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was free

[efa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheeky wee introductions to the Greek titans and Olympians pretty good I wanna read more about Greek mythology

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good :D

[Shraavya Malli · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not understand the point of this book at all. It gives a very high-level hierarchy of the Greek Gods without expanding even a little bit on each of them. The introduction sounded as if myths were going to be debunked. I expected the author to logically connect the events and present a case on what could have possibly happened. But there seems to be no effort from the author in this regard. Rather, he relies on somebody else's research and poses counter-questions to the reader. Nothing to be gained by reading this book. Devdutt Patnaik's Olympus is much better although that's not a great read too. The Kannada book 'Parva' by S.L.Bhyrappa is path-breaking in this genre and perfectly rationalises the myths.

[LilBuddy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Quick read that laid out the basics of greek mythology, there was a whole chapter dedicated to Zeus’ affairs and this made me laugh it was like a chapter used to call him out on it.

[Eugene Kernes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Myths might be fabricated and exaggerated, but they can hold some hints of reality. Some events may have taken place, but symbolized in a way that humans could express. For the Greeks, the myths served not just entertainment, but for ethical purposes. The stories depended on the leader’s motivation, to either justify action or teach lessons about the varieties of results that come from intentions. As for the myths themselves, when there were fewer gods, there was more peace. The more gods brought into existence, the more conflict there became. From the primordial gods, to the second generation Titan gods, to the third generation Olympian gods. Going from being represented by abstract ideas, to each generation becoming more anthropogenic.

This is a short book about the Greek gods. Which includes their linage, as the relationships between the gods is disclosed. Describing what the gods represented, and the potential real expressions of their symbolisms. Given the brevity, it is hard to understand the complexities of their interactions and loyalties. Partly because different sources have different claims to events and actions. Much like the author claims, to understand the myths more fully will require other sources.

[Steph Millar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good intro to Greek myths

A great book for a quick guide to Greek mythology. Perfect for students wanting to get back to basics. Would recommend.