A book involving a mythical creature

[Simant]

Nadine wrote: "Simant wrote: "Is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay qualify for this?"

Some people are counting it, but I'm not because the creatures are from Rowlin..."

Thanks for the reply. Is there any better recommendation then?

[Nadine in NY]

There have been lots of great suggestions made in this post already, and I can't improve on them! - just scroll up to read.

[poshpenny]

Nadine wrote: "Simant wrote: "Is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay qualify for this?"

Some people are counting it, but I'm not because the creatures are from Rowling's imagination"

Except the Thunderbird

[Michelle]

Would Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch work for this? I've seen it mentioned in some other topics and it sounds like a good book, but I've already filled the multiple authors slot.

[poshpenny]

Michelle wrote: "Would Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch work for this? I've seen it mentioned in some other topics and it sounds like a good book, but I've already fi..."

There is a hellhound

[Simant]

Nadine wrote: "There have been lots of great suggestions made in this post already, and I can't improve on them! - just scroll up to read."

Thank you :)

[Amanda]

I ended up reading City of Bones. I like reading books that my students are enjoying, so I picked up this one for the mythical creature!

[Lynette]

The Fairy Circus works for folks wanting to go with children's selections

[Hannah]

Could The Nix count for this? The mother (as well as some of the other characters) in the book is described as a nix, even though it's more metaphorical than straight out fantasy. They do go into the Norwegian folklore background of the nix as well.

[Nadine in NY]

Hannah wrote: "Could The Nix count for this? The mother (as well as some of the other characters) in the book is described as a nix, even though it's more metaphorical than straight out fantasy. T..."

If it's only metaphorical, then I wouldn't count it. I haven't read The Nix so I can't say, really.

[mandy crandale]

I'm going for The Minotaur Takes His Own Sweet Time because I fell completely in love with M during The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break and have only just discovered there is a sequel...

[Shannon]

I think for this prompt I am going to read Heartstone which is Pride and Predjudice retold in a fantasy setting. Two of my favorite things! And, if the cover is to be believed, there are dragons.

[Christine]

I was planning An Unattractive Vampire for this, but I happened to reload my audiobook of Emperor Mollusk versus The Sinister Brain last night, and I think I'll re-read it in its entirety, so if I need to, I can always count that!

[Nancy]

I'm rereading (for the first time in many years) The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip, which won a World Fantasy Award in 1975 and may have been the book that, years ago, introduced me to this amazing author. It includes a number of mythical and magical animals, including a dragon, a boar, a lion, a cat, and a falcon, all kept by a young female heroine who has the power to discover their true names and summon them to her as companions in her isolated mountain home. I hadn't even realized it would fit this category until I was reading some posts in this discussion! I supposed it would have dawned on me at some point while reviewing the challenge list. If you love fantasy, check this one out.

[Michelle]

poshpenny wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Would Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch work for this? I've seen it mentioned in some other topics and it sounds like a good book, bu..."

Works for me! Thanks!

[Lorea]

Has anyone read The Penelopiad? I take the point earlier in the thread about distinguishing from mythological figures v. mythological creatures, as the prompt mandates, but didn't know if any of the creatures Odysseus meets are mentioned in the book. It's been on my TBR shelf for a while, but I don't want to force it into this slot.

Thanks!

[Liisa Ady]

I read (Werewolf) for this challenge. It's very short (a theatrical play), but it's a tragedy. It's very old book, released in 1911.

[Laurie]

@Lorea - I read The Penelopiad a few months ago and I don't recall much discussion of the creatures. I really liked it though, and it would be perfect for the advanced prompt for a book based on mythology. It's a quick read, too!

[Lorea]

@Laurie - thank you so much!! That's really helpful :)

Laurie wrote: "@Lorea - I read The Penelopiad a few months ago and I don't recall much discussion of the creatures. I really liked it though, and it would be perfect for the advanced prompt for a boo..."

[Miriam]

Anna wrote: "I'm looking at Rivers of London, which dovetails nicely with my "set in London" challenge. Does it qualify here?"

It depends on you definition of "mythical". If you understand "mythical" as "out of the Greek/Roman/etc. Myths" than this could be a bit difficult. Most of the creatures the protagonist encounter are made up by Aaronovitch, though he might have had some mythical examples.
If on the other hand you difine "mythical" as supernatural or divine in any way, then it most certainly would count. You'll encounter vampires, ghosts, spirits, gods and godesses, and naturally wizards.

BTW: Read it! The series is great and the "London Feeling" of it is just wonderfull.

[Elyse]

I picked Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (not the screenplay) but the new edition that's coming out in March which includes new creatures!

[Nadine in NY]

I read, and LOVED, The Bear and the Nightingale last week. It's a historical fantasy heavily influenced by Russian and Slavic folk tales and mythologies, and there were several mythological creatures such as the rusalka , the vodianoi, the domovoi , the bannik and the leshy. Some of these are perhaps more properly described as spirits or demons, but their appearance in the book was as a creature, so I figured it counted. So I checked off this category.

[Elyse]

The challenge says 'mythical' and not 'mythological' so I take it to be any creature that isn't real. Mythical vs. Mythological

[Elyse]

Nadine wrote: "I read, and LOVED, The Bear and the Nightingale last week. It's a historical fantasy heavily influenced by Russian and Slavic folk tales and mythologies, and there were several myth..."

I missed out on reading this for free when I had it as an ARC and I'm kicking myself! Now I'm waiting on the library list!

[Nadine in NY]

Elyse wrote: "The challenge says 'mythical' and not 'mythological' so I take it to be any creature that isn't real. Mythical vs. Mythological"

Ah! That's a distinction that I had not noticed! So unicorns and vampires and werewolves and mermaids all count, and the creatures I mentioned count, as well as Minotaur and Sirens and Pegasus, etc.

[Elyse]

Exactly!

[Caity]

I ordered The Last Unicorn last night with a rather late Christmas Amazon gift card... Now I want to use it for this task. *sigh*

I have a lot of choices for certain tasks.

[Ashley]

Lincoln in the Bardo just came of and involves ghosts.

[Julie]

I'm still trying to decide on this one. Here are the books I'm considering (right now I'm leaning toward The Round House):

The Round House (has a Wendigo)
Magic Kingdom For Sale/Sold
The Silmarillion
Dragonflight
Gold Fame Citrus (has a Chupacabra and others)
Busy Monsters (there's a Kraken)
Seraphina
The Amulet of Samarkand
The Golem
The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break

[Camilla]

I'm currently reading 'The Golem and the Djinni' for this prompt...

[Nadine in NY]

Julie wrote: "I'm still trying to decide on this one. Here are the books I'm considering (right now I'm leaning toward The Round House):

The Round House (has a Wendigo)
[book:Magic Kingdom For S..."

I would take The Round House and Gold Fame Citrus off your list for this category - they each mention a mythical creature but it's barely part of the plot, and in each book it's left for the reader to decide if it was really there or just imagined. (I decided they were both imagined, but that's partly because I don't do well with "magical realism.") Neither plot really "involves" the creature.

[Simant]

Elyse wrote: "Exactly!"

And do the characters of J.K. Rowling
also counts?

[Elyse]

Simant wrote: "Elyse wrote: "Exactly!"

And do the characters of J.K. Rowling
also counts?"

Yes, because they are made up!

[Julie]

Nadine wrote: "I would take The Round House and Gold Fame Citrus off your list for this category - they each mention a mythical creature but it's barely part of the plot, and in each book it's left for the reader to decide if it was really there or just imagined. (I decided they were both imagined, but that's partly because I don't do well with "magical realism.") Neither plot really "involves" the creature."


Thanks, that's exactly what I was having difficulty with - figuring out how central they really were to the plot. That helps clarify so I can narrow things down a bit! :)

[Caity]

Camilla wrote: "I'm currently reading 'The Golem and the Djinni' for this prompt..."

I read this book a couple of years ago. It is SO good. I thought the writing was gorgeous.

[Chetara]

I'm thinking of reading Peter S. Beagle . It's been on my to-read shelf for years and never really got around to reading it.

[Katherine]

I have been thinking about Peter and the Starcatchers. I am assuming this has mythical creatures in it. I know I can't believe I haven't read it yet! I feel like everyone read it in grade school except for me!

[Kelsey]

Goblin King (Erlking, king of fairies) as a Mythical Creature?

Thoughts?

My backup with be Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets or Goblet of Fire... the Basilisk is for sure a mythical creature as are Mermaids, Dragons and the sphinx :-)

[Laura]

Chetara wrote: "I'm thinking of reading Peter S. Beagle . It's been on my to-read shelf for years and never really got around to reading it."

I picked that one for this category - I'm excited to start it!

[Elyse]

Kelsey wrote: "Goblin King (Erlking, king of fairies) as a Mythical Creature?

Thoughts?

My backup with be Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets or Goblet of Fire... the Basilisk is for sure a mythical creatu..."

I would say yes. Goblins aren't real.

[Elyse]

Chetara wrote: "I'm thinking of reading Peter S. Beagle . It's been on my to-read shelf for years and never really got around to reading it."

I'm re-reading The Unicorn Sonata for book you loved as a child. :)

[Wednesday]

I LOVED Bloody Good by Georga Evans. It has a few magical creatures in it, but they're living as human and its very relatable and light on the fantasy. Its set in Britain during WW2.

[Melanie]

The Moon and the Sun byVonda N. McIntyre
History mixed with Mythology

[Ashley]

So I'm trying to get through the Mortal Instruments series, hopefully to finish up this year; what do we think about using City of Glass in this task? The main characters are Nephilim (the descendants of man & angel offspring). There are also vampires and lycanthropes in the book, and we even meet two actual angels.

Please say yes and make my life easier :)

[Malaraa]

Vampires and lycanthropes both definitely mythical.

[Kirsten]

I finished reading Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs for this one. It has werewolves, skinwalkers, vampires, and fae (fairy). At least, I think they're mythical.

What makes this book even funner is the idea that all these mythical creatures are setting up shop in my hometown.

[Lauren]

Are we counting ghosts as mythical creatures? This one has been a little tough for me lol

[Kirsten]

Hmmm.... I suppose it would depend if you believe in ghosts....

[Malaraa]

Since some people believe ghosts are real and some don't, I'd say that it's a personal call on that one. Either you believe in ghosts, so they don't count as mythical, or you don't believe in ghosts, so they do count as mythical. :)

[Elyse]

Lauren wrote: "Are we counting ghosts as mythical creatures? This one has been a little tough for me lol"

Ghosts are paranormal and I'm not sure paranormal is mythical, though it is supernatural.