2024 Challenge Hybrid Creatures

[Jalilah]

Here is the place to discuss retellings, traditional tales, or books that contain Hybrid creatures.
Examples: centaurs, fauns, gorgons, Griffiths, sphinx, the minotaur, and more.

[Amanda]

Books fitting this category:

Centaurs The Song of Achilles

Gorgons: Stone Blind

Minotaurs Ariadne; The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break

[Amanda]

I'm looking for recommendations on gryphons/griffins and sphinx.

[Jamie]

I read Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung and LOVED IT. A beautiful and haunting retelling of the women of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Full of imagery and feminine rage. Check TW!

[Susan]

Is this the category where the Lamia dwells?
Or is the Lamia a shifter?

[Kelsey]

This one's proving more challenging than I expected! I just read Mindtouch, which has various sorts of animal people and one of the protagonists is a lion/skunk/centaur person... but it's sci-fi, so everyone is genetically engineered as opposed to mythical. Hoping I'll stumble across something that's a better fit by the end of the year!

[Margaret]

This one hasn't been easy for me either. I've read two, both middle grade graphic novels:

1. Monkey King and the World of Myths: The Monster and the Maze, which has a minotaur. Monkey King might count, too.

2. Unico: Awakening (Volume 1): An Original Manga, has a Sphinx in it. It's a tertiary character though.

I enjoyed both.

I'm planning on reading a third, but haven't chosen anything yet.

[Jalilah]

Kelsey wrote: "This one's proving more challenging than I expected! I just read Mindtouch, which has various sorts of animal people and one of the protagonists is a lion/skunk/centaur person... bu..."

For me too! I still haven’t read anything for it yet!

[Susan]

The Minotaur is in the supporting cast of Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett, a YA Ariadne retelling from 2011. That's when I read it, so I'm not certain there's enough Minotaur to matter, but Barrett does portray him as Ariadne's half-brother, and I seem to recall a lot of focus on that at least in the early part of the book.

[Jalilah]

Susan wrote: "The Minotaur is in the supporting cast of Dark of the Moon by Tracy Barrett, a YA Ariadne retelling from 2011. That's when I read it, so I'm not certain there's enough Minotaur to ..."

I read this book some years ago. I remember liking it, but not much else. If I remember correctly the Minotaur isn’t one in the true sense rather he has a deformity. I don’t remember!

[Jalilah]

I am really at loss as what to read for this prompt!

[Ozsaur]

Jalilah, mermaids would count for hybrid creature. I haven't read these books, but here are a few:

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey
The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
Chlorine by Jade Song

The last book may or may not have an actual mermaid, but I'd still count it for this challenge.

[Margaret]

I just finished Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik, which contains a retelling of the Greek myth of Ariadne and the minotaur. I have to say, it's my favorite version I've read so far. It's absolutely gorgeous. Other tales in the book would work for other challenge themes.

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: "I just finished Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik, which contains a retelling of the Greek myth of Ariadne and the minotaur. I have to say, it's my favorit..."

Hmmm I am not usually a short story fan but I did like Spinning Silver quite a lot!

Ozsaur wrote: "Jalilah, mermaids would count for hybrid creature. I haven't read these books, but here are a few:

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
The Deep b..."

Good point that mermaids also hybrid creatures!
I read The Deep, Mermaid of Black Conch and The Little Mermaid

[Ozsaur]

If you read them this year, Jalilah, then you're all set! If not, there are tons of mermaid books out there...

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "Hmmm I am not usually a short story fan but I did like Spinning Silver quite a lot!..."

I think you would enjoy most of the stories in the collection, and a few you would not. Most of the stories are the type of historical fantasy you enjoy. But one or two are high fantasy, and one is sci-fi.

[Jalilah]

I am wondering if Mind of My Mind would fit this category. It’s part of the Patternmaster series. If I understand it’s about humans who have been genetically modified mixed with other species
Has anyone read it?

[Margaret]

Jalilah wrote: "I am wondering if Mind of My Mind would fit this category. It’s part of the Patternmaster series. If I understand it’s about humans who have been genetically modified mixed with other..."

I haven't read that one.

[Jalilah]

Margaret wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "I am wondering if Mind of My Mind would fit this category. It’s part of the Patternmaster series. If I understand it’s about humans who have been genetically modified ..."

I decided to reread several of Charles de Lint’s books that take place in the desert. If I remember correctly they feature a jackalope, a mythical animal of North American folklore that is a jackrabbit with antelope horns. I believe they are The Painted Boy and The Wind in His Heartl in any case I own both books so it’s worth a try

[Ozsaur]

Oh yeah! A jackalope would totally fit Hybrid Creatures. Jackalope Wives and Other Stories by T. Kingfisher would also work.

[Jalilah]

Ozsaur wrote: "Oh yeah! A jackalope would totally fit Hybrid Creatures. Jackalope Wives and Other Stories by T. Kingfisher would also work."

Thank you! I keep seeing this author mentioned! I did to check them out!

[Jalilah]

I am reading The Painted Boy and it has the most charming Jackalope in it!
This book would also work for shapeshifters

[Jalilah]

For my second book for this prompt I’m reading The Wind in His Heart by Charles de Lint. There is a character that is part antelope and part fox